• Broadcasting & Cable, Thursday, January 31, 2008 10:45 AM

Federal Communications Commissioner Robert McDowell sees the media landscape moving to a la carte approach where consumers pick "the hour, place and time for accessing content." But he adds that the pricing of pay video services is a "fragile economic ecosystem" and regulators need to be "very, very careful" as they consider unbundling cable service. He isn't sure anyone completely understands a marketplace that is more competitive than ever, with so much free online content.
"As the paradigms are shifting, I think we need to take all of that into account," ha says. McDowell also says there is no "rational" reason to change the digital TV transition date of Feb. 17, 2009: "We have an auction going on right now selling off those airwaves," he points out, "Once they are sold, we'd better clear them, or else our customers will be very angry if we can't deliver the goods."

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