[opendtv] Statement From NAB President
- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 20 Dec 2005 16:49:41 -0500
http://www.nab.org/newsroom/pressrel/statements/121905_Budget_Recon_Stat
ement.htm
Early this morning, the conference report for the budget
reconciliation bill was approved by the House in a 212-206
vote. The bill establishes a February 17, 2009 "hard date"
for the transition from analog to digital television. It
also allocates up to $1.5 billion in assistance for the 73
million television sets that rely exclusively on over-the-air
broadcasting and will need a converter box in order to
continue receiving television signals in the digital era.
Of major importance to NAB member stations and to consumers,
the bill strips out a provision that would have permitted
cable operators to down-convert HDTV signals into a "standard
definition" signal, thus denying consumers the opportunity to
view the highest-quality digital programming. This was NAB's
number one priority. Below is a statement from NAB President
and CEO David Rehr.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 19, 2005 Dennis Wharton
202-429-5350
STATEMENT FROM NAB PRESIDENT AND CEO DAVID REHR
ON TODAY'S HOUSE BUDGET RECONCILIATION VOTE
"NAB is pleased that the House included many pro-consumer
DTV provisions in the budget reconciliation bill. We are
especially encouraged that the legislation thwarts the cable
industry's desire to degrade delivery of HDTV pictures to
consumers. We strongly urge Senate adoption of this
legislation."
-----------------------------------------------
I hope that cable systems are allowed to *also* air the
programming in NTSC, for some time TBD by the cable
companies. I gather this "pro-consumer" language means
broadcaster content can't be transmitted only as analog,
over cable systems, after analog OTA shutdown.
Reuters says the 18 February 2009 date is a compromise
between the 7 April 2009 wanted by the Senate and the
1 January 2009 originally wanted by the House.
Now it goes to the Presdident. I assume he'll rubber stamp
it, and then? What's to stop it after that?
Bert
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