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Âåðíóòüñÿ íà ãëàâíóþ
Remarks
of Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate
To
Donelson Senior Center, Nashville, Tennessee
August
11, 2008
Good Morning. I am so glad to be here, and so glad to see
so many of you! At the Federal
Communications Commission there is one date circled on all of our
calendars—February 17, 2009. That’s the
date of the Congressionally-mandated DTV transition, the greatest television
advancement since the advent of color tv.
Just 190 days away!
As I’ve been speaking
literally all across the country – and even internationally – about the DTV
transition, there are a couple of questions that I am always asked. Let me start with those.
I. Why DTV Transition
First, why are we
going through the DTV transition? The
most basic answer is because Congress mandated it back in 2006. There are a variety of reasons Congress made
this decision, perhaps none more important than the desire to improve
communications between public safety officials in times of crisis, such as a
terrorist attack or a natural disaster like Hurricane Katrina. The spectrum that broadcasters will give
back as they transition from analog to digital broadcasting, will allow for
true interoperability between all segments of our public safety community.
In addition, this spectrum
will be available for new consumer uses, such as video over mobile phones and
new wireless devices. The Commission is
in the midst of a lengthy testing process to determine the types of devices
that will be able to operate on the newly-available spectrum.
Digital television also
provides better picture quality and sound.
Millions of Americans are already enjoying the benefits of the
transition because they’ve bought a new digital television or they’ve connected
their older model television to a TV converter box. I’ll tell you more about how you can get a
converter box in just a moment.
Finally, another benefit of
digital broadcasting is the ability to multi-cast-- provide multiple digital
programs on the same amount of spectrum previously used for just one analog
channel. So the channels you watch will
not only be clearer, there will be more of them.
I must note here that the DTV
transition is only a mandate for full-power broadcasters- not low-power. The full-power/low-power distinction is based
on the power of the signal the broadcaster sends. Low-power broadcasters, often found in rural
areas, will not be required to transition from analog to digital by February
17, 2009, though many of them have done so anyway, in order to take advantage
of the many opportunities digital broadcasting offers.
II. Who is Affected
The second question is who
will be affected by the DTV transition?
Answer: anyone who receives their television signals over the air using
an analog tuner. A good rule of thumb is
that any television that was purchased more than 5 years ago, probably has an
analog tuner (rather than a digital tuner).
Televisions with an analog tuner cannot receive digital signals—unless
they are connected to a pay-tv service like cable or satellite. If you are unsure whether you have an analog
or digital tv, you can contact the manufacturer or your local electronics
retailer.
Approximately half of all
American households that have televisions still have analog-only sets in at
least one room in the house. According
to the Consumer Electronics Association, about 13 million households receive
their TV programs via an antenna. If
older model, analog sets aren’t in the living room, they may be in a guest room
or the basement—I know the Tate’s have certainly moved tv sets from one room to
another over the years! It is important
that citizens understand the need to prepare every set in their home for the
upcoming transition. Any set you have
that is analog will no longer receive full-power broadcast signals – unless it
is hooked up to cable or satellite.
As I said, if you subscribe
to a pay-tv service, such as Dish, DirecTV, or cable providers like Comcast,
your television will continue to work, regardless of whether it is analog or
digital. However, every (analog-only) tv
must be hooked up to that service in order to work. So, if you are like the Tate’s, and have
cable only on one or two tvs, you need to be sure the others either have a
digital tuner, or a converter box.
III. How Do We Prepare
The third question,
naturally, is how do we prepare?
Like so many revolutionary changes, the success of this transition
depends on coordination, commitment, and most importantly, education. At the FCC we have a DTV Task Force, which
continues to hold forums to target specific segments of the population most at
risk during the DTV transition—from low-income communities, to
non-English-speakers, to individuals with disabilities. And, of course, America’s senior population. In an effort to reach every citizen, in every
corner of America, the FCC has produced educational materials in 19 languages,
Braille, large print, and audio formats.
There is also a sign-language video available for people who are deaf or
hard of hearing.
Personally, I speak about the
DTV transition everywhere I go—from various state broadcasters associations to
new and nontraditional partners like the boy scouts, AARP chapters, nonprofits
like Meals on Wheels programs. In
addition, retailers like Best Buy, Radio Shack, and Circuit City are training
their employees on how to best assist you when you go to their stores to
purchase a converter box. And we welcome
your advice about other organizations and ideas for outreach. I firmly believe that this on-the-ground,
targeted approach to outreach and education will help us achieve our goal of a
seamless transition -- in which every American wakes up to find February 18,
2009 a day like any other.
IV. NTIA Converter Box Program
The FCC’s
partner in the DTV Transition, the NTIA (National Telecommunications and
Information Administration), is also conducting a massive outreach
campaign. NTIA is responsible for
administering the Converter Box Coupon Program.
This program allows those of you with analog-only televisions receiving
programs via an antenna to apply for two $40 coupons to be redeemed at your
local electronics store for converter boxes that will hook up to your set to
receive digital signals. Connecting a
converter box to your older model analog TV today will allow you to begin
enjoying the benefits of better picture and sound. You don’t have to wait until February
2009!
NTIA
began sending out coupons in late February.
According to the Department of Commerce, as of last week, 22 million
coupons have been requested, and more than 7.7 million have been redeemed. There are 51 certified boxes available in
retail stores, and they range in price from $40-70. If you wish to apply for a coupon, there is
information available online, or by calling 1-888-DTV-2009. In fact, if you go to NTIA’s website, there’s
even a quiz you can take to determine if the TV converter box is the best
option for your home.
A word of caution,
however—the converter box coupons expire 90 days after issuance. You can’t get a coupon now, and wait until
next January to redeem it. Be sure you
pay careful attention to the date on the coupon and redeem it at your earliest
opportunity.
V. Key Partners
I
must say a word about the great work our industry partners have been doing to
help ensure a smooth transition for all Americans. The National Association of Broadcasters has
voluntarily pledged $1 billion for public service announcements and other
outreach efforts. Likewise, the National
Cable and Telecom Association has pledged $200 million for consumer
education. You have likely seen some of
the PSAs run by your local broadcasters or cable operators, reminding your
community that the DTV Transition is coming.
Other organizations, such as
Retirement Living TV, are joining the effort by focusing on their specific
target audiences. RLTV has been
instrumental in providing informative and educational programming for seniors
concerning the digital transition through PSAs, televised specials, and
episodes of their technology program Retired & Wired hosted by
Bill Rafferty, on which I recently appeared with Meredith Baker, the head of
NTIA, to discuss the DTV transition.
At the FCC we are aware that
there are major portions of our society that depend on over-the-air broadcasts
for weather, sports, politics, community events, and most importantly,
emergency alerts. We cannot leave them
in the dark, which is why your involvement is so critical. We must all work together to make educational
materials available to seniors; we must hold seminars and forums in their
communities to explain the steps they need to take to be ready; and we must
continue to remind them how soon this change is coming.
The FCC, NTIA, government
leaders across the country, and those of you here today are responding to the
call for leaders to step forward and take action. Thank you for your efforts and I look forward
to working with you as we approach the DTV transition on February 17, 2009.
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