CEMA Urges FCC To Issue Strong Must-Carry Rule

The following statement was released today by Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association (CEMA) President Gary Shapiro regarding a new report on the digital television (DTV) transition released last week by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The report concludes that a DTV must-carry requirement is essential to completing the DTV transition by 2006.""The CBO's independent report reaffirms what we have long said: a strong must-carry requirement is critical to the success of digital television.""Momentum is continuing to build surrounding DTV. Manufacturers have introduced a variety of products and retailers and consumers are buying them. We expect sales to increase as more programming becomes available. However, nearly 70 percent of American homes are connected to cable. The CBO has confirmed that the DTV transition will slow if high-definition television and other new digital services are blocked or down converted by cable systems. It is essential that these new services are available to all Americans, including cable subscribers.""A must-carry requirement would promote a successful DTV transition and expedite the auction of the analog spectrum in the time frame that Congress envisioned. We urge the FCC to heed the CBO's conclusions and issue a strong must-carry rule as quickly as possible.""