2006/2007/2008/2009 which will it be?

[Gregg Lengling]

Max Media's Chairman Attacks Legislation to Accelerate the Digital Television Transition: 'Haste Makes Waste'
(PR Newswire via Yahoo News)
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/051031/dcm043.html?.v=60

House Squanders Chance To Save Energy In Digital TV Transition
With Congress considering legislation to set a final date for the transition, the committee rejected an energy efficiency standard for the digital TV adapters that many consumers will have to buy to continue using their broadcast TV sets after the 2008 transition date.
(Pollution Online)
http://www.pollutiononline.com/content/news/article.asp?docid=%7b07BDFA5B-B705-4858-8CC7-70761BFEE68E%7d&VNETCOOKIE=NO

Absence of Multi-Channel Must Carry in Proposed DTV Legislation Detriment to Families
'The omission of Multi-Channel Must Carry from this important legislation is not some minor technical problem but one that will have a vast and deleterious effect on America's families.' - FRC President Tony Perkins
(PR Newswire / Yahoo News)
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/10-31-2005/0004204184&EDATE=
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/051031/dcm025.html?.v=28

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins Reports "Absence Of Multi-Channel Must Carry In Proposed DTV Legislation Detriment To Families"
(Family Research Council via Religion News Service)
http://www.religionnews.com/press02/PR103107A.html

Digital TV Mandatory by 2009
(WMOA-AM Marietta, OH via Marietta Online)
http://www.mariettaonline.com/news/news_detail.php?ID=4766

DTV Date Divides Pols, Alarms NAB
Action by the Republican-dominated House Commerce Committee has broadcasters fearing the digital TV transition could leave them with a reduced audience watching degraded pictures. The gloomy scenario follows the committee's largely party-line, 33-to-17 vote (one Republican voted "nay" on Oct. 26
(MediaWeek)
http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001392255

DTV Bill Asks Stations for $5 Bil in Ads
All TV stations would have to devote two 60-second spots every day for a year-more than $5 billion worth of ad time-to promote the transition to digital TV, under new legislation approved last week by the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
(TelevisionWeek)
http://www.tvweek.com/article.cms?articleId=28923


DTV Difference Comes Down To Money [Paid Subscription Required]
Both the House and Senate Commerce Committees have now passed DTV transition bills, but battle lines have been drawn over how much government money to provide to viewers with analog-only TV sets when the plug is pulled.
(Broadcasting & Cable)
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6278968.html?display=News

2009 Goes to House Floor
(TV Technology)
http://www.tvtechnology.com/dailynews/one.php?id=3393

House OKs switch to digital TV
As a House committee approved legislation Wednesday that laid out the nation's mandatory move to digital TV by 2009, consumer groups warned that many Americans would not be able to afford the transition.
(MarketWatch via CED Magazine)
http://www.cedmagazine.com/cedailydirect/2005/1005/cedaily051028.htm#2

Congressman secures funding for New York City broadcasters
The new Engel Amendment has bipartisan support.
(Broadcast Engineering)
http://broadcastengineering.com/interstitial/sponsor1/?u=http%3A//broadcastengineering.com/newsletters/bth/20051030/%3Fr%3D1%23funds

Don't Rush To Give Up Analog [Paid Subscription Required]
While improvements in communications for first responders and supportive government agencies are critically important, they should not come at the expense of citizen safety.
(Broadcasting & Cable)
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6278889.html?display=Opinion



FCC Meeting Delayed Until Monday
FCC chairman Kevin Martin postponed Friday's originally scheduled public meeting until sometime Monday.
(Multichannel News)
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6278988.html?display=Breaking+News&referral=SUPP

FCC Delays Meeting Again...And Again [Paid Subscription Required]
The FCC has pushed back the start time of its Friday meeting to Monday. The meeting, which had already been moved from earlier in the month, was to have started at 10 a.m., then it was going to be 2 p.m., then 5 p.m., then 6 p.m. came and went.
(Broadcasting & Cable)
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6278988.html?display=Breaking+News&referral=SUPP

[John L]

I think they should stick with their 2006 plan.  Surely they haven't promoted or offer educational programs on the major Networks about the "Future of TV".  While the american people turn off their TV sets after the 10:00pm News on June 30, 2006, let them wake up the next day looking for either "Today Show", "Good Morning America", "CBS Morning Show" only to find SNOW on their local channels.  "Hmmm.....TV is broke, better call TV repairman". Open up the morning paper to discover that all regular TV stations are off the air and explain that you need to spend extra $$$ for a new TV to continue to receive your stations.

It would be funny to see people not so technically inclined.  I luagh right now for the time and Temp machines we manufacture where I work. Bank customers and their complaints and problems when installing them.  The Bank customers don't know a thing about setting up and operating electronic equipment, all they know how to do is count money and making sure people are making deposits not withdrawls, or making sure they don't pay their loans too quickly!

-John L.