Adelstein Advocates More Analog-Cutoff Tests

Federal Communications Commission member Jonathan Adelstein made an impassioned plea for more tests on the consumer impact of dropping analog-TV broadcasting, including praise for an Oct. 28 test planned in New York. "Planning, I think, has been disappointing to say the least" in government, he said. He cited education efforts not highlighting that lower-power TV stations will continue telecasting and said little thought has been given to the dangers of repositioning rooftop antenna in the snow belt, since the national cutoff date is in the middle of winter. "Nobody's ultimately responsible for vetting or prioritizing the ideas from both public and private sector into a concrete, comprehensive and coherent plan," Adelstein asserted. "While our [FCC] staff has been hard at work and despite some recent improvements, our overall DTV effort is not a model of effectiveness."