[opendtv] Clinton calls on FCC to rethink switchover
- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 1 Nov 2007 12:19:39 -0400
I'm not sure what she is talking about here. I think she's saying that
even at the max power allowed by the FCC, some stations won't be able to
replicate analog coverage. But the wording in the article is confused.
Watertown only has two full-power TV stations, it looks like, and both
are UHF:
WPBS-TV 618 KW ERP
WPBS-DT 40 KW ERP
WWTI-TV 1 MW ERP
WWTI-DT 25 KW ERP
There are also three LP stations, also all UHF.
If it's true that DTT stations get equivalent coverage to analog with
ERP 6 dB lower than their analog counterparts, then indeed Watertown DTT
stations will lose viewership.
Bert
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http://www.dtg.org.uk/news/news.php?class=countries&subclass=0&id=2803
Clinton calls on FCC to rethink switchover
US presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton has called on US media
regulator the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to address the
possibility of viewers losing television services during the shift from
analogue to digital-only broadcasting because of confusion over
post-switchover licence terms.
In a letter sent to FCC chairman Kevin Martin, senator Clinton warned
that many viewers living in rural areas of her New York state
constituency did not have access to cable or satellite TV.
"I am concerned about possible unintended consequences of FCC procedures
governing the transition [to digital] and its impact on broadcast
viewers," wrote Clinton.
"When analogue broadcasting terminates in February 2009, some viewers
could lose service." Clinton said some local TV stations had opted to
maximise their output for digital rather than merely replicate it, but
in one case, in Watertown, New York, a licencee's 'maximisation' terms
"would mean nearly 59,000 viewers would not be able to see the station
after the transition".
"Viewers should not be deprived of a much needed source of local news
and information due to confusion on the part of the station licensee,"
said Clinton. "I am asking the FCC to give stations in these
circumstances the opportunity to amend their election."
Lovelace Consulting 01.11.2007
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