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H.R.___, Regarding the Transition to Digital Television
Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet
Prepared Statement of The Honorable Fred Upton Good
morning. Today we are taking a
significant step in our efforts to get the digital television conversion on
track. It is important to note that
today is a LEGISLATIVE hearing on a STAFF DISCUSSION DRAFT.
Chairman
Tauzin, Ranking Member Dingell, Mr. Markey, and I agreed that this approach is
the best way to inform the Subcommittee's decision-making process as we seek to
clear the beach of the tank traps that stand in the way of a successful digital
invasion. Digital Day -- or D-Day -- is December 31, 2006 or when we
reach 85% penetration. There has
been much accomplished, but much work remains.
There
is perhaps no telecommunications issue which has consumed as much of our time
than the digital transition. This
is our third hearing on this issue this Congress, and I participated with
Chairman Tauzin in 6 lengthy industry roundtables over the course of the last 10
months. In addition, Chairman Powell launched the DTV Task Force,
which has held numerous industry "hoedowns", he also put forward a voluntary
DTV transition plan, and the Commission recently issued its DTV tuner order and
has numerous rulemakings pending. Of
course, industry lawyers and trade associations have attempted to hammer out
agreements amongst themselves as well. We
all had hoped that our roundtables, inter-industry negotiations, and FCC action
would have eliminated the need for Congress to have to step in any further, but
while these negotiations and recent FCC actions have yielded some good results,
many obstacles remain. And given how this issue affects almost every American's
living room, Congress cannot afford inaction and simply stand idly by while the
sands of the hourglass run out. Consumers
already are confused, and this is unacceptable. It will only get worse if we do
not quickly establish the rules of the road.
Our
efforts are all about making sure the digital transition happens in a timely and
orderly fashion to ensure the consumers will - as seamlessly as possible --
get the benefits of digital television.
Of course, if we achieve this goal, not only will the consumer benefit,
but also public safety which has an interest in utilizing the broadcaster's
returned spectrum for critically important communication. There are many industry stakeholders who all have a hand -
and responsibility -- in achieving this goal: broadcasters, networks, cable
providers, content providers, consumer electronics manufacturers, and high-tech
manufacturers - to name a few. What
we hope to accomplish today is to get input from industry and our consumer
advocate on the staff discussion draft. To
be sure, there are some thorny issues addressed in the draft, but we believe
addressing these issues head-on will provoke the best discussion and, in turn,
provide us with the best education and consensus on how to put together
balanced, bipartisan legislation which we can introduce and move through the
Subcommittee in the not too distant future.
I
want to thank all of our witnesses for being with us today, and I ask you to not
just simply tell us if you vigorously oppose something in the draft, but rather
-- if you vigorously oppose something -- I
hope you will just as vigorously help this Subcommittee find creative,
outside-the-box solutions that will help spur the transition.
Since all industries are stakeholders, it is in everyone's interest
that the transition succeed.
Without
a doubt, we all are cognizant of the realities of the legislative calendar.
But no one should read into this that our resolve to get these issues
settled is anything less than iron-clad, and we need to be prepared to move
legislation. Moreover, no one
should read into this that they should sit back and wait for Congress to act.
We need all industries and the FCC to keep plugging away.
Time is of the essence, and we will continue riding you hard, not because
we enjoy it, but because that is in the best interest of the consumer.
I want to commend Chairman Tauzin and Ranking Member Dingell for their work and leadership on the draft. In addition, I want to thank Jessica Wallace, Linda Bloss-Baum, Hollyn Kidd, Andy Levin and Brendan Kelsay for their excellent skill and expertise in putting together this discussion draft and helping the Subcommittee tackle these complex issues.
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