[opendtv] Re: DTV Delay Bill Introduced

  • From: "John Shutt" <shuttj@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2009 07:57:29 -0500

Hallelujah , Bert.
I recall going around and around with you over this back when the "85%" rule was first passed. I held that as long as there was a requirement to simulcast a station's analog signal on one of the digital program streams, cable and DBS systems who carried a station's analog signal on their system meant that viewers were receiving "one of the digital television service programming channels" of the digital signal and qualified to be counted as part of the 85%. You weren't so sure.
Also, in 1994, cable and DBS penetration in most markets was below 85%, so only a very few markets (LA?) at the time were "instantly qualified." There was a lot of speculation here about how long it would take for 85% penetration. Most, if not all, markets are qualified today, even if the point is now moot.
From the outset, the FCC was expecting that local cable and DBS companies would be the "digital to analog converter" for the vast majority of viewers. The FCC only expected that those few OTA only homes would be required to purchase digital televisions or STBs. 

John
----- Original Message ----- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx> 


 It allowed the previous 85 percent
criterion to be met instantly, as 85 percent of US households at the
time were already subscribers of at least one of the MVPDs. So they
could already receive the "digital TV program" of the four major
networks.




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