McCain Seeks Quicker DTV Transition

In remarks at a New America Foundation event on digital television and first responders, Sen John McCain (R-AZ) said he would offer an amendment, during Thursday's Senate Commerce Committee hearing, to strike the proposed 2009 date for ending analog TV broadcasts and replace it with April 7, 2007. He said he is not sure whether he has enough votes on the committee to secure passage. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) on Friday proposed a cut-off date of April 7, 2009. The House Commerce Committee has recommended Dec. 31, 2008. That is within range of an emerging consensus, and one that broadcasters and telecommunications industry officials say they can accept. When the transition is complete, large swaths of analog spectrum will be available for other uses. Public-safety officials have been promised 24 megahertz to create communications systems that can work across jurisdictions, and many are eager to get started as soon as possible. Public-safety officials have said police and firefighters need two or more years to build interoperable systems. Sen Stevens and House Commerce Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX) want to earmark the other available 60 megahertz for auction by the FCC. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the agency will raise $10 billion, although technology companies seeking to bid on the spectrum say it is worth as much as $28 billion. A Stevens aide said Tuesday that the committee will only vote on the spectrum-related aspects of digital TV on Thursday. Non-budget items, such as whether cable operators "must carry" multicasts of broadcasters, would be delayed until committee members can review draft legislation to be released soon.
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-DVPZ1129666380480.html
* US Sen. McCain pushes for digital TV move sooner
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=technologyNews&storyID=2005-10-18T184707Z_01_DIT860408_RTRUKOC_0_US-CONGRESS-DIGITALTV.xml&a...
* McCain Plans 2007 (or 2006) Amendment
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6275429?display=Breaking+News&referral=SUPP
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* McCain Pushes Earlier Analog Cutoff
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6275465.html?display=Breaking+News
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* Politico wants to move up DTV deadline
http://news.com.com/Politico+wants+to+move+up+DTV+deadline/2100-1033_3-5899748.html?tag=nefd.lede
* Multicast Carriage Measure Pulled From Senate Panel Vote
http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=8748
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