House Republicans Protest DTV Delay
Warn That Industry Groups, Consumers Already Assume Switch Will Be Postponed
By Ted Hearn -- Multichannel News, 1/14/2009 5:25:00 AM
Washington—A group of House Republicans is balking at President-elect Obama's effort to delay the conversion to all-digital broadcasting on Feb. 17, claiming the incoming administration is panicking based on false information about the readiness of the nation.
Obama's transition team wants Congress to enact a delay based partly on problems with the Commerce Department's $1.34 billion program to provide $40 coupons for consumer purchase of digital-to-to-analog converter boxes.
Fifteen House Republicans, led by Rep. Joe Barton (Texas), sent Obama a letter Wednesday calling on him to let the transition happen as planned under a law signed by President Bush in 2006. Barton is the most senior Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
"We believe that panicky talk of a delay is breeding stultifying uncertainty, and that an actual delay would be a monumental error in judgment that would damage the program and the public," the lawmakers said.
The House Republicans said that talk about delaying the transition has started to create problems.
"Industry groups are nervously withdrawing from what had been vigorous consumer education efforts," they said.
Members of National Association Broadcasters and the National Cable & Telecommunications Association put up the equivalent of $1.2 billion in airtime for public service announcements promoting the Feb. 17 date. NCTA began withdrawing ads last fall, anticipating a potential delay.
The coupon program, which has at least $600 million to spend, has run into trouble because a federal budget law won't allow Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration to mail out new coupons until old ones have expired. NTIA had created a waiting that now includes requests for 2 million coupons.
The House Republicans told Obama that they hoped the effort to delay the transition wasn't based "on the false premise that the coupon program has or is about to run out of money. It has not, and we assure you that we are going to do everything necessary to help remaining consumers prepare."
News about delaying the transition might actually cause consumers not to apply for coupons, the House Republicans said.
"There's rising fear that consumers may be refraining from requesting coupons because they have read the program is broke and that the switch is off," the lawmakers said.
Another problem for the House Republicans: Delaying the transition will prevent public safety organizations from using old analog TV spectrum to build a nationwide interoperable wireless broadband network, as recommended by the 9/11 commission.
"A sudden, last-minute delay in the transition means postponing the vast public safety improvements that are and finally within our grasp," they said.
Last week, Obama transition co-chair John Podesta, in defending the need for a delay, said too many poor, elderly and rural Americans were unprepared for the loss of analog TV signals.
Senate Commerce Committee chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) agreed and is working on legislation to carry out the Obama-requested delay.
In their letter, the House Republicans said 93% of U.S. households were ready for the transition, citing Nielsen Co. data.
"No one said this was going to be easy, but we have unquestionably made the right decision to complete the digital television transition on Feb. 17," the House GOP members said.
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The DTV switch should be delayed. The February date was a mistake from the start, especially for those of us who have transmitters and translators on mountain tops. There is no way to get to 40 or more translators in the middle of winter, so many people will be without service with or without coupons. There are fewer viewers when the weather is warm so delaying until Spring or Summer will have less of an impact. A February switch date was a mistake to begin with, demanding we stick to it won't change that fact. Yes, as broadcasters we want this done and over with, but let's not stick to the date just because it's there. There are more than 2 million people w/o coupons on a waiting list; if Congress approved the extra money today, there isn't enough time to get them to viewers!
C.J. Cannaliato - 1/15/2009 7:00:00 PM EST -
This DTV transition was supposed to happen way back at midnight, December 31, 2006. It has been postponed, and rightly so, from then to February 17, 2009. That should have been plenty of time (25 1/2 months) for antenna users to get off their butts and do something.
Mike - 1/15/2009 12:44:00 PM EST -
Has anybody taken the time to ask the Broadcast Industry what they want to have happen?. They are the people that have spent million of time and Money to prepare for the Digital Date. The FCC is a Joke, they can't even get a simple thing like a $40.00 rebate for converters to work. Leave it alone, and lets get on with Digital Television.
George G spellman - 1/14/2009 6:59:00 PM EST -
If the Government changes the date the broadcasters should ask the Government for compensation. This delay will cost broadcasters millions they can ill afford to pay at this time.
Fred Fourcher - 1/14/2009 6:21:00 PM EST -
A delay would be very disruptive. Hundreds of TV station have scheduled very expensive tower work which has to be done at the time of transition. This would have to be rescheduled at additional costs. TV stations typically pay about $10,000 per month for electricity to run one analog transmitter. Multiply this by 600 and you're in the millions per month for delay. With a delay, all the advertising for the transition proves erroneous. There are many other costs. Those who are caught without being prepared will be a small percentage and can get it resolved quickly. I say keep it on schedule.
Jim Hartline - 1/14/2009 4:56:00 PM EST
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