Consumer Off-air Reception Inquiries Going Up at FCC

By Doug Lung 2-2-2012

The release of the FCC's Consumer & Governmental Affair Bureau's "Summary of Top Consumer Inquiry Subjects" contradicts a common perception that interest in off-air TV reception is decreasing.

Next to "Billing & Rates," this was the most popular topic among the 1,650 inquires in "Cable & Satellite Services" category. Some 480 inquiries were processed in the third quarter of 2011, an increase of almost 25 percent from the 385 inquires processed in the second quarter of 2011. There was even greater interest in "Digital Television Issues," with 1,117 inquires in the third quarter of 2011, up slightly from 1,102 inquires received in the second quarter. This is just behind "Broadcast Programming Issues" with 3,664 inquires listed in the "Radio and Television Broadcasting" category.

Interference was the third most popular topic in the "Radio and Television Broadcasting" and "Wireless Telecommunications" categories. The report shows interference-related inquiries dropping slightly between the second and third quarters of 2011; however, interference in the broadcasting category increased slightly.

Read More: TVTechnology: Consumer Off-air Reception Inquiries Still Big at FCC

The FCC's own data is implying that OTA viewership is on the rise?

I'm surprised they let this sort of data get published, since it contradicts their assertions that OTA TV is dying.

They'll find some way to cook the books. After all, obummer wants that spectrum badly.

Here's an interesting tidbit. As a website, FCC.GOV is allegedly worth about $135,000.

fcc.gov Estimated Worth $135232.5 USD by websiteoutlook