Audio Video News

A new bill introduced by Senators John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) entitled the "Spectrum Availability for Emergency-response and Law-enforcement to Improve Vital Emergency Services Act" - otherwise known as "The SAVE LIVES Act" - will, if passed, directly affect the on-going Digital TV transition and the impending analog broadcast cut-off date. The proposed legislation assigns a hard cut-off date of January 1, 2009 - the point in time when the nation's television over-the-air broadcasters will be required to begin using the digital TV spectrum which has been assigned to them and return the spectrum they've been using for analog broadcasts.

Although "The SAVE LIVES Act" seems like an unlikely name for a bill aimed squarely at Digital TV broadcasting, the Act is being proposed in response to the 9-11 Commission's Final Report calling for the "expedited and increased assignment of radio spectrum for public safety purposes." According to a McCain, "Now is the time for Congressional action before another national emergency or crisis takes place. Access to this specific spectrum is essential to our Nation's safety and welfare as emergency communications sent over these frequencies are able to penetrate walls and travel great distances, and can assist multiple jurisdictions in deploying interoperable communications systems."

The bill also addresses consumer education about the Digital TV transition. (Unfortunately, Congress is not mandating that all consumers subscribe to Home Theater Magazine, but it's still a good idea.) McCain said the bill would:

• mandate that warning labels be displayed on analog TVs sold prior to the transition
• require warning language to be displayed at television retailers
• command the distribution at retailers of brochures describing the TV set options that are available
• call on broadcasters to air informational programs to better prepare consumers for the digital transition.

In order to prevent analog-TV owners from finding themselves in the dark after the January 1, 2009 cut-off, the bill includes provisions for digital-to-analog converter boxes to over-the-air viewers who "have a household income that does not exceed 200 percent of the poverty line." (That includes most of the writers I work with...) Cable companies would be allowed to down convert DTV signals "if necessary." Finally, the proposed legislation would establish a tax credit for recycling TVs as well as require the Environmental Protection Agency to report to Congress on the need for a national electronic waste recycling program."

Many in Congress, including Congressman Joe Barton (R-TX), chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Fred Upton (R-MI), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, have expressed the belief that proceeds from autioning off parts of the broadcasters' returned spectrum could be used to finance the costs of ensuring a smooth transition from analog to digital, such as providing education and converter boxes, as necessary, for constituents around the country.

McCain's sponsorship of the bill stems in part from his previous stint as chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee and his belief that "broadcast television is a powerful communications tool and important information source for citizens. I know that on 9/11, I learned about the attack on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon like most Americans - by watching television. Therefore, this bill seeks to not only protect citizens' safety, but also the distribution of broadcast television."

The Federal Communications Committee's original target date for the analog broadcast cut-off was 2006.