DTV Bill Would Set 2008 Hard Transition, Newly Released Draft Says
Draft DTV legislation released late Fri. by the House Commerce Committee would set Dec. 31, 2008 as the analog cutoff date, according to a copy we've obtained. Moreover, we're told the committee has tentative plans for a hearing to be held Thurs. on the bill.
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Of utmost importance to CE makers, the bill would direct the FCC to accelerate the DTV tuner mandate schedule by a year to July 1, 2006, when all sets 13” and larger would be required to have ATSC tuning, the draft says. It also would direct that the Commission “not otherwise revise, on petition or on its own motion,” the DTV tuner mandate schedule. That wording would seem to doom CEA’s existing petition at the FCC to revise the DTV tuner mandate schedule on 25-36” sets.
According to the draft, the bill would set stringent package labeling and in-store signage requirements on CE set makers and retailers warning about the impending shutoff of the analog service. The warning language would be posted within 45 days after the enactment of the bill, the draft says. Its suggested wording reads as follows: “After December 31, 2008, television broadcasters will cease analog over-the-air broadcasts and will broadcast only in digital format. This television will then no longer be able to receive broadcast programming unless it is connected to a digital tuner, a digital-to-analog converter box, or cable, satellite, or other multichannel video services. Beyond December 31, 2008, this television will, however, continue to display images from devices such as DVD players and videogame consoles or content recorded for display on an analog television using devices such as VCRs, digital video recorders, or DVD recorders.” The warning directs consumers to contact the FCC for further information.
Before the release of the draft, CEA Vp-Technology Policy Michael Petricone had told us his group had heard “many different things from many different people” about what the draft might say but all indications pointed to a deadline date of Dec. 31, 2008, for an analog shutoff. CEA has taken no position on a specific hard date, only that the most important priority was establishing a reasonable deadline, Petricone said. CEA was less clear about what the draft would say about tuner subsidies, Petricone said. CEA’s understanding as of late Fri. was that a hearing for Thurs. morning was in the offing, he said. But he said it was “premature” to speculate whether CEA Pres. Gary Shapiro would be among the witnesses called.
Owing to a debate within the committee on DTV tuner subsidies, there’s no mention of them in the draft. “Despite the good-faith negotiations with Chairmen Barton and Upton on a digital television transition bill, we have important outstanding issues that could not be resolved before the Chairmen concluded the talks,” said a joint statement by Rep. Dingell (Mich.), ranking member of the House Commerce Committee, and Rep. Markey (Mass.), ranking member of the Telecom Subcommittee. “While we agree that a ‘date certain’ for the digital transition advances several public policy goals, including addressing vital public safety needs, we continue to believe we should not take action to shut off millions of television sets without a workable remedy for consumers,” the statement said.
The bill would require the FCC to conduct a public outreach program educating consumers about the digital transition, which would include 2 60-sec. public service announcements to air during the 8-9 a.m. and 8-9 p.m. hours from July 1 through Dec. 31, 2008. Each multichannel video program distributor would have to include notices of the transition in periodic billings.