What does the DTV transition delay mean?
On Wednesday, February 4, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 264-158 to delay the nation's transition from analog to digital television broadcasts from February 17 until June 12. The vote followed Senate passage of a similar bill on January 26. The legislation to delay the transition now needs the signature of President Obama to take effect. The president has said he will sign the legislation.
What does the delay mean for TV broadcasts?
The DTV Delay Act generally allows broadcasters to cut off their analog broadcasts before June 12 if the FCC finds that doing so will not cause interference and is in the public interest. Yesterday, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a Public Notice setting out the procedures stations must follow if they wish to transition to digital before June 12. Stations wishing to migrate on February 17 must notify the FCC by Monday, February 9. After February 18, no additional stations would be permitted to go all digital until March 13. In its Public Notice, the FCC reserves the right to deny migration requests if it finds that consumers would be adversely impacted (e.g, too many viewers in a market were unprepared for the transition). At this point, it is unclear how many broadcasters will cease their analog broadcasts prior to June 12. As many as 60 percent of the approximately 1800 stations could transition before June 12 without causing interference, and most of the remainder could operate in a manner that allows them to go all digital. However, the FCC is urging broadcasters not to discontinue their analog broadcasts until June 12. At yesterday's Commission meeting, Acting Chairman Michael Copps lauded the national networks (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC) and others for "stepping up to the plate" and agreeing not to terminate their analog broadcasts until June 12.
What prompted the delay?
The coupon program being administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to subsidize the purchase of digital-to-analog converter boxes stopped issuing coupons in early January due to government accounting rules. There are now approximately 3.7 million coupons on the NTIA waiting list. Lawmakers expressed concern that Americans who are waiting for coupons would not be prepared for a February 17 transition.
Will the delay make more coupons available?
The DTV Delay Act does not make more coupons available. But the House and Senate versions of the economic stimulus package propose $650M in additional funding for the NTIA program, most of which will be used to issue more coupons. The bills also authorizes $90M - $130M of the new funding to be used for educational and outreach efforts, and another $2M is proposed for accounting and audit purposes.
What about expired coupons?
Consumers may request replacements for expired coupons if and when Congress approves the economic stimulus package with funding for the coupon program.
Are converter boxes currently available?
Yes, many NTIA-approved converter boxes are currently available for purchase. Consumers may purchase the boxes with an NTIA-issued coupon, or without a coupon. Information on NTIA-approved boxes and retailers can be found here.
Does the legislation create any new requirements for the CE industry?
The bill requires the FCC and NTIA to complete rulemakings within 30 days to take whatever steps are needed to implement the delay. Until the FCC completes its rulemaking, it is unknown whether any changes will be made to the education and labeling requirements imposed on manufacturers, retailers, broadcasters or multichannel video program distributors.
What is CEA's position on the delay?
CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro issued the following statement: "Our nation is leading the world in the digital migration, and CEA again pledges full support for a successful transition to digital television. We will quickly update our consumer education material as necessary and we will devote a significant portion of our Washington Forum event in April to DTV education."
"As CEA has repeatedly cautioned, this date change will inject uncertainty into the market and may result in a shortage of converter boxes, because manufacturers and retailers planned box inventory based on a February 17 transition date. CEA urges Congress and the Administration to take the necessary steps to ensure converter box availability and to urge consumers to act immediately to enjoy the benefits of DTV."
CEA is advocating against any changes to obligations imposed on television manufacturers to notify their customers about the transition.
How is CEA educating consumers about the transition?
CEA has several resources online to help prepare consumers for the DTV transition, including www.digitaltips.org and www.dtvtransition.org. Consumers who need assistance connecting their converter boxes to their televisions can find instructions at www.ceaconnectionsguide.com. Information about antennas is located at www.antennaweb.org.