[opendtv] News: Copps: Most Stations Could Move Earlier Than June 12
- From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: OpenDTV Mail List <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2009 08:08:46 -0500
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/173570-Copps_Most_Stations_Could_Move_Earlier_Than_June_12.php
Copps: Most Stations Could Move Earlier Than June 12
Acting FCC chairman says 61% of TV sations can turn off analog signal
without causing interference
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/3/2009 2:46:09 PM MT
The FCC says 61% of TV stations (1,089) should be able to turn off
their analog signal before June 12 if they choose to without causing
interference to other stations, and that "most" of the remaining 700
or so stations "may" also be able to do so.
That is according to a letter from acting FCC Chairman Michael Copps
to Energy & Commerce Committee ranking member Joe Barton (R-TX) and
Internet & Telecommunications Subcommittee ranking member cliff
Stearns (R-FL), who are concerned about how many stations would be
able to make the transition before the June 12 date most now believe
will become the new DTV "hard" date.
The 61% are already operating on their post-transition DTV channel,
so it would simply be a case of turning off the analog.
The others would have to either turn off analog and operate on their
temporary digital signal until the June 12 date, or could move from
theirs temporary to their permanent DTV channel, but in the latter
case the FCC would have to do a case-by-case analysis to see if it
would cause interference to any other DTV channels.
Copps pointed out in the letter that all these answers had to do with
the signal the stations were putting out and "says nothing about
consumers ability to receive those stations).
In the letter, Copps also told Barton and Stearns that, as of Feb. 2,
the FCC had received or granted requests form 143 stations that have
already turned off analog, and that an additional 60 had said they
were going to do so before Feb. 17.
In addition, he said, 276 had indicated, even though they were not
required to, that they would be ending analog on Feb. 17, though he
pointed out some of those could change their minds if the analog
cut-off date is extended.
It is not exactly clear how the FCC will handle early notification if
the DTV hard date changes. It currently requires stations to let
viewers know 30 days in advance if they are cutting off analog early.
The bill that passed the Senate and is expected to be passed in the
House allows stations to switch before June 12 if they choose, but
the FCC may have to revisit the notification issue in its
implementation of the bill fo stations that decide to make the switch
early now, but haven't informed the FCC yet, for the obvious reason
that they didn't know what the date was going to be.
Copps closed the letter by putting in his plug for a "short delay"
and appended a chart of the post-transition operating status of all
full-power TV stations now operating on their post-transition
channels, which are the ones that are good to go.
Barton and Stearns both oppose moving the date, saying it is unnecessary.
Republicans are also privately wondering whether if 60% of the
stations can go early, if moving the date will send many viewers the
wrong signal that they have more time than they do.
"Passing the DTV delay bill means we're about to start telling
viewers that they've got until summer to get ready for the switch to
digital, but oops, nobody's mentioning that 60 percent of the TV
stations can make the switch starting Feb. 17 without interfering
with other stations," said Deputy Republican staff director Larry
Neal.
"If they do, surprise, TVs will stop working! Nobody understands why
the Democrats are so determined to fix something that isn't broken,
but the more you look at what they're doing, the more you understand
that the repair job makes things worse instead of better.
"It's like getting Roto-Rooter to come out and clog your kitchen
sink. Now, nothing stops people from just going to the store and
getting a converter box, but they can't count on getting a government
coupon because the Democratic DTV delay bill doesn't provide any more
money for coupons. The Barton bill does, but evidently it isn't even
going to be eligible for a vote."
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