FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr wants to get a sense of the broadcast repack from up high. Multiple sources tell Inside Towers, he has a broadcast tower climb in the works, in Republican Senator John Thune’s home state of South Dakota, to coincide with a field hearing. The event could occur next week.
Inside Towers asked Chairman Ajit Pai at the spectrum conference this week, if he intends another climb. In an interview, he said: “I climbed this 131 foot tower in Colorado, and, of course, made the mistake of boasting about it to him” [referring to Carr]. Pai said he spoke with Carr Wednesday. Pai said: “He claims he has a climb in the works. He didn’t give me a specific height, but he says this will remove any debate, once and for all, about who is the superior climber.”
Inside Towers hears it could be a 2,000 foot TV tower that contains an elevator.
The Chairman asked Inside Towers to contact Carr’s office to ask about the plans. Pai then said: “My only request to you is to ask him if he’s going to do that climb in loafers, as I did. I was wearing these shoes [pointing to them] when I made that climb.” He referred to Carr as a “young whippersnapper.”
A spokesman for Carr’s office said he could not confirm Carr will climb another tower. However, he did confirm: “Commissioner Carr will not be climbing any towers in loafers. He leaves those feats to the Chairman.”
By Leslie Stimson, Washington Bureau Chief
October 5, 2018
