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FCC to scrutinize stations wanting early DTV switch
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. regulators are scrutinizing bids by hundreds of TV stations that want to broadcast in all digital next week, to prevent millions of households from losing television access, the acting chief communications regulator said on Wednesday.
Regulators were caught off guard by the steep number of stations that want to transition early, even after lawmakers delayed a mandatory nationwide switch to "DTV" by months.
In markets that are vulnerable and left with few to no local broadcasting options, the requests may be denied, acting FCC Chairman Michael Copps told reporters on Wednesday.
"We are six days from the most demanding consumer technology transition in the history of broadcasting," Copps said.
The U.S. House of Representatives last week completed action on legislation to delay the mandatory change by four months -- to June 12 from February 17. President Barack Obama signed the bill late on Wednesday.
Obama said "millions of Americans, including those in our most vulnerable communities, would have been left in the dark if the conversion had gone on as planned."
Major U.S. television networks, including CBS Corp, General Electric Co's NBC and Walt Disney Co's ABC, vowed last week to continue to transmit TV signals in analog.
But the networks own only about 100 of the 1,800 or so broadcast television stations in the United States, according to an industry group.
About 681 of the nearly 1,800 television broadcast stations will have already stopped broadcasting in older, analog signals, or will by next week, the FCC said Tuesday.
In fewer than 20 markets, viewers might be without any local options at all, according to the FCC. That amounts to about 2.3 million households.
About 7.4 million households live in markets where all network-affiliated stations will stop broadcasting over older, analog signals, the Federal Communications Commission said.
It is unclear how many of these homes are prepared for the transition.
Backers of the delay feared that 20 million mostly poor, elderly or rural households were not prepared because of a glitch in a government coupon program to help consumers defray the cost of converter boxes.
The delay bill gave television stations, which say they've spent millions of dollars preparing and educating viewers for the switch-over, the option to transition to all digital on the original date, next Tuesday.
"People need to know that we are under the gun to provide flexibility," to broadcasters, Copps said.
The switch is intended to free up spectrum for public safety and provide better television viewing.
COMPELLING REASONS
The FCC had given broadcasters a deadline of February 9 to notify it of any intentions to meet the original transition date, with the regulatory agency reserving the right to review their decisions.
Copps said that the commission is identifying "vulnerable" markets, such as those with no or limited local broadcasting options left, or those with large elderly or minority populations.
In those areas, broadcasters will have to make a compelling case that they have to switch to digital, for example to keep contractual commitments.
"You have to draw the line between that and merely financially convenient," he said.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. regulators are scrutinizing bids by hundreds of TV stations that want to broadcast in all digital next week, to prevent millions of households from losing television access, the acting chief communications regulator said on Wednesday.
Regulators were caught off guard by the steep number of stations that want to transition early, even after lawmakers delayed a mandatory nationwide switch to "DTV" by months.
In markets that are vulnerable and left with few to no local broadcasting options, the requests may be denied, acting FCC Chairman Michael Copps told reporters on Wednesday.
"We are six days from the most demanding consumer technology transition in the history of broadcasting," Copps said.
The U.S. House of Representatives last week completed action on legislation to delay the mandatory change by four months -- to June 12 from February 17. President Barack Obama signed the bill late on Wednesday.
Obama said "millions of Americans, including those in our most vulnerable communities, would have been left in the dark if the conversion had gone on as planned."
Major U.S. television networks, including CBS Corp, General Electric Co's NBC and Walt Disney Co's ABC, vowed last week to continue to transmit TV signals in analog.
But the networks own only about 100 of the 1,800 or so broadcast television stations in the United States, according to an industry group.
About 681 of the nearly 1,800 television broadcast stations will have already stopped broadcasting in older, analog signals, or will by next week, the FCC said Tuesday.
In fewer than 20 markets, viewers might be without any local options at all, according to the FCC. That amounts to about 2.3 million households.
About 7.4 million households live in markets where all network-affiliated stations will stop broadcasting over older, analog signals, the Federal Communications Commission said.
It is unclear how many of these homes are prepared for the transition.
Backers of the delay feared that 20 million mostly poor, elderly or rural households were not prepared because of a glitch in a government coupon program to help consumers defray the cost of converter boxes.
The delay bill gave television stations, which say they've spent millions of dollars preparing and educating viewers for the switch-over, the option to transition to all digital on the original date, next Tuesday.
"People need to know that we are under the gun to provide flexibility," to broadcasters, Copps said.
The switch is intended to free up spectrum for public safety and provide better television viewing.
COMPELLING REASONS
The FCC had given broadcasters a deadline of February 9 to notify it of any intentions to meet the original transition date, with the regulatory agency reserving the right to review their decisions.
Copps said that the commission is identifying "vulnerable" markets, such as those with no or limited local broadcasting options left, or those with large elderly or minority populations.
In those areas, broadcasters will have to make a compelling case that they have to switch to digital, for example to keep contractual commitments.
"You have to draw the line between that and merely financially convenient," he said.
