Analog TV "hard date" bill

Mark Schubin's Monday Memo (see Mark Schubin Archives in the upper left of this weblog) this week contains a useful summary of current action in the U.S. House of Representatives relating to a bill establishing a "hard date" (12/31/2008) for the shut-down of analog television broadcasting:

    - The "hard-date" bill -

          - Many news organizations seems to have gotten a draft copy prepared by the House Commerce Committee staff.  I didn't.  But here's what they report is in it:

               - There will be a hearing on Thursday at 11:30 am in 2322 Rayburn House Office Building.

               - The analog cut-off date would be December 31, 2008.

               - There is no multicast or full-stream must-carry, but there is digital must-carry (without degradation) for must-carry stations.  Analog conversion and carriage would be optional.  One source reports a sunset of the must-carry in mid-2013.

               - There was no agreement on a subsidy, so it's not in the draft.

               - The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) would have to make final channel assignments by the end of 2006, and appeals would have to be finished seven months later.

               - The auction of the analog spectrum would take place April 1, 2008.

               - All sets 13-inch and larger would require DTT-reception circuitry as of July 1, 2006, a year early.

               - Within 45 days of the legislation becoming final, TVs would have to carry warning labels if they lack DTT-reception circuitry.  In the second half of 2008, broadcasters would also have to air announcements of impending doom for analog-set owners.  Cable & satellite operators would have to put stuff in their monthly bills.

          - Here are some URLs:

               - Broadcasting & Cable -- a paid subscription is required for the full story:

<http://tinyurl.com/bar9f>

<http://tinyurl.com/dqjm8>

               - Reuters:

<http://tinyurl.com/ck67b>

               - Multichannel News:

<http://tinyurl.com/cjfxa>

               - MediaWeek:

<http://tinyurl.com/9hxge>

               - Others:

<http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=7872>

<http://www.eet.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=163700309>

<http://msnbc.msn.com/id/7957542/>

<http://www.twice.com/article/CA603506?display=Breaking+News>

          - Thirteen legislators from states with significant translator use asked that there be a more gradual schedule for translators, according to Broadcasting & Cable.  The full story requires a paid subscription:

<http://tinyurl.com/dbf4t>

          - Here's a story on the stalled talks about a subsidy:

<http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=776719&page=2>

          - In a bizarre move, Senate Commerce Committee head Ted Stevens wants to force manufacturers to provide set-top boxes with analog sets.  "I don't know why these foreign manufacturers shouldn't shift over to digital, and if they don't, they should give us a box":

<http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=7883>

          - The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) released the copy of an ad regarding a hard analog cut-off.  "Don't give over 20 million American homes a snow job."  "Congress needs to make sure that the people across America who rely on the 73 million analog television sets not hooked up to cable or satellite aren't given a snow job by electronics manufacturers":

<http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=7869>

Also see the posting to this weblog based on two Reuters articles. --Dennis