Given that the FCC is funded by the taxpayers I find it frustrating that the FCC document archive is sitting behind a paywall-esque system. Is there a good reason for this?
With all the money it costs to physically store and maintain the documents, I would imagine that they could instead scan and index them, and then put them up online and make them available to taxpayers for free, since we (the taxpayers) have effectively already paid for it, and continue to pay for it continually.
How did the BCPI become the sole contractor to have access to these documents? How can I find out how this came to be?
document archive is sitting behind a paywall-esque system. Is there a good reason for this?
Traditionally the reason is it requires somebody to go find the physical copy, scan it, and send it to you.
I would imagine that they could instead scan and index them, and then put them up online
Physical archival, once archived, is pretty low-maintenance. They could scan and index them, but that costs something. Yes, the information in the documents has already been paid for, but transferring that information has not.
<sarcasm>Yes, what a boon for the public.</sarcasm>
Well, at least you can get access if you need it. Compared to zero access, I'd say that's a boon. Also a good first step.
They should have the policy that once someone requests a document it is made public (just the document, no the request). Bootstrap the digital index with the most interesting documents as suggested by public demand.
The National Archives should have jurisdiction for storing the documents of all federal agencies, departments and commissions. Just like the NSA has jurisdiction to secure every federal computer network.
It's the same reason that federally funded scientific research is only available in for-profit journals. Someone has to pay for the costs associated with publishing things, and the scientists/FCC don't want it coming out of their budget.
Of course, the money being paid to access papers in for-profit journals is also coming from the government, just in a less efficient way.
The cost of publishing - especially written documents - has dropped to essentially free in the last two decades, though. I hear your argument from time to time, but it's a really hard sell these days.
With all the money it costs to physically store and maintain the documents, I would imagine that they could instead scan and index them, and then put them up online and make them available to taxpayers for free, since we (the taxpayers) have effectively already paid for it, and continue to pay for it continually.
How did the BCPI become the sole contractor to have access to these documents? How can I find out how this came to be?
http://bcpiweb.com/fcc.php:
> Our office is inside of the FCC building and we have full complete access to FCC files,
> FCC divisions, FCC bureaus and FCC archives! We are the official contractor given top
> priority by the Federal Government in handling FCC documents to benefit the public.
<sarcasm>Yes, what a boon for the public.</sarcasm>
FWIW, I hate being so negative about this. But as is often the case with governmental affairs, this seems like total bullshit.