| US Cable TV industry's 'trust us' on digital met with skepticism by chief regulator |
|
|
| Monday, 09/10/2007 | |
|
The Associated Press Monday, September 10, 2007 The cable television industry has promised that when U.S. broadcasters shift to digital-only transmission in 2009, cable subscribers who are not equipped to receive a digital signal still will see a picture. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin is not taking their word for it. He is trying to persuade his fellow commissioners to pass rules that will force the industry to keep that promise. The issue is scheduled for a vote Tuesday morning. "Unless the commission acts, some cable customers may actually be harmed by the transition and lose the ability to view some of these channels," Martin told The Associated Press Monday evening. The issue places Martin and the cable industry at odds — again. The greatest impact of the digital conversion will be on viewers of nondigital televisions who receive their signals over the air. Beginning Feb. 18, 2009, they will have to buy special converter boxes, subsidized by the government, to receive their channels. The impact of the shift on the nation's cable subscribers is less certain. Today, cable television system operators receive broadcast feeds in analog and digital format. Come Feb. 18, 2009, broadcasters must stop supplying the analog signal. That creates a problem for the cable industry's 32 million analog subscribers. Cable operators can either convert the digital signal to analog at the point where their cable signal originates, or they can supply customers with a "down converter" device that will change digital signals to analog at the TV set. This is essentially what the FCC wants to force the industry to do, under Martin's proposed rules. While the commission has been split on this issue in the past, a compromise appeared to be in the works late Monday. Last week, the National Cable and Telecommunications Association launched a $200 million (€150 million) advertising campaign to assure customers that the shift will not affect them. "Every TV set you have that's hooked up to cable will work just fine," actors purporting to be happy customers intone in a TV spot. What the commercials do not say is how the industry is going to manage the transition, which concerns Gene Kimmelman, federal affairs chief for Consumers Union. "It is astounding that they're telling their customers 'don't worry, we're taking care of you' without telling them at what price." NCTA spokesman Brian Dietz said analog consumers will not be charged more when the transition occurs. Nor will they be forced to sign up for a more expensive digital service. The NCTA has committed to doing what the FCC is asking but is resisting the mandate, a position Kimmelman calls "disingenuous." The NCTA says what the FCC is doing violates the industry's constitutional rights. "We've said we will voluntarily take care of our customers, which is different than a government mandate," Dietz said. Dietz said a government-ordered transition would deny the thousands of cable system operators the flexibility they need in managing the transition. Kimmelman credited the industry with launching the ad campaign but said the government should assume an oversight role. "I think there are some sticks that can be placed over their heads to try to ensure that they don't take advantage of their customers," he said. ___ On the Net: To see the ads: <a href="http://www.ncta.com/dtvspots">http://www.ncta.com/dtvspots</a> FCC's digital transition Web site: <a href="http://www.dtv.gov">http://www.dtv.gov</a> http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/09/10/america/NA-GEN-US-Digital-Cable.php |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
Member Login
Search WVBA
Upcoming Events
| Mon, Oct 13th WVBA Gubernatorial Debat |
| Mon, Oct 27th High School Broadcast Day |
Members can login for news concerning current issues and events.