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Ted Jankowski
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Issued by the Federal Communications Commission...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:
September 11, 2007 Mary Diamond 202-418-2388
Email: mary.diamond@fcc.gov
FCC Adopts Rules to ensure all Cable Customers
Receive Local TV Stations after the Digital Television Transition
Washington, D.C. – The Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) today adopted rules to ensure all cable subscribers, including those with analog TV sets, can view broadcast television after the transition to digital television occurs on February 17, 2009. Approximately 35 percent of all television homes, or approximately 40 million households, are analog-only cable subscribers. The Commission is committed to ensuring that the 98 million TV viewers watching roughly 120 million sets retain the same access to their local stations after the transition as they do today.
By statute, cable operators must make local broadcasters’ primary video and program-related material viewable by all of their subscribers. The FCC’s ruling today allows cable operators to comply with the viewability requirement by choosing to either: (1) carry the digital signal in analog format, or (2) carry the signal only in digital format, provided that all subscribers have the necessary equipment to view the broadcast content. The viewability requirements extend to February 2012 with the Commission committing to review them during the last year of this period in light of the state of technology and the marketplace.
In addition, a cable system with activated channel capacity of 552 megahertz or less may request a waiver of the viewability requirements. The Commission is also seeking comment in a Further Notice on ways to minimize any economic impact on small cable operators while still complying with the statutory requirements for carriage of local TV stations.
While the item provides cable operators with flexibility, the FCC reaffirmed the requirement that cable systems must carry high definition (“HD”) broadcast signals in HD format and reaffirmed its current material degradation standard. Cable operators must carry broadcast signals so that the picture quality is at least as good as the quality of any other programming carried on the system.
Action by the Commission September 11, 2007 by Memorandum, Opinion and Order (FCC 07-170). Chairman Martin, Commissioners Copps, Tate and McDowell with Commissioner Adelstein approving in part and dissenting in part. Separate statements issued by Chairman Martin Commissioners Copps, Adelsetin, Tate and McDowell.
Media Bureau Staff Contact: Eloise Gore, eloise.gore@fcc.gov or Lyle Elder, lyle.elder@fcc.gov, 202-418-7200.
www.FCC.gov and www.DTV.gov
9/11/07
FCC Adopts Rules to Ensure all Cable Customers Receive Local TV Stations After the Digital Television Transition. Viewability Order and FCC Commissioners' comments, click below:
R&O/NPRM 11/30/07: Word | Acrobat
News Release: Word | Acrobat
Martin Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat
Tate Statement: Word | Acrobat
McDowell Statement: Word | Acrobat
Excerpt from page 9 of the Order (R&O/NPRM 11/30/07)
"20. As NCTA notes, the congressionally mandated end of the Digital Television transition does not apply directly to cable operators.[1] We thus recognize that there may be two different kinds of cable systems for some period of time after the DTV transition is complete.[2] Some operators may choose to deliver programming in both digital and analog format. NAB and MSTV describe these systems as those in which they “keep an analog tier and continue to provide local television signals (and perhaps many cable channels as well) to analog receivers in a format that does not require additional equipment.”[3] Other operators may choose, as many already have, to operate or transition to “all-digital systems,” and as NAB and MSTV further note, “virtually all cable operators ultimately will do so.” [4] Game Show Network, LLC (“GSN”) questions why there should be any rules protecting owners of analog sets, since that is “a format the government itself has determined is no longer worthy of any spectrum.”[5] Congress did decide to end analog broadcasting, but declined to turn its backs on the millions of Americans with analog sets." |
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Mon Jan 28, 2008 2:21 pm |
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last time here
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so.....in a nutshell what happened?   |
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Mon Jan 28, 2008 7:23 pm |
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Ted Jankowski
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Your right, I should have broken it down.
Basically, Comcast is not affected by the DIGITAL MANDATE. They do not have to become digital or even fully digital. It would only make sense to change to digital.
So if Comcast is moving Public, educational and Government (PEG) progaming to the higher digital bands then claiming it's because they are being made to conform with a federal law that mandates it. They are lying. THEY HAVE NO MANDATE! TV5, TV12, All the rest do!
They can and probably still will have the old analouge channels. Which will more than likely become leased access to say HSN, or Paid infomercials. Because those will generate more profit since many people will not changeover to digital for some time. Like my parents. They've had to be drug into the 20th century kicking and screaming. They just 6 months ago purchased thier first DVD player for the TV, LOL
It wasn't until they couldn't get 8 tracks anymore before they finally purchased a cassette player. There are a lot of people out there like that. Those are the ones they will be hurt the most. Stuck with poor programing becuase it's what comcast can sell.
OK I'm done with the rabbit trail.
Here Let me post a letter I sent to the editor that he says he will print. But still hasn't for two weeks.
Recently, Comcast began a propaganda campaign. "Comcast is committed to providing its customers with the best quality Public, Educational and Governmental (PEG) Programing. So we have moved PEG programing to the digital 900 channels.. BLAH BLAH BLAH!"
So, according to Comcast, this would mean that digital quality in the 900's would be better than it is on the analog channel 17 right now. RIGHT? Well, the way Comcast states this. One would think so. The problem with them wanting to provide better quality service. Nor is it with the Local Pubic Access Producers who are able to produce our shows in the High Definition HD format, that the digital 900 channels are designed to handle. The problem is Comcast does not posses the playback equipment for PEG programing to do so! Hmmm?
So one would have to wonder. How is removing PEG programing from the lowest priced "Basic Cable" package and requiring subscribers to purchase a more expensive cable package, in order to view PEG programing, providing better quality service? When, Comcast doesn't have the ability to provide the higher quality HD format? What defines better quality? It appears to me, that in Comcast's eyes. Pulling the wool over subscribers eyes, then getting them to pay more for the same quality service, is better quality! I call it a snow job!
The final nail in the coffin is, that "As the National Cable & Telecommunications Association notes, the congressionally mandated end of the Digital Television transition does not apply directly to cable operators. We thus recognize that there may be two different kinds of cable systems for some period of time after the DTV transition is complete. Some operators may choose to deliver programming in both digital and analog format." So Comcast's whole campaign is strictly a way for Comcast finagle more money out of it's current customer base. Hey COMCAST! Just tell us like it is. There is no need to make it up.
So please, don't be fooled. Comcast is just using the recent enacting of PA. 480, (The "Universal Video Franchise Agreement") as an excuse to increase our Comcast bills, while providing less service.
This doesn't let our elected officials in Lansing off the hook. They have created some enormous loop-holes in this legislation that has allowed unfair competition between video service providers and set up the plan for the dismantling of Public, Education and Government (PEG) programing. These are the same people that bought the lobbyist argument that "Increased competition may help drive down prices, promote a wider range of services, and improve customer service." Considering this same basic legislation was implemented in over eighteen other states, and in every one of them service went down and prices went up. What made Michigan legislators think it would be any different when they got their hands on it?
Please call your State Senators and Representatives and ask them to fix it. They created the fiasco. They should fix it! It's not Complex, it's Comcastic!
Ted Jankowski
Producer, City of Flint Dot Net Productions
The Ted Jankowski Show
810-235-6601
2230 Levern St |
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Tue Jan 29, 2008 7:33 pm |
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last time here
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well i'll be damned...they ARE ripping us off!!  |
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Tue Jan 29, 2008 8:35 pm |
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00SL2
F L I N T O I D
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"DTV" IS COMING (AND SOONER THAN YOU THINK!)
FCC Consumer Facts
On February 17, 2009, federal law requires that all full-power television broadcast stations stop broadcasting in analog format and broadcast only in digital format. Here’s what these requirements will mean for you and your television viewing.
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/digitaltv.html
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I'm embarrassed to say I'm getting confused after Ted's post and this reference. Doesn't Comcast presently pick up programs from broadcast stations and filter them through to Comcast customers? If so, then when those stations switch to digital as mandated, then wouldn't Comcast then receive them as digital and filter them through as digital to customers, or if they have a Comcast converter the digital signals would be changed to analog?
And I guess I thought of the PEG channels as being Comcast's "own" channels, to be filtered to customers in digital when Comcast changes to digital; or again, if the customer has a Comcast converter it would switch the digital to analog.
Is this right, or am I way off base? |
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Tue Jan 29, 2008 11:13 pm |
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last time here
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aw shucks, now i'm mixed up......
look, i have 1- 22 year old t.v. and
a couple new t.v.s.
will i be able to watch ANY of them???? |
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Tue Jan 29, 2008 11:23 pm |
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