Finger pointing over DTV delay begins at the FCC

Finger pointing over DTV delay begins at the FCC
US President Obama and Congressional Democrats have been the subject of much criticism over the DTV transition being delayed until June 12. And to be fair Congressional oversight in the months and years leading up to this point has been less than thorough. But the FCC, whom Congress delegated most of their responsibility to, shares more than a little of the blame. In particular, former FCC Chairman Kevin Martin was responsible for that agency's leadership or lack therof.

After the bill authorizing the delay passed the House of Representatives, FCC commissioners Jonathan Adelstein and Robert M. McDowell and acting Chairman Michael Copps shared their thoughts on the situation. All praised Congress for the legislation and agreed that the additional time is important for preparing the public. They also unanimously criticized the inaction of the previous Chair.



Commissioner Adelstein went the furthest, saying "this national transition has been mismanaged and plagued by the lack of a coherent and coordinated strategy. More time was desperately needed to correct the mistakes that many, including leaders in Congress, the Government Accountability Office, and every current member of the FCC, have long raised."

While it's certainly true that Kevin Martin's laissez-faire approach to the transition was criticized by the GAO, the other commissioners haven't exactly been outspoken opponents, at least not publically.

Sure Commissioner McDowell sent a letter to Martin complaining about the situation. But in typical Washington DC fashion he waited until a week before the then-Chairman was scheduled to step down - just a month before the February 17 deadline originally set for the transition. If he, or anyone else who was in office at the time, would like to point fingers they would be well served by stepping in front of a mirror first.

Written by: Rich Fiscus @ 5 Feb 2009 17:05
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  • 17 comments
  • Leningrad

    yeah and spending a billion dollers more from tax-payer money for endless ads and coupons. And Barack Obama with his 'change we need' and 'yes we can' shit, no Obama this is change We dont NEED!!!

    And when june finally comes Obama will then AGAIN postpone it.

    5.2.2009 18:19 #1

  • Shinraboy

    I don't see why the americans. RESPONSIBLE american's have to wait. It's not fair. If the change comes and the screen goes blank, the irresponsible slobs will get off their lazy asses and switch. Dely till june and they'll continue to procrastinate. It's like what my grandmother said

    "what's left for tomorow will REMAIN for tomorow."

    5.2.2009 19:27 #2

  • etinkerer

    Let's just get this thing over with
    and get on with life!

    5.2.2009 20:35 #3

  • DXR88

    I really don't see what all the fuss is about, if you have an hdtv you can already get some channels in hd and if you don't you still have tv.

    Its win win for those that do, and those that don't.

    Im in no rush to loose analog, it been around for a good 100 years why are we so determined to get rid of it.

    6.2.2009 00:24 #4

  • blueboy09

    Congress doesn't give a care about what we want, and they remedy situations like this when they damn well feel like it. The digital transition's purpose was to mainly free up the spectrum for cellular networks, emergency frequencies, and the supposedly "free" nation-wide internet, but all the representatives want to do is stall and waste more of our money, as if this country is bleeding enough money as it is. Let's do like Hawaii, and do the transition already. My two cents of this situation.

    6.2.2009 04:45 #5

  • Str8Pryd

    We've had over 7 years to prepare for the switch to digital and we desperately need to open up this bandwidth for all of the proposed emergency service communications that have been postponed for far too long. Yet, the government is treating this as if the public, somehow, has a right to television! When people under the so-called poverty level have an average of nearly 3 color televisions in their home, most with cable or satellite, and the government is handing them my money to purchase analog-to-digital converter boxes, there remains no excuse to delay the transition. For a lot of these people, the screen will just have to go to static in order to finally motivate them to put down the beer and the remote, get off of the couch, and go do something about it. If they need their TV so much, you can bet they've seen the endless commercials indicating the upcoming transition. Let's drop the old-school NTSC that has remained unchanged since the invention of television and has been tweaked and limped along over the years and finally move into the digital age...

    6.2.2009 04:48 #6

  • o0cynix0o

    Originally posted by Shinraboy: It's like what my grandmother said

    "what's left for tomorrow will REMAIN for tomorrow."
    I was always fond of, "Tomorrow never comes, when it does it's always today."

    6.2.2009 08:03 #7

  • Mr-Movies

    Str8Pryd try over 15 years, enough is enough lets start looking at trimming that crappy stimulus bill, or wait a minute, Spending bill they are working to force through. I thought the road taxes where suppose to take care of roads instead of pet projects, guess I was wrong there.

    6.2.2009 12:33 #8

  • Basenco

    Who care's!!! That's one of the reasons why I didn't rush out and plop down a couple thousands of dollars for a new big screen hdtv. Enough of this pay to watch TV crap anyway. Why should we have to pay for the networks to show us re-runs over and over again anyway! We can't blame it on Obama, this was in the works way before he was even in the office.

    6.2.2009 15:47 #9

  • wtortoric

    this is silly. most of the post are from teens or atleast that's the level of some comments. the government got over $3.5 billion for those frequencies. And it will be interesting to see if any of us are alive when the emergency channels are implimented. NYC still hasn't got their departments together after 7 years.

    6.2.2009 22:11 #10

  • rbrock

    If you are not ready to switch you live under a rock

    6.2.2009 23:50 #11

  • DXR88

    Originally posted by rbrock: If you are not ready to switch you live under a rockill have you know i like my rock :p

    7.2.2009 00:14 #12

  • ZippyDSM

    Quote:Originally posted by rbrock: If you are not ready to switch you live under a rockill have you know i like my rock :p
    Its those don't live under a rocks that do not understand how protective and safe it is...and great for lurking as well...

    7.2.2009 02:48 #13

  • Cornholeo

    LENNY,
    You need to go back to your homeland if you have issues with a prez that's only been in office about 3 weeks. Give the man a chance. You gave the last one 8 YEARS......SHEESH!! Everybody deserves a chance to show what they have to offer before you start that rehashed rhetoric.

    7.2.2009 05:40 #14

  • Leningrad

    Originally posted by Cornholeo: LENNY,
    You need to go back to your homeland if you have issues with a prez that's only been in office about 3 weeks. Give the man a chance. You gave the last one 8 YEARS......SHEESH!! Everybody deserves a chance to show what they have to offer before you start that rehashed rhetoric.
    my homeland wtf?

    7.2.2009 19:40 #15

  • DXR88

    Quote:Originally posted by Cornholeo: LENNY,
    You need to go back to your homeland if you have issues with a prez that's only been in office about 3 weeks. Give the man a chance. You gave the last one 8 YEARS......SHEESH!! Everybody deserves a chance to show what they have to offer before you start that rehashed rhetoric.
    my homeland wtf?
    your name, Comrade. sounds Russian to the poor fool, and its the motherland get it right. lol

    8.2.2009 14:03 #16

  • DXR88

    ..

    8.2.2009 14:03 #17

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