Public TV Spots to Discuss Converter Boxes, Antennas
Public broadcasters are dealing with consumer concerns and confusion over digital converter box and antenna performance, said Mark Erstling, acting president of the Association of Public TV Stations. Stations are producing spots to educate consumers about those issues, he said. APTS and the Public Broadcasting Service are making sure stations have the “best possible information” to ensure correct “consumer guidance” on boxes and antennas, he said.
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Zenith boxes that APTS sent to stations for testing prompted “nothing but terrific response,” Erstling said. APTS’s testing of two other boxes didn’t go as well, he said. “So these products are going to vary, but it’s the consumers’ antenna and where they are located [that’s] going to play a role in that as well,” he said. APTS has raised antenna concerns in various forums, including with antenna makers, he said. The group is “taking comfort” from an update of the AntennaWeb.org site, he said. “We are hopeful that with all the information that will be available and is available, this won’t be too big of an issue.”
Viewer awareness of the transition exceeds 70 percent, but “there is a lot of confusion,” Erstling said. “Consumers are still trying to sort this out.” And with the next major pledge drive set for March 2009 stations are “very nervous” about losing viewers, he said. “They are really worried about a loss of membership numbers, [and] that’s why they are motivated to do these consumer ads.” Public broadcasters’ fiscal 2009 federal appropriations legislation could spill into next year and the new administration, he said. But he expressed confidence that “we are making a solid case on the Hill for our funding.” Public broadcasters want a 15 percent increase in federal money.
APTS and PBS are working with the NCTA to smooth wrinkles created by the FCC’s “viewability” order to public TV’s digital-carriage agreement. The September order would require cable systems transmit must-carry stations to both analog and digital subscribers post-transition. Public TV’s carriage deal with the NCTA doesn’t bar cable systems from downconverting public stations’ main signals for their remaining analog subscribers. It also doesn’t require that. This may mean some analog subscribers get no public TV programming. Public broadcasters are working “within the framework of our agreement” with the NCTA to ensure access to public TV programming, Erstling said. “Those conversations are going very well and we think will be concluded shortly.”
Dish Network is insisting in carriage talks that it get a direct national HD feed from PBS, he said. “Neither PBS nor APTS are interested in that feed.” The two bodies represent local stations, he said, and “we want carriage of those local services.” Viewers have a right to get local public stations on Dish, he said. Talks with AT&T are ongoing but a national carriage deal is a “long way off.”