Groundhog Day: FCC Budget Contains Spectrum Fee Authority...Again

FCC says authority "could be useful in some circumstances," such as encouraging broadcasters to give up spectrum for auction

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/13/2012 3:42:04 PM

The FCC and Obama administration have once again proposed spectrum fee authority for the agency, which the FCC says "could be useful in some circumstances."
 
One of those might be to encourage broadcasters to give up spectrum for auction.
 
Fees would be phased in "to determine the appropriate application and level for fees," beginning in 2012 and totaling $4.8 billion over the next decade.
 
If past is prologue, the spectrum fees will wind up on the cutting-room floor after Congress has its say.
 
Spectrum fees have been part of the White House budget, released Monday, for years now without making into the final version.
 
The FCC has asked for $346,782,000, down from the $354.2 million it sought last year.