DTV Transition Top Priority For Obama Administration
The Government Accounting Office, National Telecommunications Information Administration, and the Federal Communications Commission all agree that the upcoming Digital Transition will have to be a top priority for President Elect Barack Obama and his administration. The new president will barely have time to be sworn into office before the realization of the DTV conversion will be at his doorstep on February 17, 2009. The National Association of Broadcasters chief of operations David Rehr sent President Elect Obama a letter reiterating cooperation needed for a smooth transition.
John Podesta the co-chairman of the Obama Transition team has been quoted saying “that the administration is aware that the DTV transition will be an early challenge and we need to be ready and prepared for that”. With Bill Kennard the Former FCC Chairman, being appointed as Obama’s communications advisor, citizens should not be concerned that the upcoming transition will not be an immediate concern of the upcoming administration.
Many stations have already begun shutting down their analog signals in preparation for the February deadline. The FCC has given permission for some stations to convert over to digital due to colder climates. However, November 21, 2008 any station may shut off their analog signal completely. They may do so only after giving adequate notice to the consumers in the affected areas. Hopefully, with many stations already converting over to digital broadcasting from analog only broadcast signals, the new administration will not have a communications disaster on their hands when they walk into the doors of the White House.
written by acwriter
ref: http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6613776.html, http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6612391.html?rssid=211
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