CEA Files Comments In Response To FCC Review Of DTV Conversion Policies

Association Identifies Missing Link As High Quality, Original Over-The-Air Digital Programming

16-Apr-01

High quality, over-the-air digital programming is the critical element in the quest for public acceptance of digital television, said the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) in comments submitted Monday in response to the Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (""Further Notice"") issued in January in its first review of the digital television (DTV) transition. In its comments, CEA also rejected the possible imposition of a DTV tuner mandate to accelerate consumer acceptance of DTV, arguing that the proposal would place an unfair regulatory burden on consumers and manufacturers. ""We urge the Commission to once again reject the false notion that a broad audience for digital television can be promoted by outlawing analog-only television sets,"" CEA said in its filing. ""Rather than imposing a regulatory burden on consumers and manufacturers that will limit choice and raise costs, the Commission must recognize the critical element that is missing in the quest for public acceptance of digital television: an ample supply of high quality, digitally-originated programming.""As the principal trade association of the consumer technology industries, CEA has been an active participant in negotiations as the FCC has formulated its DTV policies. CEA has advocated that market forces and consumer choice, not regulatory mandates, should determine the level of technology - analog or digital - that should be incorporated in television sets. ""CEA is clearly encouraged by Commissioner Powell's statements last Thursday regarding the transition to digital television in which he recognized that government cannot force consumers to participate in the DTV transition,"" said CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro. ""Our filing echoes this sentiment and demonstrates that the imposition of a DTV tuner mandate would result in consumer harm through limited choice and increased costs - neither of which would serve the public interest.""In addition to its response to the Further Notice, CEA also filed under separate cover a Petition for Clarification and Reconsideration requesting that the Commission revisit its apparent conclusion that it has statutory authority under the All-Channel Receiver Act to impose a DTV tuner mandate.For more information about the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), visit www.ce.org.

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