Barton, Upton Seek DTV Answers from Martin

BARTON, UPTON SEEK DTV ANSWERS FROM MARTIN
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Republican leaders on the House Commerce Committee have written to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin asking if they should start moving a bill that would give the FCC express authority to mandate digital-TV-transition education initiatives. Reps Joe Barton (R-TX) and Fred Upton (R-MI) want to know when the FCC plans to decide what steps, if any, it needs to mandate, which could include requiring broadcasters to air a certain number of public-service announcements, on-screen crawls, bill-stuffers in the case of cable and satellite and periodic reporting requirements. Chairman Martin has said that he wanted to see how the voluntary efforts progressed first. But some people worry nonetheless that voluntary industry efforts may not be enough, Reps Barton and Upton wrote, asking whether, if government outreach and industry efforts weren't sufficient, the legislators should start pushing a bill they introduced in January that would mandate industry education efforts similar to those the FCC has proposed. They also want to know when the FCC will release new figures on what percentage of viewers are over-the-air only and will be most affected by the transition.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6485908.html?rssid=193

* See press release: http://republicans.energycommerce.house.gov/News/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=6...

* See letter: http://republicans.energycommerce.house.gov/Media/File/News/10.01.07_Let...