In a sort of sick way, I'm almost glad for this update from our friends at BAR. Because it means I'm going to have even more soap for my favorite soapbox, which is "turn it off, it's killing you."

So it is that when the transition to digital TV occurs in February of 2009 and the number of TV stations multiplies by from four to ten times, no local entrepreneurs, no unions, community organizations, colleges, universities or other noncommercial, nonprofit broadcasters have any hope of gaining access to the new stations. All the new stations will be the provate property of the folks who already have broadcast licenses, with no obligations to do local news or public service, or educational or even local programming. The existing broadcasters get this gift of public spectrum, thousands of TV channels conservatively valued at $80 billion, for less than what a family in Wilmington NC pays for the yearly state tax on a used Ford --- for nothing. And they get it without the bother of new station licenses being issued, since that might attract undue public attention, with people inquiring about why someone else doesn't get a crack at them.

I will never understand why so many otherwise smart people seem so addicted to propaganda, crap, and lies. I know folks will forced to make some hard choices as the economy tanks, and I sincerely hope that one of them will be, "I guess I don't really need that $100/mo cable bill and $3,500 HDTV after all." Read more…