Kohl DTV Transition Bill

KOHL BILL WOULD TURN DTV-CONVERTER-SUBSIDY PROGRAM ON ITS HEAD
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI), chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, introduced a bill that would make major changes to government plans for the transition to digital television, including creating task forces and advisory boards to oversee it and mandating broadcaster public-service announcements, cable education efforts and reporting requirements for both. It would also reprioritize the DTV-to-analog converter-box-subsidy program. The bill would: 1) give over-the-air-only households priority for converter box coupons, 2) extend the window for redeeming the coupons from three to four months, 3) mandate broadcaster PSAs (at least two 30-second spots per day, with at least one between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m.), 4) require cable and consumer retailer education efforts, 5) make these industry players report periodically to the FCC, and 6) allow residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities to participate in the converter box coupon program.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6486327.html

* Track the bill's progress at: http://www.benton.org/node/7424