NAB President Edward Fritts rebukes FCC Chairman Kennard for failing to exercise congressional authority on DTV receiver mandates, cable interoperability rules, and must-carry requirements. Fritts argues broadcasters are ahead of schedule with 158 stations transmitting digital signals to 65 percent of U.S. households, while the FCC has stalled on critical transition issues.
|
STATEMENT OF NAB PRESIDENT/CEO EDWARD O. FRITTS RESPONDING TO CHAIRMAN KENNARD’S REMARKS ON THE DIGITAL TELEVISION TRANSITION
"It is regrettable that Chairman Kennard has failed the test of leadership. Sadly, he is trying to shift the blame for a faltering DTV transition. "Congress gave the FCC authority to require all television sets to receive DTV channels, but it has not. Congress gave the FCC the authority to establish DTV/cable interoperability rules, but it has not. Congress gave the FCC authority to require cable systems to carry DTV stations, but it has not. "Broadcasters are well ahead of schedule in the DTV transition, with 158 stations now sending digital signals to almost 65 percent of all U.S. households. As FCC Commissioner Susan Ness noted recently: ‘While we (the FCC) dabble in some of the crucial aspects of the transition to digital television, we are at the same time, in other contexts, holding back from addressing the critical issues that relate to this transition. …I hope that we will soon address holistically the crucial issues surrounding the transition of analog stations to the digital age.’" |
 |
