Dingell Praises FCC for DTV Enforcement Actions

House Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman Lauds Federal Communications Commission for Actions vs. Retailers, Equipment Manufacturers

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 4/11/2008 11:19:00 AM

The Federal Communications Commission scored some points on Capitol Hill with its enforcement actions against retailers and equipment manufacturers over violations and alleged violations of FCC rules of the road for TV sets in the run-up to the digital-TV transition.

Companies were cited for not correctly labeling TV sets with analog-only tuners, shipping sets with those tuners and for sets that did not work well enough with the V-chip/ratings system.

“It is essential that consumers are adequately informed when they purchase new televisions and that retailers and manufacturers fully comply with the commission’s rules by being transparent about their products,” House Energy & Commerce Committee chairman John Dingell (D-Mich.) said. “Although much work remains to be done, today’s actions by the commission are steps toward ensuring a smooth transition.”

FCC chairman Kevin Martin told legislators at a hearing earlier this week that the agency was ready to levy millions of dollars in fines, and it did so Thursday along with millions of dollars more in consent decrees.