Why the TV networks have accused the government of a ‘spectrum grab’

If I offered you money for something, an offer you didn’t have to accept, would you call it a grab?

What if I actually owned the thing I offered you money for, and the offer was more of a gentle inquiry?

Welcome to the world of television, where the government (which actually owns the broadcast spectrum) can offer networks the opportunity to hand back a part of it, in return for generous compensation, and get accused of a “spectrum grab“.

If the minister, Paul Fletcher, hadn’t previously worked in the industry (he was a director at Optus), he wouldn’t have believed it.

HEad

Here’s what happened. The networks have been sitting on more broadcast spectrum (or radio frequencies) than they need since 2001. That’s when TV went digital in order to…