[Electronics-talk] Despite Delay for DTV, FCC Concerns Remain

Mon Feb 9 20:54:18 UTC 2009

check out WGBH accessible media.  this organization has been working on
the industry side of this issue for some time.   

-----Original Message-----
From: electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Gerald Levy
Sent: Monday, February 09, 2009 12:50 PM
To: Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances
Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] Despite Delay for DTV, FCC Concerns
Remain

Yeah, and the blindness advocacy groups are not ready either.  They had
plenty of time to push for accessible DTV converter boxes and more
descriptive programming , but chose to do nothing.  So don't blame blind
folks for complaining about the digital TV transition.

Gerald
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ray Foret jr" <rforetjr at comcast.net>
To: "Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances" 
<electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, February 09, 2009 11:30 AM
Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] Despite Delay for DTV, FCC Concerns
Remain

> What a bunch of crap!!!
>
>
> Look, let's face it.  The switch is going to happen; like it or not. 
> People
> have had a long time to get ready!  There is a certain party, (which
shall
> remain nameless) that likes to trot out the poor and the elderly and
the
> disabled and say that they need extra help or else their world will
all 
> but
> come to an end.  There are some blind people, (they know who they are)
who
> seem always to want something for nothing.  They want the entire world
to 
> be
> accessible to them just because they're blind.  Well, guess what
y'all? 
> We
> live in a sight oriented world.  That's just the way it is.  None of
us 
> can
> use the blindness excuse (and that's just exactly what it is) or the
> financial excuse either.  We've all known for years that this was
coming.
> We've had ample time (indeed, more than ample) time to prepare!!!  If 
> we're
> not ready now, it's not the governments fault; rather, it's the fault
of
> those who are not ready.  It's just as simple as that.  Quick whining,
get
> off your tails and go to your nearest favorite electronic store and
get a
> blasted box or subscribe to cable or satellite.
>
> Ray
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Baracco, Andrew W" <Andrew.Baracco at va.gov>
> To: "Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances"
> <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, February 09, 2009 9:51 AM
> Subject: [Electronics-talk] Despite Delay for DTV, FCC Concerns Remain
>
>
>
> From: "Eric Bridges" <ebridges at acb.org
> Subject: [leadership] Despite Delay for DTV, FCC Concerns Remain
>
> The digital television transition has had many bumps along the way.
> While the delay will push back the deadline for broadcasters to switch
> signals, funding for the coupon converter box program has all but
dried
> up and is relying upon the passage of the economic stimulus package to
> resume subsidizing the approved boxes.  . The article below highlights
> the challenges that the government and more importantly, the consumer
> will face over the next 4 months.
>
> We continue our work through the Consumer Advisory Committee and the
FCC
> to address a wide variety of issues ranging from access to televised
> emergency information to video description pass-through on digital TV.
> Here is a excerpt of the formal remarks that Acting Chairman Copps
> expressed to the CAC last Friday.
>
>
>
> "This Committee has repeatedly recommended that the FCC convene a
> technical working group to address digital closed captioning and video
> description issues.
>
> I believe this is again on your Agenda for today.  I have long
supported
> that proposal, but did not have the ability to act.  Now I do.  So I
am
> instructing
>
> Commission staff to convene the technical working group as soon as
> possible.
> The FCC needs to take a leadership role in addressing these problems.
I
>
> don't believe we can finish this important effort before the
transition
> date.  Had we acted when you first made the recommendation, maybe we
> could have.
>
> But this is not the time to cast stones back over our shoulders; it's
> time to look forward and commit ourselves to working
> together-government, industry,
>
> and consumers-to solving these problems. . . ."
>
>
>
>
>
> Despite Delay for DTV, FCC Concerns Remain
>
> Shortage of Converter Boxes Predicted
>
>
>
> By Kim Hart
>
> Washington Post Staff Writer
>
> Friday, February 6, 2009; D03
>
>
>
> A day after Congress delayed the nation's transition to all-digital
> broadcasts, the Federal Communications Commission is grappling with
how
> it will handle
>
> calls from confused consumers, broadcasters who want to move ahead
early
> and the possibility that millions of Americans still could be left
> behind.
>
>
>
> "While the law gives us a limited amount of additional time, it
presents
> significant challenges given the longstanding problems that have
already
> existed,"
>
> FCC Commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein said during a meeting to
discuss
> how to handle the delay.
>
>
>
> Broadcasters were scheduled to stop airing analog broadcasts on Feb.
17
> to free up airwaves for public safety agencies to build better radio
> systems and
>
> for wireless companies to provide new services for consumers.
Consumers
> who receive television signals over the air or with an antenna will
need
> a converter
>
> box or a digital television set to get broadcasts.
>
>
>
> Last month, Nielsen found that more than 6.5 million households were
not
> ready for the transition.
>
>
>
> But the lack of funding for a program to distribute $40 coupons to
> offset the cost of converter boxes, as well as continued consumer
> confusion, prompted
>
> Congress to delay the transition until June 12.
>
>
>
> The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which
is
> running the coupon program, hit its $1.34 billion funding limit last
> month after
>
> sending out more than 47 million coupons. More than 3.7 million
> consumers are on the waiting list for coupons.
>
>
>
> The economic stimulus package working its way through Congress
contains
> funding for the coupon program and other preparation efforts. With
more
> money, the
>
> National Telecommunications and Information Administration expects to
be
> able to send out nearly 2 million coupons a week, said Tony Wilhelm,
the
> agency's
>
> consumer education director.
>
>
>
> "But by the time stimulus funds are available, the waiting list will
be
> longer," he said.
>
>
>
> FCC Commissioner Robert M. McDowell said the commission must beef up
its
> call centers to handle the estimated 3.5 million calls during the
> switch.
>
>
>
> "Millions and millions of people -- best case scenario -- will still
be
> left behind," he said.
>
>
>
> Adelstein said there might not be enough converter boxes. Some
markets,
> such as Puerto Rico where 50 percent of the population relies on
> over-the-air signals,
>
> are experiencing a shortage in stores.
>
>
>
> Broadcasters can turn off analog signals before June 12, but stations
> planning do so on Feb. 17 must notify the FCC and viewers by Feb. 9.
The
> FCC might
>
> not let a station switch early if the other stations in its market are
> planning to keep analog signals on the air until June.
>
>
>
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