The 'Public Interest'

For years Pittsburghers have witnessed the low regard in which public television station WQED holds its second channel, WQEX. Since November 1997, WQED has been airing on WQEX the same programs, at the same time, as on its flagship Channel 13, simulcasting a typical PBS mix of kids' shows, pro-business public affairs, Antiques Roadshow and Nova. And three times in the past seven years, WQED--arguing that Pittsburgh doesn't need and can't support two noncommercial stations--has sought to unload WQEX and pocket the proceeds to repair its own troubled finances.

This past summer the Bush appointees of the Federal Communications Commission rewarded this stewardship, voting 3 to 1 to let WQED "de-reserve" WQEX--that is, open it to commercial use, sell it to commercial broadcaster ShootingStar Inc. and keep the $20 million purchase price. Unable to secure financing, ShootingStar bailed out in November when WQEX rejected the broadcaster's request to modify the terms of the sale. Nonetheless, the station remains on the open market, and the vote still sets a dangerous precedent for dozens of public television's so-called second stations in larger markets. Many of these stations were distributed to existing stations to further public TV's educational mission.

In his scathing dissent, commissioner Michael Copps called the majority's action a violation of the public interest and an unprecedented breach of FCC policies. It was bad enough to halve the number of public stations--the first time a noncommercial educational license has been de-reserved without being replaced. But the vote also contradicts longstanding FCC policy by letting WQED both peddle WQEX without putting it up for competitive bid and then keep the proceeds--money that would normally accrue to the taxpayers.

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