U.S. House delays digital TV delay, but stay tuned

Dire reports are out today declaring the death of attempts by the new government to delay next month's nationwide switch to digital TV. The House failed to pass a bill that would postpone the switch from Feb. 17 to June 12.

The Washington Post calls that "a setback for the Obama administration", as does the Associated Press, which says the bill was defeated.

But don't read too much into the move. Supporters of the delay still expect it to pass as soon as next week.

The measure, which the Senate approved Monday, needed a two-thirds majority to pass the House on an expedited basis. Strong Republican opposition prevented the fast-tracking. But normal rules require only a simple majority, and the bill received that and more. The House vote was 258-168 in favor of a delay.

Rep. Rick Boucher, the Virginia Democrat who chairs the House telecommunications subcommittee, told me he was optimistic the chamber would agree to President Obama's request and vote to put off the digital transition until June so about 6.5 million viewers won't lose their TV signals next month.

“The likelihood is we’ll come back next week” and pass it, he said.

A spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the San Francisco Democrat, said she was looking for a way to hold the vote soon.

-- Jim Puzzanghera

Photo credit: Valerie Everett via Flickr

Comments

[Annoyed]

Pretty pathetic the government chooses to delay the conversion due to the idiocy of 6 million TV viewers (number is from Nielsen Ratings). Guess they would rather overlook the 94 million who are prepared and broadcasters who spent millions preparing for the conversion.

Guess the government wants the protect the stupid/ignorant/uneducated.

My god, this has been discussed for the past three years. Under which rock were these 6 million idiots living?

Thanks for nothing.

[dul]

I hope they pass the extension. I have a bet with the Verzion sales rep six months ago that the government would.. ..A six pac for a case of Corona.....I hope he's a man of his word ( as few salespeople are) and delivers the 24 bottles chilled........

[FilmMaker]

Where in the Constitution does it say that watching TV is a right?

Congress should let the switchover to digital TV broadcast proceed as scheduled. It will be good for the economy, as many will go out an buy a new TV that has a digital tuner built in.

That, and the FCC has been advertising that this change will take place as scheduled. Many TV stations have been slowly reducing the power of their analog signal, while running notices that the deteriorating signal is a reminder that the analog signal is going the be shut off.

Solution:

Allow the coupons to be applied to prior purchases.

Keep the February digital deadline but give a refundable tax credit of $40. for each converter box bought without a coupon after submission of the coupon that was received after the deadline together with proof of purchase.

Refundable means that the refund will be received even if the taxpayer owed no tax that year.

[Xander]

We'd all be better off without watching hour after hour of TV anyway. Now, if everyone's refrigerator were going to break down, THAT would be a problem.