Dems Ask Martin To Stick To DTV Transition
Letter to FCC chairman recommends dropping program access complaints.
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 12/12/2008 7:20:00 AM
As expected Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WVA) and Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), have written a letter advising FCC Chairman Kevin Martin to confine his last FCC actions to smoothing the DTV transition and matters that "require action under the law."
Those would not include a proposal to make changes to program access complaint rules and a proposal to prohibit cable programmers from dictating placement on programming tiers as a condition of carriage agreements.
It would also likely not include a controversial proposal to create a a free broadband service as part of a wireless spectrum auction.
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin released an agenda for the Dec. 18 public meeting with a couple of DTV-related items Thursday night as well as the program carriage and free broadband items, but he is expected to consult with other commissioners and likely modify the agenda in light of the letter, according to industry sources.
Saying they were writing with concern about the Dec. 18 meeting agenda, Rockefeller and Waxman said:
"The most important challenge for the Commission over the next nine weeks is to ensure the smoothest possible transition to digital television (DTV). At a time when serious questions are being raised about transition readiness, it would be counterproductive for the FCC to consider unrelated items, especially complex and controversial items that the new Congress and new Administration will have an interest in reviewing. We strongly urge you to concentrate the Commission's attention and resources only on matters that require action under the law and efforts to smooth the transition to digital television."
Rockefeller and Waxman will be the chairmen of the Senate Commerce Committee and House Energy & Commerce Committee, respectively in the new Congress. Those are the committee's overseeing the FCC and communications issues.
“We just received the letter from Senator Rockefeller and Congressman Waxman,” said the FCC spokesmen Matt Nodine. “We are reviewing it and will reach out to the other offices.”
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Shouldn't B&C's DTV Countdown clock be reset to reflect the additional month allowed for in last week's legislation approving the continuation of analog broadcasting? Does anyone really believe that a statistically significant number of stations will go all-digital on Feb. 19th, when everyone knows millions are "unready" -- and now they don't have to?
Adam Smith - 12/13/2008 6:55:00 PM EST -
With Rocky talking about "serious" concerns over DTV transition, it may be time to realize near-term analog shut-off would seriously damage the bottom line. 7-10 mil.+ OTA viewers aren't ready. Loss of signal coverage due to the "cliff effect" could result in advertiser demands for makegoods. The Canadian target date for analog shut-off is Aug. 31, 2011 -- 2-1/2 years from February. Wouldn't it make sense to "conform" with Canada, giving the public and industry more time (and the electronics biz time to sell more digital TVs)? Stations need signal repeaters, and the converter coupon program has a backlog. Dems aren't going to let 10 million Americans lose "free" TV -- so why not get on the right side of this issue now, and look like heroes to the OTA viewing public? Here's the 4-1-1: nowpublic.com/world/u-s-tvs-digital-deadline-obama-eras-first-consumer-crisis
Vic Livingston, columnist, NowPublic.com/scrivener - 12/12/2008 3:17:00 PM EST -
Rockefeller will be the chairmen of the Senate Commerce Committee and House Energy & Commerce Committee, respectively in the new Congress. Those are the committee's overseeing the FCC and communications issues.
Typo? You mean Rockefeller and Waxman? And has Rockefeller formally been named chairman?
Ricky Bobby - 12/12/2008 2:23:00 PM EST
FCC Cancels Dec. 18 Meeting
12/14/2008Sanders Concerned About DTV Transition
09/22/2008
