For Immediate Release May 26, 2005 Contact: Bert Hammond (202) 225-7084 Lois Hill Hale (323) 965-1422   Congresswoman Watson Introduces Bill to Strengthen  Digital TV Broadcasters’ Public Interest Requirements   (Washington, DC)— Congresswoman Diane E. Watson (D-CA-33rd) has introduced H.R. 2359, the Digital Television Accountability and Governance Enhancement Act of 2005 (DTV-AGE Act) that sets a minimum level of time requirements on broadcasters’ digital channels to be devoted to public interest programming.  Specifically, the bill mandates a minimum of three hours per week per digital channel for each of the following areas:  local civil affairs or electoral affairs  programming, children’s educational programming, and  independent or locally produced programming. "In this age of unprecedented media consolidation, many of us have expressed concerns about the failure of our nation’s broadcasters to live up to their responsibility in serving the public interest," stated Congresswoman Watson. "Whatever the reason, it is clear that consumers are not satisfied with what they see on local television.” “Congress is currently considering legislation to expand our nation’s transition from analog to all-digital television broadcasting. The transition will allow local stations to broadcast up to six separate channels of digital programming in place of the current single analog channel. In turn, broadcasters are proposing that the FCC compel local cable operators to carry all of the new digital program channels. In 1996, our government granted broadcasters a free license to use the enormously increased digital broadcasting capacity, estimated to be worth hundreds of billions of dollars, in exchange for their obligation to serve the public interest. "As our nation enters the digital television era, Congress now has an opportunity to correct the current state of media and enhance the level of public interest services on television.” Original cosponsors of H.R. 2359 include Congressman Maurice Hinchey, Congressman Bernie Sanders, Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky.  The legislation has been referred to the Energy and Commerce Committee.