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Delay switch to all-digital TV, Obama asks Congress
[January 08, 2009]

Delay switch to all-digital TV, Obama asks Congress


(Chicago Tribune Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) WASHINGTON _ Moving to avert a TV blackout that could strike millions of U.S. households, President-elect Barack Obama asked Congress on Thursday to delay next month's planned switch to all-digital broadcast television.



The government-mandated conversion on Feb. 17, hailed as the biggest advance in over-the-air TV since the advent of color, was supposed to highlight new technology that offers sharper pictures and more free viewing options while opening up valuable airwaves for public safety and wireless Internet access.

Instead, the switch is highlighting poor government planning and bureaucratic shortcomings.


While making $19.6 billion by auctioning off the freed-up airwaves last year to telecommunications companies to offer new wireless services, Congress allocated less than $2 billion to assure a smooth transition to digital TV.

In a letter to key members of Congress on Thursday, John Podesta, co-chairman of Obama's presidential transition team, said the conversion should be delayed. He did not specify how long the delay should be.

"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 wrote to the chairmen and top Republicans on the Senate Commerce Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

While a delay is far from certain _ given potential opposition from broadcasters, public safety agencies and telecommunications companies eager to start using the expensive new airwaves _ there was plenty of frustration Thursday with the way the digital TV transition has been run.

"The list of who's to blame is long," said Joel Kelsey, a policy analyst with Consumers Union, a longtime critic of the digital TV transition that also called for a delay this week. "It was a giant miscalculation by our federal government."

Congress decided in 2005 to require all TV stations to broadcast only in digital. People with cable, satellite or phone company TV services will continue to receive broadcast stations. But those who rely on antennas must have either a newer TV with a digital receiver or get a converter box.

No-frills versions of those boxes cost $40 to $70. To offset the expense, the federal government allocated $1.5 billion to provide households with up to two $40 coupons.

But on Monday, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced that the program had run out of money. The government agency has a waiting list of about 1.1 million coupon requests, which can slowly be filled as unused coupons reach their 90-day expiration.

Still, an estimated 7.7 million households nationwide are facing the prospect of paying $40 to $70 each for full-price converter boxes or lose TV service.

A spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the relevant committees were working with Obama's transition team to solve the problems.

But some Republicans said that Obama was needlessly panicking when all Congress needs to do is make small legislative fixes.

"We don't need to bail out the DTV transition program because it isn't failing, and reintroducing uncertainty to the switch will make things worse instead of better," said Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas.

The National Association of Broadcasters was cautious in its response Thursday, saying it was willing to work with Obama and Congress "to ensure a successful DTV transition." And News Corp., which owns 27 broadcast stations, said it supported any efforts to make the transition a success.

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