[eno_]

The airwaves are licensed to the broadcasters, not sold to them. They are a public resource, and belong to the people.

Not really. If the PEOPLE really owned the airwaves, they would be re-acutioned periodically, and radio stations would not be valued on their licenses. And the PEOPLE would be remitted the proceeds from license auctions. The current system is a corrupt mess.

[Sabertooth]

If the PEOPLE really owned the airwaves, they would be re-acutioned periodically, and radio stations would not be valued on their licenses. And the PEOPLE would be remitted the proceeds from license auctions. The current system is a corrupt mess.

There's a some truth to this, yet at the same time we recognize a value in not having a few megabuck oligarchs squatting over the entire broadcast spectrum.

Still, I'd be open to some restructuring on how license fees are set and collected. I don't really know how fees are now determined. By transmitter watt?