November 2005

The Senate late Thursday approved the DTV transition bill -- officially Digital Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 -- by a close vote of 52 to 47. The bill was amended to earmark additional revenues from spectrum auctions. From the projected $10 billion in auction revenues, the bill sets aside $5 billion for the treasury, $3 billion for the subsidy; $200 million low power TV stations and translators; $1 billion for state and local interoperability; $250 for a national alert and tsunami warning system; $250 million for E-911 communications; $200 million for coastal States affected by hurricanes and other disasters; $75 million available for the Essential Air Service program (an unrelated appropriation which is apparently important to Alaska and Hawaii, the home states of the co-chairmen of the Senate Commerce Committee, which drafted the bill. In addition, the amendment that was adopted earmarks the first $1 billion--over the Congressional Budget Office's $10 billion estimate--for deficit reduction, the next $500 million for interoperability for first responders, the next $1.2 billion for coastal restoration for hurricane-affected states, and the rest to deficit reduction again.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6281029?display=Breaking+News...
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)
* Senate Rejects Major Changes To DTV Bill
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-GGHC1131063778203.html

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops sent Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) a letter urging him to include in pending digital television legislation provisions codifying the public interest obligations of broadcasters with respect to local and religious programming. Noting the increased concentration of media ownership, the bishops said "there are fewer broadcast stations that are willing to provide local and religious programming." The bishops are concerned that local broadcasters' programming decisions regarding religious and educational programming is more deeply rooted in their desire for commercial gain, rather than in serving their communities' interests. Over the years, USCCB has advocated for legislation that would ensure broadcast licensees understand and meet local needs and interests with responsive programming by: (a) amplifying the voices and views of the public, including community organizations and noncommercial religious entities, in broadcast media; (b) increasing the amount of local news and public affairs programming (including religious programs and public service announcements); and (c) increasing the amount of programming that serves the educational needs of children, persons with disabilities, and underserved communities.

[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Paul Farhi]

[SOURCE: Financial Times, AUTHOR: Guy Dinmore]