August 19, 2008

Targeted Touring: FCC Commissioners to Visit 81 DTV Endangered Markets

The FCC commissioners are about to rack up a lot of frequent flyer miles. With the DTV transition 6 months away, the FCC has made a list of the markets most in danger of being left behind when the country turns off analog on Feb 17. Over the coming months, the FCC's 5 commissioners and staff will visit 81 markets, including Missoula, MT; Atlanta; and Phoenix, AZ. Targeted markets include those in which more than 100K HHs, or at least 15% of HHs, rely solely on over-the-air TV. Commissioners divvied up who would visit each targeted market in what FCC chmn Kevin Martin described as "the equivalent of an NFL draft." The first visit is scheduled for Aug 27 in Anchorage, AK, though it wasn't immediately known which commissioner would be going. The FCC and NAB are exploring whether each of these markets could participate at the same time in a soft turn-off, in which analog would be shut off for a minute or so. "If you're not on the list, the other markets should not feel left out," Martin said at a DTV press conference in DC Mon. "The FCC is also announcing today that it's launching an FCC Speakers Bureau for any group or locality throughout the country that wants to request a speaker to come and discuss the upcoming digital transition." The Commission will provide speakers, without cost, to any group requesting one (visit www.dtv.govwww.dtv.gov, "Request a Speaker"). At each of the 81 stops, a public event will be held, such as a roundtable, town hall meeting, workshop, etc. Martin didn't provide a price tag for the unprecedented tour, but Congress recently approved $12mln for consumer education efforts related to the transition. A complete list of the 81 markets can be found at www.fcc.govwww.fcc.gov. The FCC also released more info Mon about Wilmington, NC, which will make the DTV transition on Sept 8. Starting at noon that day, the market's ABC, FOX, NBC, CBS and Trinity Broadcasting affils will transmit commercial programming only via digital. Their traditional analog channels will feature graphics for the entire month informing viewers of how to receive digital signals. In the event of an emergency, such as a hurricane, stations may elect to provide emergency info on their old analog channel. Stations will not be able to do a similar thing for the national transition since they are required by law to give up their analog channel on Feb 17.