Gore Pushes FCC on Digital TV October 25, 1999 WASHINGTON - The Associated Press: Vice President Al Gore is urging federal regulators to examine how broadcasters can pay back the public for getting valuable digital television channels from the government for free. In a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Bill Kennard, Gore recommended that the FCC hold a public proceeding to consider the obligations of broadcasters in the new world of digital television. A presidential commission last year offered a number of recommendations on how broadcasters could fulfill their public interest obligations. Namely, the panel suggested that broadcasters, along with cable networks and satellite companies, provide five minutes of free air time per day in the 30 days leading up to an election. In the letter dated Oct. 20, Gore urged the FCC to address this issue and another suggestion that blanket bans on the sale of air time to all state and local political candidates should be prohibited. ``I urge you to evaluate to what extent the broadcasters are meeting voluntary commitments to improving the public discourse on the airwaves, including free air time,'' the vice president wrote. Kennard said Friday he would take into consideration the vice president's letter. ``I'm committed to a productive dialogue with consumers and broadcasters about the public interest as we transition to the digital age,'' Kennard said. The vice president also asked the FCC to consider in public proceedings these other issues: _Having broadcasters, emergency communication specialists and manufacturers work with federal agencies to determine how they can use digital technology to give Americans more precise disaster warnings. _Expanding broadcasters' obligations to provide closed captioning and video description services to ensure that those with hearing and vision disabilities have access to digital programming and services. _Establishing rules to help ensure non-discrimination in employment in the broadcast industry. In return for using existing analog channels, broadcasters now have obligations, among them the airing of public-affairs and educational children's programs. Digital technology offers improved picture and sound over existing analog channels and gives stations the ability to offer more channels and services in existing airwave space. [Copyright 1999, Associated Press]