FCC Commissioner Michael Copps has finished off the first week of DTV broadcast, in Wilmington NC, with a letter to Chairman Kevin Martin suggesting several steps to take over the remaining five months before DTV becomes a reality for everybody. He said the lesson from Wilmington is clear, that “…this is not a national transition to digital television; it is millions of individual transitions in millions of American homes.” He said each household is facing its own individual challenge, and that simply making everybody aware that the change is coming is not enough.
He has suggested a nine-point plan to undertake during the final months: 1. Conduct additional field testing; 2. Dedicate a special FCC Team to the needs of at-risk communities; 3. Ramp up the FCC Call Center; 4. Prepare comprehensive DTV contingency plans; 5. Create an online DTV Consumer Forum; 6. Educate consumers on DTV trouble-shooting, including antenna issues and the need to “re-scan” converter boxes and sets; 7. Ensure that broadcasters meet their construction deadlines; 8. Encourage the rapid deployment of small, battery-powered DTV sets; and 9. Find a way to broadcast an analog message to consumers following the transition.
The full text of Copps’ proposals are here:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-285373A1.doc
