Stevens Defends Subsidy, Hard Date

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) rose on the Senate floor to argue against two digital television-relayed amendments to the Senate budget bill passed yesterday. The amendments would have speed the transition to digital-only TV broadcasting in the US and would have cut subsidies for digital-to-analog converter boxes that will be needed to make many current TVs work after the transition. The amendments were not passed.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6280727?display=Breaking+News...
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* Senate Defeats Hard Date Move
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6280995?display=Breaking+News...
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* Senate Defeats McCain's 2008 DTV Plan
National Journal reports that National Association of Broadcasters President Edward Fritts lauded the defeat of McCain's proposal, calling it a “victory for millions of Americans who could have been left stranded by a premature end to analog television service.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6280978.html?display=Breaking+News
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* Ensign Pulls Set-Top Amendment
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6281003.html?display=Breaking+News
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