For television executives, the early rush by 421 stations to switch to digital-only signals last week was an I-told-you-so moment, even if their public statements were more gracious. Despite a push for postponement, a majority of stations that made the transition to digital-only signals on Tuesday had...
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Sun, Feb 22 2009
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Filed under: Broadcast, Digital, DTV, Print Edition, FCC, Digital Transition, NAB, San Diego, WRSP, KGTV, KOCB, KOKH, Oklahoma City
The Federal Communications Commission said calls to its digital-TV transition help lines decreased Wednesday, the day after 417 stations switched away from analog signals. The decline may suggest that more viewers were concerned about the prospect of the DTV transition than actually had problems with...
The congressional decision to postpone to June the switch to digital television has placed a crucial decision in the hands of stations: Delay or proceed? If stations go forward and switch to digital broadcast signals on the original Feb. 17 date, they may leave unprepared viewers in the dark. For TVWeek's...
The House of Representatives, by a 264-to-158 vote, today ended the debate over whether the country is ready for the digital TV transition with a clear “no.” It sent to President Obama legislation for a “one-time-only delay” that would postpone the digital transition from Feb. 17 until June 12. President...
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Wed, Feb 4 2009
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Filed under: Broadcast, DTV, FCC, Digital Transition, NAB, National Association of Broadcasters, Rick Boucher, Joe Barton, Marsha Blackburn, Jared Polis, Bob Goodlatte
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...
The federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., today ruled to uphold the FCC’s decision to require cable systems to make the digital signals of local broadcast must-carry stations viewable to all subscribers, including analog subscribers. The decision was made despite protests from cable programmers...
The nascent market for mobile video services could get a big boost if the Federal Communications Commission votes Nov. 4 to free up the unused airwaves or “white space” between TV channels for use by wireless broadband services. Last week, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin threw his support behind a white-space...