Is the spectrum just too complex for reporters?

IS THE SPECTRUM JUST TOO COMPLEX FOR REPORTERS?
[SOURCE: Nieman Foundation, AUTHOR: J.H. Snider JH_Snider@ksg.harvard.edu]
The most valuable natural resource of the information age is arguably the electromagnetic spectrum, which is used for the wireless transmission of information. In February 2008, an FCC auction of 50 MHz of spectrum raised $19 billion, the largest single auction of public property in U.S. history. Given that there is approximately 3,000 MHz of prime spectrum (plus another 297,000 MHz of non-prime spectrum), that implies a total spectrum valuation upwards of $1 trillion. The vast majority of the publicly-owned spectrum either has not been auctioned or has been auctioned off incompetently. Instead, it has been granted to private interests with no public compensation. Why has this story gotten so little press attention? One reason is that the press is confused and scared by the complexity of the issue. To journalists (and most people), spectrum is an invisible resource with apparently mysterious and even magical properties. When they pick up an FCC rulemaking and observe the highly technical way most spectrum debates are framed, their initial fears are only confirmed. Rather than embarrass themselves, they would prefer not to cover spectrum. Another reason is that any given spectrum giveaway tends not to be the stuff that could make the front page, even if it were comprehensible.
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