« MediaCon: in a thing worth a 1,000 words | Main | an important week »

free the air

May 31, 2003 7:28 PM - comments (15)

The Economist (that magazine that called for a 14 year copyright term) has a great piece about spectrum. The piece nicely carries this "Commons vs. Property" debate one step further. As Yochai Benkler is increasingly pushing the point, the problem with the "commons" metaphor is that it itself is a "property" metaphor -- just a form of "property" where everyone has a right to access.

But that, Benkler argues, is misleading. The question we should be asking is not which form of property makes sense -- private or commons -- but instead a much more libertarian question: Do we need any "regulation of the spectrum" at all? Or put better: Given today's technology, is there any reason to believe that the market operating on its own, without any substantial form of regulation, won't figure out how best to develop devices that radiate? Can't we depend upon the market to solve whatever coordination problems there are?

I've already tagged Benkler "perhaps the best communications theorist of our generation." I shouldn't have said "perhaps."

Posted on May 31, 2003 7:28 PM | | technorati

Comments (15)

June 1, 2003 12:58 AM Sarah Philipson:

Information society might become a new feudalism where Intellectual Property Rights are awarded to new feudal lords like Microsoft, Universal or Sony.

You are right in making a progressive statement that something has to be made to prevent this.

But I don't think the metaphor of a common is a good banner.

Commons was the remnants under feudalism of a pre-feudal clan society. They permitted small peasants to have a slightly better life under the feudal warlord than if they had to survive on the meagre by-products of their slavery for the noble. Early capitalism evolved when most of those commons where taken by force by the gentry. Impoverished peasants became journeymen or women and eventually labour force in early industry.

The word therefore gives me the impression of demanding that the common citizen has to get some air, to respire, to not suffocate. It is inherently defensive in character: leave us this at least.

I think we have to find a more offensive metaphor.

June 2, 2003 7:48 AM Winston:

Regulation of the spectrum is necessary and fully free-air model cannot work, in my opinion. The FCC's hybrid approach is probably the most reasonable, given the nature of the markets involved. While Wi-fi's use of the 2.4 GHz range without licensing seems to work because each Wi-fi user is like a ship using the ocean (each user is very small and effects a very limited area), regulation must remain for broadcasters who can blanket an entire area with its jamming signal. No regulation or licensing in this area means that the first to market with the ability to build the biggest tower and most powerful antenna wins.

You think Clear Channel is bad now....

June 2, 2003 2:38 PM Fuzzy:

I am willing to listen, but for a market to succeed, there must be market forces driving in different directions that can be balanced. Where is the market force against spectrum interference. If Verizon wants to use a range of frequencies, what is to prevent AT&T from jamming the same range of frequencies to block Verizon signals? If a small radio station picks a frequency for their broadcasts what is the market pressure they can use if a larger radio station decides they wish to take over the frequency? The technological solution of spread spectrum is not a universal panacea. Electronic frequency pollution, like water or air pollution is a real problem and market forces against them are only marginally effective, when there is no direct financial incentive against them.

June 3, 2003 1:57 PM Frederick Emrich:

I'm interested in Benkler's argument that the commons metaphor is problematic because it is another form of property. Is there an article you can suggest (or another resource) where he has developed this idea?

August 31, 2003 2:47 PM randy+munden&ie:

randy+munden&ieWJYHGB WGB WGB GBWIUGWP-G9WUGPWIOUG WQWPUGIW WGUW GPWUGWPGUW [POUWG[WPOUG W WP PWUGGPWUOG PWIUYGGW PIYGHOA[PGYH GIOPAYG[IWGYOUW 0[G[WYGUG W[ BWEPRIUBPBW RIPrandy+munden&ie QKKFJGQFKQGF randy+munden&ierandy+munden&ie QKFGQKF randy+munden&ie OIHFHOQFGHQOUFYQFUGFIUOQGFOUIQGFOQUIFGQOUFGQUOFGQOUIFGHrandy+munden&ieOIFYQOUIFYHF QF QYIFGH QOPF FQYHF QOG QWOIGYHWGTIWGPIWYHGPWIIYGW PGW PWIHGWIPG WPIY randy+munden&ie WGIYQPOIGYQ GQG randy+mundeN randy+mu BWGGKWGH OWGHY GWI WGY G

September 13, 2003 10:24 PM RANDY MUNDEN:

RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN

September 13, 2003 10:28 PM KJQQGF RANDY MUNDEN:

RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN WFJGFLLQEGLGROLGDQWGRANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN QIUFGQOUFGOF UQFQOFQOO HFQOFH RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN RANDY MUNDEN QWFGQWFG

September 17, 2003 4:50 PM RANDY MUNDEN:

KWHFOGUOG RANDY HOWHFWOEIHYFIOP RANDY N WEFH LIUWF FFF LWFH FIHWOFYOPIY FIHFLHFLWFHF MUNDEN HFHGK RFJFHKWLFHJ JFIKWEO FHFLWSHF FHF FOIHF FOF HF OF MUNDEN FHFGFHW RANDY LFKHJWOF HLWIFH OIHFOIH F WOIH OF MUNDEN RANDY MFWLJ MUNDEN PWHF RHOWRH 567687FVW 6V87VWFV 867E6 6EF7W68 3 7 E7 E75687VB6E87 E8756EV87WE6V876V87687 6S87FF W F WIG RANDY MUNDEN

October 24, 2003 4:00 PM RANDY MUNDEN:

HKGWKFVCV5VWFF 54WF4 RFBHKJG There's no more RANDY MUNDEN efficient or effective way to reach the largest group of active auto shoppers RANDY MUNDEN in your market. What's more, by advertising your inventory to these motivated buyers, you generate only high-quality leads.
Our Classified Listings let you provide all the necessary car details to turn shoppers into buyers. And you can upgrade listings with enhancements to RANDY MUNDEN attract even more attention.

We offer a variety of interactive advertising products and Internet solutions, like Dynamic Display Ads and Multiple Image Hosting, all designed to help you
RANDY MNDEN

October 24, 2003 4:04 PM MUNDEN RANDY:

RANDY MUNDEN 1995 Pantera Offshore, 47', High Performance Boat, Triple 625HP Engines with Triple Mercruiser Bravo 1 I/O's. RANDY MUNDEN Hydraulic Steering, Custom RANDY MUNDEN Controls, Custom Wind Delector. V-Berth with Electric Head, Sofas-Port & Starboard, Wood Cabnits and Galley RANDY MUNDEN 1996 Wellcraft Scarab 38, 38' Performance, Twin 502 Mercruiser Bravo 1 I/O - Choice Exhaust - 2 Batteries - K-Planes w/Indicators - Bench Seat - Snap Out Carpet - RANDY MUNDEN Compass - Trim Indicator - Offshore Controls - Electric Drop RANDY MUNDEN Down Bolsters - Fridge - Enclosed Head RANDY MUNDEN

January 20, 2004 10:16 AM Ralf:

Hello interesting Blog!

Autoversicherung

April 22, 2004 6:22 AM Anonymous:

just great
a hope for the future

May 25, 2004 12:20 PM SeaSame:

Economic environment often manipulated by a few economist. This is very unreasonable thing but the world love to follow its trend, we can't do much about it. SeaSame

December 1, 2004 6:10 AM mrinfo:

important topic strange discussion.
trixi

Post a comment

By entering the words in the box, you are also helping to digitize texts that were written before the computer age. The words that you see were taken directly from old texts that are being scanned and stored by the Internet Archive. This CAPTCHA helps proofread the books. If the sample is too hard to read, click the recycle button to get another two. A space between each word is required. And thanks for the comment and help.