Lawmakers back keeping 2009 digital TV date

LAWMAKERS BACK KEEPING 2009 DIGITAL TV DATE
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Rachelle Younglai]
The switch to digital television from analog should not be delayed because it is critical that emergency services have access to freed-up airwaves to communicate, members of the House Telecommunications Subcommittee said at a hearing on Wednesday. U.S. television stations are required to switch to airing only digital broadcasts by February 17, 2009, and that will free up 108 megahertz of analog airwaves. Out of that chunk, 24 MHz is being set aside for public safety so that emergency workers can better communicate with each other, a significant problem during 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. Lawmakers raised concerns over the progress and logistics of the transition -- a move that will affect tens of millions.
http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN2835021920070328

* Politicians squabble over digital-TV funds
http://news.com.com/Politicians+squabble+over+digital+TV+funds/2100-1028...

* Statement of Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell:
As we prepare for February 2009, we should not forget that we are asking ordinary people to pay for a Government decision that essentially makes their television sets obsolete. For that reason, we should ensure that this transition is as painless as possible for American consumers.
http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_110/110st30.shtml

* Upton Predicts Converter Subsidy Is Sufficient
By the time of the transition to DTV in February 2009, only a little more than 20 million sets will need analog-to-digital converter boxes, predicted Rep Fred Upton (R-MI). And, if that projection is correct, the Republican-backed plan to provide up to $1.5 billion toward the boxes, which would cover 33.5 million sets, will be enough money to cover everyone who needs them.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6428657?title=Article&spacede...

* Yager Details DTV Education Plan to House
National Association of Broadcasters board member and Barrington Broadcasting CEO Jim Yager spelled out the NAB-MSTV joint efforts to educate the public on the industry’s transition to digital television broadcasting in 2009.
http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2007/03/28/daily.4/
* Jim Yager Speaks Before the House Telecom Subcommittee
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6428679?title=Article&spacede...

* Britt Unsure About Local HDTV for Basic-Only Subs
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
Time Warner Cable CEO Glenn Britt said Wednesday that his company hadn't established policy for making HD local TV signals available to customers who buy just the introductory basic-programming tier. “We have not addressed yet somebody who buys basic only and might want HD. My guess is that there aren't very many of those people,” Britt said in testimony at a House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet hearing on cable’s role in the national shutdown of analog TV signals on Feb. 17, 2009. Presumably, Britt’s point was that a subscriber who had spent hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on an HD set was unlikely to be among the small percentage of customers who don't buy multiple programming tiers.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6428870.html?display=Breaking+News

* Best Buy Won't Commit To Labels or Carriage of Converters
Best Buy admitted that the company does not have any warning labels on it's analog-only sets to inform potential buyers that the sets will not work without a converter box after the DTV transition in 2009. A company executive would not commit to stocking stores with analog-to-digital converter boxes. Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell (D-MI) asked whether there should be concern that retailers would be discouraging people from getting the converters so that they would, instead, buy more expensive DTV sets. Best Buy said no.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6428721?title=Article&spacede...

* Fuzzy Pictures
[Commentary] House Telecommunications & Internet Subcommittee Chairman Ed Markey (D-MA) says the DTV transition picture is still fuzzy; B&C reporter John Eggerton agrees.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/blog/1380000138/post/1350007935.html?ni...