Audio Video News

May 1, the federally-mandated deadline for US television stations to begin digital broadcasting, will come and go without the full participation of many, according to a March 18 report in the trade journal Multichannel News.

Of the nation's 1300 commercial broadcasters, the Federal Communications Commission expects at least 248 to miss the deadline, or about 20% of all stations. The National Association of Broadcasters puts the number of latecomers even higher, with an estimate that 30% of them won't make the deadline. Many have sought extensions from the FCC, citing financial, legal, and technical difficulties. The agency has softened some of its requirements to make the transition to digital easier for financially strapped broadcasters. As of now, 259 stations are broadcasting digital TV signals for at least a few hours each day.

Senator John McCain has asked Congress to give the changeover some sort of legislative impetus. In comments made Thursday, March 14, McCain implored fellow lawmakers to ensure that the transition to digital television becomes "a reality," while protecting consumers' interests. "I believe that Congress must address this issue legislatively to protect the American taxpayer and ensure that the DTV transition will become a reality," he said. "Congress devoted valuable public assets to the DTV transition and ultimately has the responsibility for finding responsible solutions." McCain is the top Republican on the Senate Committee for Commerce, Science and Technology.

The former presidential hopeful made his remarks in a statement regarding provisions in the 2003 budget that would delay the auction dates for spectra being used by broadcasters. The FCC's original plan in giving each television station six megahertz of bandwidth to begin digital broadcasting was that broadcasters would relinquish their old analog channels, which could then be auctioned off to help offset the Federal deficit. The Bush administration has proposed postponing the auctions in the hope of gaining higher prices later. Delaying the auction dates could increase resulting revenue by as much as $6.7 billion, the administration estimates. Under the Bush plan, those broadcasters who do not relinquish their analog licenses by 2007 would be required to pay a $500 million lease fee annually.