All Eligible for TV Converter Discount

ALL ELIGIBLE FOR TV CONVERTER DISCOUNT
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Rachelle Younglai]
All U.S. households with televisions that use analog technology will be eligible for $40 discount coupons to buy digital converter boxes, the National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) said on Monday. That means less-affluent consumers who have only analog TVs and rely solely on free over-the-air television will line up for a coupon alongside households that subscribe to cable or satellite service, or already own digital televisions. U.S. television stations are required to switch to only digital broadcasts by February 17, 2009. An estimated 20 million households now rely solely on free over-the-air television. Analog televisions could go dark at that time if owners do not get a converter box, subscribe to satellite or digital cable, or replace their TV with a digital television. Some industry sources have estimated the price of a converter box could range between $50 to $60. The NTIA expects to have a system in place to process coupons starting on January 1, 2008. John Dingell, the chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, criticized the NTIA plan.
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN1235374420070312

* Feds unveil digital-TV subsidy details
http://news.com.com/Feds+unveil+digital+TV+subsidy+details/2100-1028_3-6...
* All in U.S. eligible for TV box coupons
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/money/20070313/converter_box13.art....

* Commerce Department Issues Final Rule To Launch Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program
"The transition from analog to digital television is a historic change and brings with it considerable benefits for the American consumer,” said Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez. “The coupon program is designed to help ease the transition to digital TV. Not only will the transition help expand consumer choices, but more importantly, the digital transition will enable more efficient use of the nation’s airwaves providing new advanced wireless services and increased public safety services for all Americans.”
“With the Coupon Program and a successful analog-to-digital transition involving the public, industry and government, the switch from analog to digital television will be completed as planned," said Assistant Secretary for Communication and Information John Kneuer.
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/press/2007/DTVfinalrule_031207.htm

* Dingell Upset with NTIA's DTV Box Rules
House Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell (D-MI) criticized key portions of the NTIA plan. He is upset because the Commerce Department's rules would disqualify cable- and satellite-TV homes from seeking financial assistance if the 15-month program spends more than $990 million. Only homes that rely exclusively on free, over-the-air-television could seek any of the remaining $510 million. "After the administration opposed Democratic efforts to secure sufficient funding in favor of more tax cuts, the administration now shows newfound concern that not all households will be covered," Chairman Dingell said in a prepared statement. "If the administration believes additional funds are needed to prevent consumers' television sets from going dark, then it should ask the Congress for such funding."
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6423691.html?display=Breaking+News

* Markey on Bush Plan for Digital TV Consumer Boxes
"The proposed plan... arbitrarily limits consumer eligibility for the program after the first $990 million is spent. This is likely to increase consumer confusion about who is eligible for coupons and when they are eligible. The Administration is evidently limiting the program in this way because of concern that sufficient funding to cover all consumers who need boxes may not be available. Last year, the Administration opposed efforts by Full Committee Chairman John Dingell (D-MI) and myself that would have removed this concern by ensuring adequate funding for the program. The Telecommunications and Internet Subcommittee intends to review this and other aspects of the Administration's plan in upcoming hearings to ensure that consumer welfare is adequately protected and that the digital TV transition remains on track."
http://markey.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2675&I...

* Republican Fires Back at Democrat's DTV Rule Criticism
"Nobody is interested in spending an extra half-billion dollars of taxpayer's money to guarantee that every last television on some country squire's estate will work," said Larry Neal, a top Republican staffer on the House Commerce Committee.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6423672.html?display=Breaking...

* Commerce Department issues ill-fated rules to launch the digital-to-analog converter box coupon program
[Commentary] "What is eminently clear from that press conference is that the NTIA and Congress have lost their focus on the purpose of the converter box subsidy program, which was to speed the DTV transition, not serve as a pork barrel program for the DTV broadcast and manufacturing industries. My hunch is that this extremely ill-conceived program is more likely to slow than speed the DTV transition, as Congress is forced to acknowledge and deal with the boondoggle it has created by placing inconsistent and impossible demands on the NTIA."
http://quixote.blogs.com/telecompolicy/