Honorable Michael K. Powell
Chairman Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20554

Dear Chairman Powell:

We write in response to your reply letter to Sen. Ernest F. Hollings, to which you attached your letter to the Editors of the Washington Post taking exception to our commentary criticizing the Commission's Order of September 17 with regard to clearing the 60s channels in the upper 700 MHz band ("Hey, Give Back Those Airwaves Or Pay Up," The Washington Post, October 14, 2001). In one important respect, we agree with you and sympathize with the Commission's dilemma: the root of this problem rests with Congress and its earlier decisions on digital broadcasting and the spectrum. You accurately (if delicately) describe the problem as the "incongruity presented by the statutory provisions" that require the FCC to auction the 60s channels well before broadcast licensees are required to vacate those frequencies.

To view the entire letter, please see the attached PDF.