Dems Ask Martin To Stick To DTV Transition

As expected Sen Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and Rep Henry Waxman (D-CA), the incoming chairmen of the Congressional committees with oversight of the Federal Communications Commission, 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." They write: "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."