AfterDawn: News

New version of DTV Delay bill starts over in the House today

Today the US House of Representatives' Rules Committee will be meeting to make sure the latest bill to delay the US DTV transition until June will only require a simple majority to pass. The previous bill was defeated last week due to a requirement for a 2/3 majority. However it did receive enough votes to pass by the simple majority expected to be required this time.

The new bill differs slightly from the original version. The difference is primarily in the addition of a reporting requirement which will keep legislators apprised of how many government vouchers and DTV converters are available to the public. While this is a refreshing change from the government's previous hope and pray approach, it seems like very little very late.



Like the previous incarnation of the bill, the Digital Television Transition Extension Act of 2009 would delay the date TV stations would be required to turn off analog signals until June 12,nearly a four month delay. It also includes a similar provision for replacing expired vouchers. However it does add language to expedite shipping via First Class mail rather than the Standard Mail service currently being used.

Written by: Rich Fiscus @ 3 Feb 2009 2:12

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• 5 comments

• cdman2005

  BS!!

  3.2.2009 09:00 #1

• pirkster

  We can only hope this fails.
  
  Absolute waste of taxpayer money for a competely unnecessary delay.
  
  There's absolutely no good reason the taxpayers and broadcasters should be forced to open their wallets to support this ridiculous bill.
  
  Again, a waste of time, money and effort on something that should be dead last on the list of economic priorities.

  3.2.2009 11:18 #2

• attar

  What do you get when you cross a Politician and a mink lined toilet seat?
  A top-of-the-line Sh**

  3.2.2009 11:21 #3

• etinkerer

  When do they propose taking that vote,
  AFTER the shutdown?
  That's like buying an airline ticket
  after the plane crashes.
  What about the pirate transmitters
  that will be popping up with analog
  broadcasts? They shut one down,
  another will pop up somewhere else.
  It will be a game of 'Whack-a-mole'
  between the FCC, Justice Dept., and
  the pirate broadcasters! There won't
  be enough prisons to hold 'em all!
  At least until DTV infrastructure
  has been improved and there is some
  standardization with equipment.

  3.2.2009 22:26 #4

• jkoz

  Stop this insanity... if they're not ready now they won't be ready in four months. This is absurd. Going to make the television stations pay more for broadcasting both digital and analog signals, and put their efforts to prepare for the transition in two weeks for nothing... this is such a waste. And the kicker is, it'll pass. Ugh.

  4.2.2009 14:46 #5