DTV

FCC Extends Deadline for Proposed Martin Fines

Holiday Shapiro — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 09:28:28 -0500

Full article: Multichannel News
John Eggerton
The FCC has extended the deadline for cable operators to either pay or appeal hundreds of thousands of dollars in proposed fines for failing to provide sufficient information to the commission in its investigation of the migration of channels from analog to digital.

FCC: No Problem Handling DTV Calls So Far

Holiday Shapiro — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 09:20:16 -0500

Full article: Multichannel News
John Eggerton
The FCC said it had received 6,750 calls during the first few hours after 421 TV stations pulled the plug on analog broadcasting. That was "well within the capacity of the call center," said the commission.

Consumers Union Wants Digital TV Transition Postponed

Holiday Shapiro — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:28:42 -0500

Full article: ars technica
Matthew Lasar
The group Consumers Union says television watchers need more time to prepare for the digital transition, which is scheduled for February 17.

Obama Recommends Delay in Digital TV Switch

Holiday Shapiro — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:21:44 -0500

Full article: New York Times
Brian Stelter
Six weeks before the nation's television stations are scheduled to convert to digital transmission, an aide to President-elect Barack Obama is asking Congress to consider a delay.

Obama Asks Congress to Delay DTV Transition

Holiday Shapiro — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:18:06 -0500

Full article: Broadcasting & Cable
John Eggerton
President-elect Barack Obama has asked Congress to extend the Feb. 17 DTV transition date. Citing problems with the DTV-to-analog converter box program and "inadequate funding" of government DTV education programs, John Podesta, co-chair of the Obama-Biden transition team, requested that "the cut-off date for analog signals should be reconsidered and extended."

Obama Team Asks Congress to Postpone Digital TV Switch

Holiday Shapiro — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:12:55 -0500

Full article: Washington Post
Kim Hart
President-elect Barack Obama's transition team asked key members of Congress to consider delaying the nation's switch to digital television scheduled for Feb. 17, saying there is "insufficient support" for the problems consumers will experience during the shut-off of analog signals.

Coalition Aims to Lower DTV Licensing Costs

Stevie Converse — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 07:58:14 -0500

Full article: Information Week
W. David Gardner
An effort to trim digital TV patent licensing fees has been launched by flat panel TV manufacturer Vizio and an organization called Cut Fatt -- an acronym for the Coalition to Terminate Financial Abuses of the Television Transmission.

Pols Hit Panic Button as DTV Coupon Program Goes Broke

Holiday Shapiro — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:13:34 -0500

Full article: ars technica
Matthew Lasar
Things are getting hairy for the DTV transition. What now? The analog converter coupon program is broke.

TVs Left Behind

Holiday Shapiro — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 14:58:50 -0500

Full article: Boise Weekly
Gavin Dahl
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin's legacy may include as many as 2 million American homes left behind on Feb. 17, 2009, when analog TVs will no longer receive over-the-air programming.

Q&A with FCC Chairman Kevin Martin

Holiday Shapiro — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 14:01:11 -0500

Full article: Broadcasting & Cable
John Eggerton
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin does not see much chance of tightening program-access complaint rules or getting his free broadband proposal out the door before he exits as chairman in mid-January. He is more sanguine about the prospects for the digital-television transition.