In the end, a bad brew of poor planning and politics led Congress to delay the nation’s transition to all-digital television signals by three months to June 12. In the poor planning column: An underfunded coupon program to help pay for analog converter boxes; public outreach in some markets that raised...
The possibility that Congress may not delay the digital TV transition, despite a request from President Barack Obama, was raised today by the sudden cancellation of a House committee’s expected vote on a bill changing the DTV switch date. The cancellation doesn’t necessarily mean that House Democrats...
The Minority Media and Telecommunications Council is unveiling its wish list for 2009, calling for a stimulus package to make broadband Web access more available and tax credits that could make it easier for minority-owned firms to buy stations. The group also is seeking law changes to allow foreign...
Federal Communication Commission Chairman Kevin J. Martin used his last agency meeting as chairman to announce he will leave the commission, rather than staying on in the Obama administration. Mr. Martin’s departure was expected, but he had previously declined to disclose his plans. President-elect Barack...
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Thu, Jan 15 2009
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Filed under: Broadcast, Cable, Digital, Advertising, Syndication, Barack Obama, FCC, Kevin Martin, Politics, Julius Genachowski
Barack Obama may not be president yet, but he showed the kind of leadership the media industry needs last week by asking for a delay of the planned Feb. 17 switch to all-digital television broadcast signals. The current administration should heed his call and put the brakes on the DTV switch. Once that...
Consumers Union is asking Congress and the White House to delay the digital TV transition from Feb. 17, citing problems with the government coupon program for DTV converter boxes and other worries. In letters today to President George W. Bush, President-elect Barack Obama and U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman,...
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Wed, Jan 7 2009
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Filed under: Broadcast, Digital, DTV, Barack Obama, NTIA, Henry Waxman, Ed Markey, Department of Commerce, Consumers Union, George Bush
CBS News has unveiled its plans for multiplatform coverage of the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama, led by live broadcasts and Web streams anchored by Katie Couric. Ms. Couric will anchor broadcast coverage for CBS throughout the day on Jan. 20 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST. Coverage will include...
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Tue, Jan 6 2009
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Filed under: Broadcast, Cable, Digital, CBS, Barack Obama, Katie Couric, Bob Schieffer, CBS News, Jeff Glor, Nancy Cordes, Inauguration, Bob Orr, Bill Plante, Jeff Greenfield, Byron Pitts, Chip Reid, Sharyl Attkisson, Russ Mitchell, Jim Axelrod
After Barack Obama ran for president promising change and openness, and making a point of refusing to accept lobbyists’ contributions, the president-elect’s transition team secretly held a meeting with broadcasting lobbyists to discuss the digital TV changeover. The unannounced meeting was held Friday...
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Wed, Dec 10 2008
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Filed under: Broadcast, Digital, Fox, ABC, DTV, Barack Obama, FCC, Kevin Martin, NCTA, Kyle McSlarrow, NAB, House Energy & Commerce Committee, David Rehr
As President-elect Barack Obama juggles a cratering economy and two wars, broadcasting and consumer groups are throwing him another sticky issue—the impending switch to digital over-the-air broadcasting. While less than 1% of TV viewers lost their signals during the Sept. 7 DTV test in Wilmington, N...