Since the inception of public television, the broadcast of major football bowl games was an American tradition until ESPN's contract with the BCS yanked virtually all bowl games off the air this year, effectively preventing college football from entering the living rooms of those who receive TV signals only with an antenna. This is, once more, another separation between the have's, those who can afford cable TV, and the have-nots, those who cannot or prefer not to spend their hard-earned money on cable. The FCC should assert that the on-air coverage of bowl games is in the public interest, convenience and necessity, and should trump ESPN's contract with the BCS. Failing that, Congress should enact a law giving the FCC full regulatory authority over Cable TV.



