House, Senate Panels At Odds On Converter Box Subsidies

The Senate and House Commerce Committees have come up with dramatically different figures to cover the cost of providing consumers with set-top converter boxes designed to allow viewers to receive digital television broadcasts after analog broadcasting is cut off. The Senate Commerce Committee -- which takes up digital TV transition legislation this afternoon -- anticipates spending $3 billion to subsidize up to 60 million converter boxes at a cost of $50 or $60 apiece, Commerce Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) said in a luncheon speech to the Free Enterprise Fund. Consumers seeking to purchase the boxes would have a $10 "co-pay."
Meanwhile, House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders -- who may vote on DTV transition legislation as early as next week -- continue to insist on spending less than $1 billion to subsidize the converter boxes. Due to pressures imposed by House leaders to increase the savings achieved during the forthcoming budget reconciliation process, the House Commerce Committee will have far less spending flexibility than its Senate counterpart. Involved House members are also said to favor a $20 co-pay -- $10 higher than the Senate -- and want to limit the number converter boxes per household. Sen Stevens said his measure would not limit the number of boxes per household.
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-QHPG1129754438332.html
* $3B Proposed for TV Conversions
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/19/AR200510...