That's according to an article in Broadcasting & Cable magazine.
The publication reports that Reps. John Dingell, D-Michigan, and Edward Markey, D-Massachusetts, say the transition is in jeopardy due to a "lack of leadership on the federal level." (The lawmakers are the chairmen of the House Energy & Commerce Committee and Telecommunications Subcommittee respectively.)
On February 17, 2009, all broadcast TV signals must switch from analog to digital. At that time, Americans will not be able to watch TV unless they subscribe to cable or satellite or get a Digital TV or a digital converter box.
The federal government and industry companies plan to launch a campaign next year to inform consumers what they need to do to keep watching television. But the congressmen say that could be too late.
In a letter to the FCC, the congressmen said the agency has the authority to push the industry to launch the educational campaign now. For instance, they said, the agency could force broadcasters to air public service announcements and cable operators to insert notices in monthly bills.
B&C said the FCC did not have comment on the letter.
But the Consumer Electronics Association, which represents CE companies, applauded the Dingell-Markey letter.
"The CEA commends the effort by Chairmen Dingell and Markey to facilitate further consumer education efforts as we move toward the digital television transition date of February 17, 2009. The result of years of negotiation, this transition will improve our nation’s technological competitiveness, our public safety and consumers’ lives," the CEA said in a statement.
This is not the first time that congressional Democrats have voiced concern about the Digital TV transition.
In January, the federal government will begin offering $40 coupons for converter boxes, which are expected to cost around $60. (The converter box will convert the digital signals to analog so they can be displayed on older analog sets.) But Rick Boucher, D-Virginia, said last month that the $1.5 billion allocated for federal converter coupons is not enough.
"We are deeply concerned that that amount of money is not sufficient; and that there will be millions of very angry people across the country who will not get a subsidy or, if they do, it will be a small subsidy in comparison to the cost of the digital-to-analog converter box," he said, according to Multichannel News.
Are the Democrats right? Or, are they just playing politics?
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