Address DTV Antenna Issues, Lawmakers Tell FCC
The FCC needs to set up an immediate information campaign alerting the public to make sure their antennas can receive digital broadcast signals, said a bipartisan letter House Commerce Committee members sent Thursday to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin. The FCC has failed to provide “adequate information” on the potential need for new antennas to receive digital broadcast signals for households receiving only over-the-air signals, the letter said.
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“We have no doubt that without proper attention to antennas a significant number of Americans will experience problems viewing digital broadcast signals over the air,” the letter said. It cited national surveys, information from the Wilmington, N.C., test transition to digital transmissions and observations from the transition in the U.K. in advising the FCC to hone its education campaign.
Meanwhile, the Senate is expected to approve possibly this weekend some extra DTV funds in a resolution (HR-2638) that would fund the government through March 6. The House overwhelmingly approved the resolution Wednesday (CD Sept 25 p7) but Senate action was postponed Thursday as leaders worked out the economic bailout package. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Thursday he hopes to gain unanimous consent to move the HR-2638, which would give the FCC $20 million in its FY 2009 budget for DTV consumer education and NTIA $20 million for its converter box program. Congress must vote on the resolution by Sept. 30 to keep the government running.
The Commerce Committee letter was prompted by lawmakers’ concern over results of the Wilmington, N.C., DTV test, the letter said. Over 20 percent of the calls to the FCC were from consumers reporting reception and technical problems, many of which were linked to antenna issues, it said. Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Va., raised the antenna issue in January, based on his observations from a visit to Whitehaven, U.K., which switched to digital. The lawmakers’ letter cited a U.K. study, which projected that up to 35 percent of consumers will need to add or make modifications to their existing antenna in some communities when making the switch to digital.
“It is imperative that the FCC step up its consumer education campaign concerning antennas,” said the letter, urging the FCC to immediately establish a public/private/non- profit sector information campaign focused on antenna education. The FCC also should encourage all Americans to “act now to buy and install” converter boxes, test the reception and fix problems that may occur. The FCC should update its website with a clear explanation of antenna matters, and expand the commission’s call center to address questions on antenna problems, the letter said.
Martin told the Senate Commerce committee Tuesday part of the $20 million would be used to expand call center efforts. “The FCC is working hard to increase its education efforts and is open to ideas from others,” Martin said at a press conference Thursday. “I'm trying to do everything I can think of or that any one else can think of,” he said. He cited commissioner trips to “at risk” markets to promote the transition, and the commission’s efforts to work with grass roots organizations as examples of recent education efforts.
The Commerce letter said the 794 calls going in to the FCC hotline during the Wilmington test would be equal to 564,000 calls on a nationwide basis. About 20 percent of the Wilmington calls dealt with reception or technical issues, many of which were related to antenna issues, the letter said. Therefore, 20 percent of calls the FCC might receive next February could concern antenna issues, it said.
Wilmington has relatively flat geography, which is “not comparable to reception in more problematic mountainous terrain for digital signals,” said the letter. It voiced concern that FCC’s “level of preparation” for the Wilmington tests “was much higher than we will see on a national level for the February 17th transition,” said the letter. “We believe that the percentage of Wilmington households that experienced a problem receiving a digital signal due to antenna problems, while significant, is far below what can be expected nationwide in February.”
“Americans know a change is coming to their TV sets, but they need to be fully aware of how to receive new signal or else this transition will be a disaster for millions of families,” said Telecom Subcommittee Chairman Ed Markey, D- Mass. Markey was among signers of the bipartisan letter, which also included Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell, D-Mich., Markey, Boucher and 10 other members.
Separately, a bill introduced earlier this week by Rep. Lois Capps, D-Calif., would permit stations to continue analog transmissions short-term to broadcast emergency information and alert viewers to the need to get a converter box. “It’s important that we switch to DTV but we also have to make sure that no one gets left behind,” said Capps. Under the bill, over-the-air only viewers who have not properly prepared their TVs would see a box with script in English and Spanish telling them about the transition and what to do.