NCTA Pans Martin’s DTV-Carriage Plan

NCTA PANS MARTIN'S DTV-CARRIAGE PLAN
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
The National Cable & Telecommunications Association Wednesday panned a proposal by Federal Communications Commission chairman Kevin Martin on cable carriage of local digital-TV signals after the end of the DTV transition in February 2009. Martin’s proposal would allow DTV stations that elect mandatory must-carry to insist on both digital and analog carriage on cable systems that had not converted to an entirely digital platform. The proposal is designed to ensure that some local TV stations don't lose access to analog-only cable homes because of the analog-to-digital conversion mandated by federal law. “This plan appears to conclude that the digital-TV transition can be solved by disenfranchising millions of customers by forcing them to rent a set-top box they may not want, and it will in fact cost more because the [FCC] has refused to repeal its $600 million-per-year set-top-box tax that begins in July,” NCTA vice president of communications Brian Dietz said.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6433097.html?display=Breaking+News

* NCTA Fires Back At Dual Carriage Proposal
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6433089.html

* Could FCC Plan Hurt HDTV Efforts?
[Commentary] If approved, Martin's proposal could hurt cable TV's efforts to expand their high-def lineups. If they are forced to broadcast the analog signals for a longer period of time, they may have less room for more HD channels during that time. The law could also become a disincentive for cable subscribers to switch from analog to digital because they might think the analog signals will be there indefinitely. Comcast is now urging customers in some cities to switch from analog to digital, saying that new digital boxes will offer 125 high-def channels in 2008. As part of its persuasion campaign, the cable operator is alerting subscribers that the Digital TV switch is set for 2009.
http://www.tvpredictions.com/martin041107.htm