President-elect Barack Obama tells lawmakers the lack of funding for a digital converter box subsidy program combined with inadequate support funding should prompt Congress to delay the Feb. 17 digital television transition deadline.President-elect Barack Obama's transition team told lawmakers Jan. 8
Congress should delay the Feb. 17 transition date for television stations to
begin exclusively broadcasting in digital. John Podesta, co-chair of the Obama
transition group, said there have been "major difficulties" in the
digital TV transition planning.
The NTIA (National Telecommunications and Information Administration)
announced earlier the week of Jan. 5 that funding for the $1.34 billion digital
converter box coupon program has been exhausted. The program allows for two $40
coupons per household to help outset the cost of digital converter boxes for
non-digital television sets.
Consumers still seeking a coupon will be placed on a waiting list, as
expired but unredeemed coupons become available. Consumers with digital
television sets or televisions connected to cable or satellite boxes will not
be affected by the transition.
The Consumers Union seeks a delay in the shift to digital broadcasting until more funding is available for the subsidy program. Click here to read more.
"With coupons unavailable, support and education insufficient and the
most vulnerable Americans exposed, I urge you to consider a change to the
legislatively mandated analog cutoff date," Podesta
said in a letter (PDF) to the chairman and ranking member of the Senate
Commerce Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
According to a Nielsen survey conducted a year ago, 14.3 million U.S.
households rely solely on over-the-air broadcasts. The NTIA said, based on
consumer self-reporting, 12.6 million households that rely on over-the-air
television have requested coupons. As of Jan. 4, though, more than 24 million
households have requested approximately 46 million coupons with about 18
million coupons actually having been redeemed. To date, 52.5 percent of coupons
requested have been redeemed and more than 13 million coupons have expired.
Podesta predicted that by February the waiting list for coupons would reach
5 million.
"Coupon demand appears headed to a level that will exceed that
authorized by Congress," Podesta wrote. "In addition, the
government's programs to assist consumers through the upheaval of the
conversion are inadequately funded."
Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), who has been deeply involved in the transition process,
responded to the Obama transition team's request by saying Congress could make
an additional 8 million coupons available by passing legislation exempting the
coupon program from federal laws prohibiting the government from incurring
expenses in excess of amounts available in appropriations or funds.
"Moving the transition date entails significant logistical
challenges," Markey said in a statement. "However, the prospect of
leaving millions of consumers in the dark requires Congress to immediately consider
the feasibility of the President-elect's proposal."
Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV (D-W.Va.), chairman of the Senate Committee on
Commerce, Science and Transportation, applauded the Obama initiative. "The
Obama administration deserves time to bring order to what has been an
appallingly mismanaged process by the Bush Administration," Rockefeller
said in a statement. "I look forward to reviewing the details of the Obama
administration proposal with my colleagues, and will support delaying the current
date of the DTV transition until we can do it right."
The Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 requires
full-power television stations to cease analog broadcasts and switch to digital
after Feb. 17. The Act authorized NTIA to create the TV Converter Box Coupon
Program, which is funded from the proceeds of the 700MHz auction held in 2008.
The analog airwaves being deserted by broadcasters
will be used by first responders and for advanced wireless services such as the
delivery of third- and fourth-generation wireless broadband. "Moving the
transition date entails significant logistical challenges," Markey said in
a statement. "However, the prospect of leaving millions of consumers in
the dark requires Congress to immediately consider the feasibility of the president-elect's
proposal."
| | Reader Comments: Obama Wants DTV Delay | | >>> Post your comment now!
| | Senate Passing Delay Bill | TV ConvertLooks like it will be delayed...
http://www.tvconvert.com/google-news/vote-to-delay-dtv-transition-next-week-should-pass-after-its-dslreports Posted At: 01-23-09 By: poltrea43 | | | | | | A user comment on this articleI called our TV guy and talked ot him about this whole mess
you cannot record things on VCR without routign it through the converter box so even... Posted At: 01-16-09 By: Anonymous | | | | | | A user comment on this articleFirst, rural areas rely either partly or completely on TV reception from low power TV translators. There is no official analog shut-off date for this... Posted At: 01-12-09 By: Anonymous | | | | | | A user comment on this articlePersonally, I think if Obama wants to support the current solution (partially subsidizing converter boxes) solve the problem of the people who... Posted At: 01-12-09 By: Anonymous | | | | | | A user comment on this articleThey are not free - they do cost money. And you couldn't order ten if you wanted - there's a 2-per-household limit.
The government coupon is for... Posted At: 01-12-09 By: Nate | | | | | | Antennas...If you're converting from Over The Air analog TV to Over The Air Digital TV, there's a very good chance you already have the antenna you need.
If,... Posted At: 01-12-09 By: Anonymous | | | | | | A user comment on this article>>>If the conversion is delayed, how would that hurt anyone? Why should anyone get angry that a delay happens so that a million people can still... Posted At: 01-12-09 By: Nate | | | | | | >>> Post your comment now! | | | | | |
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