Tauzin may float DTV plan

[Gregg Lengling]

House Energy and Commerce Committee chairman Billy Tauzin (R-La.) is expected to circulate a "discussion draft" of digital-television legislation this week aimed at speeding the transition from analog transmission.

Details of the draft had not been completed, but sources expected that "all issues" would be tackled, including cable carriage of broadcast digital-TV signals, interoperability between cable signals, copy protection in digital-TV sets and mandated inclusion of digital-TV tuners in sets.

Tauzin's committee will hold a hearing Sept. 25 to gather input for formal digital-TV legislation.