Audio Video News

New Year's Day, 2003 may be a day of special celebration for sports and movie fans. Ten of the nation's biggest cable providers have pledged to begin delivering digital signals by then, according to a May 2 report by Bill McConnell in the trade journal Broadcasting and Cable.

The cable companies have made a commitment to carry up to five commercial channels of high definition programming during at least 50% of the prime time schedule, or during "a substantial portion of their broadcast week." HD sources will be public TV stations or cable networks; the programming will be carried at no charge to either the broadcasters or the cable providers.

The cable industry has made the pledge in response to pressure brought by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Michael Powell, who delivered a strongly-worded speech at last month's National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention, in which he admonished all participating industries to get on with the DTV rollout. Cable companies that have agreed to the January deadline are AT&T Broadband; Time Warner Cable; Comcast Corp.; Charter Communications, Inc.; Cox Communications, Inc.; Adelphia Communications Corp.; Cablevision Systems Corp.; Mediacom Communications Corp.; Insight Communications Co., Inc.; and CableOne, Inc. Together, these companies reach more than 85% of cable subscribers in the US.

"I am pleased that the cable companies have embraced my challenge with solid commitments, and I look forward to similar strides by the other industries in the coming weeks," Powell commented.

His plan includes provisions for the "Big Four" networks, Home Box Office, and Showtime to offer HD or SD digital programming during 50% of prime time this fall, and for local network affiliates in the top 100 markets to "pass through" network DTV signals with no degradation by January 1. NAB president Eddie Fritts said his organization was "pleased" by the cable industry's commitment. "We look forward to the day when cable operators carry all digital broadcast signals in their entirety," Fritts said.

TV makers have committed to include digital tuners in half of all sets 36" or larger by January 1, 2004.

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) welcomed the pledge by cable companies, but complained that the continuing distribution of "legacy" analog cable equipment will further hinder the changeover to digital, as will a failure to standardize operations and interfaces. "Continued delay and growth of the installed base of legacy cable analog equipment may be foreclosing a retail market for cable-compatible products," CEA officials stated. The manufacturers' trade group also complained that the entertainment industry's copy-protection concerns would slow the development of digital television.