Sen. Kohl Hammers Government DTV-Transition-Education Efforts

SEN KOHL HAMMERS GOVERNMENT DTV-TRANSITION-EDUCATION EFFORTS
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
At a hearing of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, Committee Chairman Herb Kohl (D-WI) said he is introducing a bill to establish a new public-private digital-TV-education partnership among the Federal Communications Commission, the National Telecommunications & Information Administration, the Administration on Aging and "industry stakeholders.” Sen Kohl is concerned that the federal effort to education consumers about the February 2009 end to current analog TV signals is not well coordinated. "Little is being done to address the unique needs of seniors," said Sen Kohl, adding that a new study from U.S. Public Interest Research Group shows that "due to the impending transition, upselling and misleading sales tactics already plague electronics retailers in the D.C. metro area.” FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, who worked as a staffer on the committee, said he thought more coordination was needed, as well. Mark Goldstein, director of physical infrastructure issues, for the Government Accountability Office, said there was a definite lack of coordination between the FCC and NTIA, adding, "It is pretty clear to us that there is no one in charge." Saying that he thought the coordination ought probably to fall to the FCC, he added that there "seems to be some confusion between Chariman Kevin Martin and some other commissioners regarding what their responsibilities are."
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6479818.html?rssid=193

* U.S. PIRG: Some Retailers Passing On Bad DTV Info
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6479879.html?rssid=193

* GAO: No Direction in Digital Transition
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/D/DIGITAL_TV?SITE=VAHAR&SECTION=TEC...

* Testimony of NTIA head John Kneuer
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/congress/2007/Kneuer_SenateAging_091907...

* Digital Television Transition: Preliminary Information on Initial Consumer Education Efforts, by Mark L. Goldstein, director, physical infrastructure issues, before the Senate Special Committee on Aging. GAO-07-1248T, September 19.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-1248T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d071248thigh.pdf