GAO wants cable-ready DTV sets

[Gregg Lengling]

WASHINGTON (The Hollywood Reporter) --- Congressional investigators are recommending that the FCC (news - web sites) consider requiring all digital TVs to include technology that would allow the sets to receive the channels by cable.


In a report issued Monday, the General Accounting Office (news - web sites) singled out the lack of cable television set compatibility as a key problem slowing the transition to digital TV.


"Because many more American households receive television via cable than receive it over the air, mandating that new sets be 'digital cable ready' could effectively speed the transition," the GAO wrote.


While the GAO admitted that a digital cable-ready requirement might be costly to consumers and faces myriad problems -- ranging from copy-protection requirements to technical specifications that allow digital sets and cable systems to "talk" to each other -- it said the idea is worth pursuing.


"To speed the DTV transition, the FCC has required that by 2007 most new television sets be capable of receiving digital signals over the air," the report says. "Another policy option to speed the transition would be to also require that new sets be capable of receiving digital signals via cable."


The GAO also recommended setting a drop-dead deadline that would force broadcasters to give up their analog signals and said that a government public relations campaign might be necessary to speed the transition.


"One policy option to facilitate the transition would be to set a fixed date when this must-carry right would transfer from broadcasters' analog signals to digital signals," the report says. "This option might speed cable carriage of digital broadcasts without requiring cable systems to carry both analog and digital broadcasts simultaneously."


Cable operators claim that it is impossible to carry analog and digital signals at the same time because they do not have the bandwidth to accommodate two essentially repetitive signals.


The GAO said few people know that the transition to digital TV is under way and urged the FCC to "consider a public education campaign of its own" or a partnership with the affected industries "to provide consumers with more information about DTV products and the DTV transition. Such actions could help speed consumer adoption of DTV equipment as well as inform the public about a transition that will affect nearly all Americans."


Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., who asked the GAO to investigate the transition, said he plans to introduce legislation next year that would incorporate the recommendations. Markey is the senior Democrat on the House telecommunications and Internet subcommittee.

"I believe that the GAO's recommendations with respect to mandating cable tuners as well as the notion of a switch-over to digital from analog must-carry rights merit particular attention," Markey said. "I will be crafting legislative proposals in the coming weeks that contain the policy suggestions advanced by the GAO, as well as other initiatives, for consideration by my colleagues."

Edward Fritts, president and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters, defended his industry's actions, saying that more than 700 stations are transmitting a digital signal, covering 60% of the TV audience.

"We share with the authors of the General Accounting Office report a desire for greater consumer awareness of digital and high-definition television," Fritts said, adding the NAB is already undertaking a public relations campaign. "We also agree with GAO's finding that cable carriage and compatibility issues need quick resolution before consumers can enjoy the full fruits of the DTV revolution."

National Cable and Telecommunications Assn. spokesman Rob Stoddard said the cable industry is opposed to any new must-carry requirements but remains committed to speeding the transition to digital TV.

"Though we remain opposed to expanding our carriage requirements through dual or multiple must-carry, which would disadvantage many nonbroadcast programmers and content providers, we look forward to working with Congress and the FCC to deliver high-definition and digital television to American consumers," he said.