Claire McCaskill: McCaskill Requests Improved Public Awareness Campaign for Digital TV Transition

Hundreds of Thousands of Missourians Risk Losing TV Signal in 18 Months Without Adequate Converter System

August 9, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill sent letters to the National Telecommunications and Information Agency (NTIA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to express concern about the lack of public education and awareness of the transition from analog to digital television (DTV), which will occur on February 17, 2009. On that date, consumers throughout the country will experience a blackout on their analog televisions if those televisions are not connected to a converter box, cable or satellite. Currently, over 478,000, or one in five, Missouri households rely solely on over-the-air, analog television.

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NTIA was charged by Congress to administer a $990 million program to distribute up to two $40 coupons per household toward the purchase of an analog-to-digital converter box. However, according to a recent poll, as few as 61% of the public knows about the transition, not to mention the coupon program. Until recently, the extent of outreach to the public on the details of the DTV transition was through a website. Reports have also indicated that a vast majority of Americans who rely on over-the-air television are from lower-income and rural homes, which frequently do not have access to the Internet.

During a Senate Commerce Committee hearing last month, McCaskill pointed out the inadequacies of current attempts to educate the public about DTV transition and the options available to them, requesting the NTIA and FCC to step up their efforts. Today’s letters were intended to follow up on concerns McCaskill expressed in the hearing, which included suggested federal requirements to broadcast, satellite and cable providers as well as requests for an update on current planning by the agencies.

“Given that millions of Americans need to make the transition to digital television and the reliance people place on their televisions for sports, news, local programming, weather and entertainment, I am concerned that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is not acting with appropriate urgency,” McCaskill wrote in a letter to the FCC. “With the transition just 18 months away and coupons available in five months, the time for proposals is over, and the time for action is upon us.”

In addition to an inquiry about the feasibility of the coupon-eligible converter boxes, McCaskill asked for specific information on the public education efforts the NTIA and FCC were utilizing to inform consumers. McCaskill suggested that the FCC require satellite and cable providers to include bill inserts about the transition to digital television. She asked NTIA what specific commitments it had secured from broadcasters to air public service announcements (PSAs) about the DTV transition and convert-box coupon program. McCaskill appealed to the FCC to make the airing of PSA’s a requirement for all broadcasters. The National Association of Broadcasters is currently developing PSA’s about the DTV transition.

“The best way to communicate with consumers about television is through television,” McCaskill wrote to NTIA.

Source: Senator Claire McCaskill