Leaders of the commission that investigated the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks joined Tuesday with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to promote his legislation setting a fixed date for the end of analog television broadcasting.
Under the bill, which was scheduled to be introduced late Tuesday, broadcasters would have to return analog TV channels by Jan. 1, 2009 -- clearing stations numbered 52 to 69 and freeing 108 megahertz of spectrum for other uses, including those of "first responders" to acts of terrorism and disasters.
Last July, the 9/11 Commission recommended that Congress pass legislation forcing broadcasters off four television channels -- or 24 megahertz of frequencies -- that had been promised to public safety officials when broadcasters vacated them.
But the 1997 legislation granting broadcasters a second television channel said they did not need to vacate until Dec. 31, 2006, or until 85 percent of households received digital broadcast signals, whichever was later.
McCain -- who chaired the Senate Commerce Committee until late last year -- said the 85 percent clause "is an impossible goal." He added that broadcasters "have committed several times that they would have that spectrum turned over," and he blasted the National Association of Broadcasters.
"Why they would choose not to act in the public interest is something they will have to answer for," McCain declared.
Said Thomas Kean, chairman of the 9/11 Commission: "There were lives lost on 9/11 because public-safety representatives could not communicate effectively with each other. It is really obscene that four years after 9/11 that we still haven't got this done. Lives could be lost because we haven't passed this important legislation." , chairman of the 9/11 panel. "It is really obscene that four years after 9/11 that we still haven't got this done. Lives could be lost because we haven't passed this important legislation."
In a statement, NAB chief Eddie Fritts responded: "Local television stations provide a lifeline service during terrorist attacks, hurricanes, tornadoes and other natural disasters. We are committed to completing the digital transition in a timely fashion, including return of analog spectrum, and will work with Congress to ensure that millions of consumers are not left stranded by a premature end to analog broadcasting." said in a statement. "We are committed to completing the digital transition in a timely fashion, including return of analog spectrum, and will work with Congress to ensure that millions of consumers are not left stranded by a premature end to analog broadcasting."
The bill introduced Tuesday is similar to legislation that McCain introduced last September, fixing the digital transition at Dec. 31, 2008.
In the House, Energy and Commerce Chairman Joe Barton, R-Texas, has offered draft legislation also setting a hard date of Dec. 31, 2008. And Senate Commerce Chairman Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, said last week he supports a hard date of Jan. 1, 2009.
The new version of McCain's bill includes a $463 million authorization for the government to purchase digital set-top boxes for 9.3 million households whose incomes do not exceed twice the poverty line. The bill McCain offered last year included $1 billion for that authorization.
Barton refused to support McCain's language last year because he wanted to clear the entire 108 megahertz by Dec. 31, 2006.
McCain said he did not want to wait for Stevens to act, although that is expected within weeks. A Stevens aide said the committee is planning a hearing on digital television June 29.
Officials from the Consumer Electronics Association, National League of Cities and Association of Public Safety Communications-International endorsed the McCain bill.
Facebook
Twitter