Text 7955, 106 rader
Skriven 2005-10-27 21:32:24 av Robert G Lewis (1:379/45)
   Kommentar till text 7936 av Mark (1:379/45)
Ärende: Re: Just wait till TV sets "Go Black"
=============================================
From: "Robert G Lewis" <r.g.lewis@comcast.net>

From the article

Some of the vacated analog airwaves would be used for emergency first responder
communications and the rest would be sold for commercial wireless services, a
sale that could bring in $10 billion or more according to some estimates

Of course I think that if they only want the 10 Billion then they are rather
poor at math. Can we say drop in the bucket <g>

"Mark" <nomail@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:43617f2f$1@w3.nls.net...
> Why do they insist in meddling in this shit? The digital stuff will come
> in its own capitalistic time. Sooner, probably (at least more efficiently,
> if later), if they'd keep their hands off that which they have no clue of.
>
> "Rich Gauszka" <gauszka@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:43617bd6@w3.nls.net...
>> House measure 12/31/2008 - $990 million subsidy vs Senate  04/07/2009 -
>> $3 billion subsidy. The 4 month difference probably isn't that important
>> ( unless you 'Go Black ) but the subsidy for converters could be costly
>>
>> http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051027/tc_nm/digital_tv_dc
>>
>> WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The House Energy and Commerce Committee on
>> Wednesday approved a measure ordering the switch to higher-quality
>> digital broadcasts be finished by the end of 2008, setting up a clash
>> with the Senate.
>>
>> The House panel approved 33-17 a bill that would require television
>> stations to end their analog broadcasts on December 31, 2008 so some of
>> those airwaves can be used by emergency responders and the rest can be
>> sold for wireless services.
>>
>> The Republican-backed measure offers up to $990 million to subsidize
>> converter boxes that would switch digital broadcasts back into analog so
>> existing television sets would continue to work.
>>
>> Democrats argued that the money, which includes $160 million for
>> administrative expenses, was insufficient to provide converters for tens
>> of millions of broadcast-only television sets.
>>
>> "We can be responsible ... or we can throw caution to the wind and
>> basically have the U.S. Treasury spend over $10 (billion) to $12 billion
>> if everybody took advantage of the program," said Rep. Joe Barton ,
>> chairman of the committee and a Texas Republican.
>>
>> The committee defeated two amendments to expand the subsidy plan,
>> including one that would have given every household two vouchers for
>> converter boxes, each worth up to $60.
>>
>> Lawmakers also defeated an attempt by Rep. Steve Buyer , an Indiana
>> Republican, to strip all the money out for a subsidy program.
>>
>> Pay television services are expected to offer customers either digital
>> signals or an analog conversion of the digital broadcast.
>>
>> The Senate Commerce Committee has approved a measure to set April 7,
>> 2009, as the digital transition deadline and includes up to $3 billion to
>> subsidize the converter boxes.
>>
>> Any differences between the House and Senate bills would have to be
>> resolved during a conference of lawmakers from both chambers.
>>
>> JUST WAIT TILL TV SETS "GO BLACK"
>>
>> Sen. John Ensign , a Nevada Republican, said he would try to cut the $3
>> billion subsidy on the Senate floor while Democrats in the U.S. House of
>> Representatives warned that Congress would likely face the consequences
>> if televisions go dark in 2009.
>>
>> "When 70 million television sets go black on December 31, 2008, three
>> years from now, I can tell you people are going to have very strong
>> opinions about it," said Rep. Edward Markey , a Massachusetts Democrat.
>>
>> Some of the vacated analog airwaves would be used for emergency first
>> responder communications and the rest would be sold for commercial
>> wireless services, a sale that could bring in $10 billion or more
>> according to some estimates.
>>
>> The House panel approved $500 million to help emergency first responders
>> better communicate with each other and across jurisdictions. Lawmakers
>> narrowly defeated an attempt by Democrats to increase the amount to $5.8
>> billion.
>>
>> The Senate approved $1 billion for emergency communications.
>>
>> There are about 21 million homes in the United States that rely solely on
>> broadcast television, while most households subscribe to cable or
>> satellite services.
>>
>> Many homes have multiple television sets. The National Association of
>> Broadcasters has estimated there are about 73 million television sets
>> that may need converter boxes.
>>
>> Current law requires stations to switch to only digital broadcasts when
>> 85 percent of the country can receive the new signals, or by December 31,
>> 2006, whichever comes later. Experts have said that could take a decade,
>> prompting lawmakers to seek a more certain date.
>>
>>
>
>

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