Tag Archives: DTV Education Initiative

Nightlight, Pink Slips

A TV station providing "enhanced analog nightlight service" asked the Commission if it could please be relieved of the final three weeks of its analog service commitment. There did not appear to be any significant public concern about continued analog service,and keeping the analog in operation would seriously threaten three staffers whose positions would otherwise have to be terminated.… Continue Reading

New Rules On Pulling the Analog Plug

On Thursday afternoon, February 5, the FCC released its long-anticipated public notice regarding termination of analog service on or after February 17 in light of the change in the DTV Transition date from February 17 to June 12.… Continue Reading

FCC Leaves The Light On

As directed by Congress last month, the FCC adopted rules on January 15, 2009, permitting many full power TV stations to continue to operate their analog transmitters beyond February 17, 2009, when all normal full power normal analog broadcasting is scheduled to end. Analog transmitters may stay on the air only to transmit emergency messages and information about the DTV transition and must shut down completely no later than 11:59:59 p.m. on March 19, 2009.… Continue Reading

“Analog Nightlight” Update: Comments Are Due January 5

If you are planning to file comments on the FCC's effort to implement the "analog nightlight" service, you'd better put aside thoughts of a pleasant New Year's Eve and New Year's Day holiday and start drafting now. Comments are officially due on Monday, January 5, 2009. Reply comments are due three days later, on Thursday, January 8.… Continue Reading

“Analog Nightlight” Service Standards Proposed

Acting with blazing speed, on Christmas Eve the Commission released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) setting out the tentative standards and processes for implementation of the SAFER Act which was signed into law on December 23, just the day before the NPRM was released. The SAFER Act - which the FCC now catchily refers to as the "Analog Nightlight Act" - authorizes continued, albeit very limited, operation of some analog TV stations beyond the previously-established February 17, 2009, termination date of such operation.… Continue Reading

SAFER Act Passed

It looks like over-the-air analog TV will live on beyond February 17, 2009, thanks to Congress - but at most it will live on only for 30 days, and only subject to severe content limitations. On December 11, Congress passed the Short-term Analog Flash and Emergency Readiness ("SAFER") Act.… Continue Reading

Still Searching for Mr. Goodwrench?

We offer no comment on the story (“FCC’s Martin Named ‘Porker of the Month’”), which appeared in TVNewsday on October 23. We do, however, observe that Commissioner Adelstein is quoted there as having said of the decision to sponsor the Number 38 Digital TV Transition Ford Fusion: “This doesn’t seem like the most efficient use of … Continue Reading

Number 38 Crashes, Leaving FCC at 0-1 on the NASCAR Circuit

The headline on our update late last Friday (10/17) on L’Affaire NASCAR (“L’Affaire NASCAR: The Yellow Caution Flag Comes Out”) appears to have been more predictive than we imagined. On Sunday (10/19) at the TUMS QuikPak 500 in Martinsville, the eleventh caution flag of the afternoon came out in Lap 485 when the Number 38 … Continue Reading

L’Affaire NASCAR: The Yellow Caution Flag Comes Out

Attentive readers of this blog probably noticed the posting below about the FCC’s sponsorship of the Number 38 Digital TV Transition Ford Fusion. And really attentive readers may have noticed that, in the accompanying graphic, it originally appeared that Commissioner Copps was riding shotgun while Chairman Martin did the steering. The graphic no longer includes Copps because … Continue Reading

DTV Education Initiative Form Available; Deadline Looming

By Lee Petro and Harry Cole
703-812-0400
email




As reported yesterday, the rules for the DTV Education Initiative became effective on March 31, 2008. The FCC has also received final approval for the FCC Form 388 and, as of April 1, the Commission has posted the form on its webpage.




Heads up!!! Form 388 is NOT available in CDBS. Rather, it must be filed as a Report in MB Docket 07-148. That means that you will have to access the blank form on the Commission's website (at the address indicated above), print ...… Continue Reading

DTV Education Initiative Effective Dates

By Lee Petro
703-812-0453
email

As previously reported, the Commission adopted rules requiring broadcasters, MVPDs and telecommunications carriers to engage in a coordinated educational campaign regarding the DTV Transition.  The rules were to become effective once (a) the FCC's notice had been published in the Federal Register, (b) the Office of Management and Budget had approved the new "information collection" requirements, and (c) notice of the OMB's approval had been published in the
Federal Register.  Those three events have all occurred - the last occurring with the March 31 Federal Register notice of OMB's approval.  That Notice
indicates that: the rules become effective March 31; ...… Continue Reading

DTV Public Outreach Outlined

By Lee Petro
703-812-0453
email

The Commission released an Order on Monday, March 3rd requiring broadcasters, MVPDs (i.e., cable, satellite), manufacturers and wireless service providers to commence specific public outreach initiatives to educate the public on DTV Transition matters.  The Commission had released proposed rules in July, 2007, and has now taken steps to implement several of the proposed rules.  
 
On the broadcast side, the Commission will require TV licensees to select one of three outreach programs.  Each of the options includes a mix of Program Service Announcements (PSAs) and video crawls - all ...

Continue Reading

NAB Offers Preview of DTV Education Plan

By Ron Whitworth
703-812-0478
email 

In a letter to Chairman Kevin Martin on Tuesday, the National Association of Broadcasters informed the Commission of its plans to educate the public on the February 17, 2009 hard date to complete the digital transition.

As reported in Michael Richards' article posted August 21, the Commission is seeking public comment concerning how to best prepare the public for the transition. The NAB letter, written by NAB Joint Chairman Jack Sander, previewed the formal comments that the association will file in the proceeding ...

Continue Reading

FCC Considers Compelled Promotion of DTV Transition

By Michael Richards
703-812-0456
email


TV broadcasters may need to adjust their budgets just a tad more for the upcoming DTV transition. It's possible that they'll be having to cough up air time for spots to inform the 10-to-15 percent of TV households without cable or satellite service that their 30-year-old Zeniths may show nothing but snow once D-Day arrives.


In defense of the FCC, the Commission did not come up with this idea - or, more accurately, this inchoate bundle of concepts that might someday congeal into a coherent idea ...

Continue Reading

Analog TV Consumer Disclosure — EFFECTIVE MAY 25

By Mitchell Lazarus
703-812-0440
email

Effective May 25 -- this coming Friday -- sellers of analog-only TV must display the following text on signs on or near product displays, and in offers for sale in catalogs, direct mail, websites, and emails:

"CONSUMER ALERT This television receiver has only an analog broadcast tuner and will require a converter box after February 17, 2009, to receive over-the-air broadcasts with an antenna because of the Nation's transition to digital broadcasting. Analog-only TVs should continue to work as before with cable and satellite TV services, gaming consoles, VCRs, DVD players, ...

Continue Reading
LexBlog