Delaying DTV switch will cost broadcasters, confuse viewers

WASHINGTON – Congressman Vernon J. Ehlers voted against a bill passed by Congress today to delay the Digital Television (DTV) transition from February 17, 2009 to June 13, 2009. Delaying the transition will cause confusion among viewers and broadcasters, and could delay freeing parts of the broadcast spectrum for emergency responders and wireless companies.

      “Delaying the transition date causes several problems, and jeopardizes the broadcast spectrum that was supposed to be free for emergency responders and wireless services on February 17,” said Congressman Ehlers. “Police, fire and rescue officials have been requesting this bandwidth spectrum since 1996, and they are expecting it to be available promptly after the original deadline passes.

      “The events of September 11, 2001 show how important it is for police, firefighters, and paramedics to clearly communicate with each other,” added Ehlers. “The delay will make it more difficult for many police, fire, and other emergency agencies to upgrade and improve their communications systems to be able to communicate with each other.”

      According to the House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans, approximately 600,000 Americans are on the waiting list for a converter box coupon, out of an estimated 14.3 million homes exclusively receiving over-the-air broadcasting. Only around half of the $1.5 billion in the coupon program has been spent on redeemed coupons. About 300,000 coupons expire every week, and the unspent money from expiring coupons will be used to issue new coupons to people on the waiting list. Since the program’s inception, around 27.4 million households have requested coupons and 21.7 million coupons have been redeemed.

      The Michigan Association of Broadcasters opposes the delay, and many broadcasters say the legislation passed today is ambiguous and confusing.

      “The appropriate solution is to address the converter box coupon shortage by providing emergency funding to cover the waiting list,” said Ehlers. “Delaying the DTV transition will only confuse consumers who have been told repeatedly for the past three years that the date of the switch will be February 17, 2009. It will also cause major problems for broadcasters who have spent millions of dollars upgrading equipment for the switch. Many cannot afford to continue to transmit their analog signal while also transmitting their new digital signal.”

      The legislation passed by Congress today will be sent to President Obama for final approval. It will delay the transition from analog to digital broadcasting by four months, to June 13, 2009.