FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 20, 2007
CONTACT: Matt Mackowiak
Sen. Hutchison Files Legislation to Ease Digital Television Transition for Border Stations
Bill will help continue public safety messages for Texans within 50 miles of the border
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation committee, has filed S. 2507, the Digital Television Border Fix Act, which addresses the concerns of South Texas and border residents regarding the digital television (DTV) transition that must be completed in early 2009. At midnight on February 17, 2009, federal law requires U.S. broadcasters to cease analog broadcasting and broadcast in digital format exclusively. The lack of analog broadcasting after this date poses special challenges for border communities.
“This legislation will ensure that Texans living along the border will not lose access to public safety communication messages sent through television stations,” said Sen. Hutchison.
Sen. Hutchison’s legislation allows broadcasters along the border to continue analog broadcasts for five years, but maintains Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authority to deny stations in the affected area the ability to simulcast in both analog and digital if it does not serve the public interest. The legislation applies only to stations within 50 miles of the common border with Mexico.
Specifically, Sen. Hutchison ensured that the legislation would affect the following Texas cities Laredo, McAllen, and El Paso.
When the DTV transition occurs, customers who rely on rooftop antennas or “rabbit ears” to receive television broadcasts will have to subscribe to a “pay” television service, purchase a television with a digital tuner, or acquire a converter box for each analog television in their home to continue receiving American television. At the same time, “free” analog television signals originating in Mexico will remain available to border residents.
The lack of federal education on this issue and the expense of these preparations may discourage many households from participating in the transition. If this occurs, it could pose an unnecessary and avoidable public safety risk. Once the DTV transition is complete, customers who do not take part would no longer receive the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and AMBER Alert messages broadcast over domestic television stations.
This legislation was carefully drafted so it would not interfere with the transition, giving the FCC total flexibility to deny analog broadcasting privileges to any domestic station that causes interference with a full power digital broadcasting station after the transition. The limited number of stations covered by the legislation will prevent this action from interfering with the recovery and auction of the analog spectrum in which domestic television stations broadcast.
This bill is critically important to ensuring that residents in the border region will retain access to important public safety messages.
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) is the chief co-sponsor of this legislation.
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