In the News

In The News

The information provided below includes descriptions of those actions taken by the FCC related to the DTV Transition that may be of interest to consumers. Please go to http://www.fcc.gov/dtv for a comprehensive list of all DTV-related actions taken by the FCC, including those that may be relevant solely to broadcasters and others directly involved in the transition to digital broadcasting.

Title III--Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act - setting a firm date of February 17, 2009 for the cessation of Analog broadcasts.

04/30/08
The Wireline Competition Bureau grants a petition filed by Micronesian Telecommunications Corporation and PTI Pacifica, Inc. to waive the DTV notification requirements in section 54.418 of the Commission's rules.
Order: Word | Acrobat

03/20/08
FCC Releases Agenda for April 1, 2008, DTV Consumer Education Workshop Focusing on Low-Income Consumers.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

02/12/08
FCC Releases Agenda for February 28, 2008 Digital Television Consumer Education Workshop Focusing on Consumers with Disabilities.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

01/31/08
FCC to Hold Digital Television Consumer Education Workshop Focusing on Low-Income Consumers on April 1, 2008.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

01/28/08
FCC Releases Agenda for January 31, 2008, DTV Consumer Education Workshop Focusing on Consumers in Rural Areas and on Tribal Lands.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

12/21/07
FCC to Hold Digital Television Consumer Education Workshops on Consumers in Rural Area and on Tribal Lands and Consumers With Disabilities.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

11/30/07
FCC Adopts Rules to Ensure all Cable Customers Receive Local TV Stations After the Digital Television Transition.
R&O/NPRM: Word | Acrobat
News Release 9/11/07: Word | Acrobat
Martin Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat
Tate Statement: Word | Acrobat
McDowell Statement: Word | Acrobat

11/30/07
Updated Agenda for December 4, 2007 DTV Consumer Education Workshop Focusing on Minority and Non-English-Speaking Communities.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

11/27/07
FCC Releases Agenda for December 4, 2007 Digital Television Consumer Education Workshop Focusing on Minority and Non-English-Speaking Communities.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

11/8/07
Digital Television Consumer Education Workshop Focusing on Seniors.
Recorded webcast of the workshop

11/8/07
Chairman Martin's Remarks at the Digital Television Consumer Education Workshop Focusing on Seniors.
Word | Acrobat

11/02/07
FCC Releases Agenda For November 8, 2007, Digital Television Consumer Education Workshop Focusing on Seniors.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

10/16/07
FCC Consumer Advisory: Closed Captioning and Digital-to-Analog Converter Boxes for Viewing Free Over-the-Air Programming on Analog Televisions.
Word | Acrobat

10/12/07
The DTV Transition and LPTV/Class A/Translator Stations.
Consumer Advisory: Word | Acrobat

10/09/07
FCC To Hold Series Of Digital Television Consumer Education Workshops.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

09/26/07
Digital Television Consumer Education Workshop.
Recorded webcast of the workshop

9/26/07
Statements of Commissioners at FCC Digital Television Consumer Education Workshop, FCC Headquarters, Washington, DC.
Martin: Word | Acrobat
Copps: Word | Acrobat
Adelstein: Acrobat
Tate: Word | Acrobat

09/18/07
FCC Releases Updated Agenda for September 26 Digital Television Consumer Education Workshop.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

9/13/07
Media Bureau Announces Comment and Reply Comment Dates for the DTV Eighth Further Notice of Proposed Rule Making.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

9/11/07
FCC Adopts Rules to Ensure all Cable Customers Receive Local TV Stations After the Digital Television Transition.
News Release: Word | Acrobat
Martin Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat
Tate Statement: Word | Acrobat
McDowell Statement: Word | Acrobat

8/28/07
FCC Announces Preliminary Agenda for Digital Television Consumer Education Workshop on September 26.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

8/16/07
Media Bureau Announces Comment and Reply Comment Dates for the DTV Consumer Education Initiative.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

8/6/07
FCC Announces Final Assignment of Digital Television Channels.
News Release: Word | Acrobat
Order: Word | Acrobat
Appendix B: Excel | Acrobat
Appendix G: Excel | Acrobat

8/6/07
Media Bureau Extends Deadline for Comments in Third DTV Periodic NPRM to August 15, 2007.
Order: Word | Acrobat

7/30/07
FCC Seeks Comment on Proposed DTV Education Initiatives to Facilitate Transition to Digital.
News Release: Word | Acrobat
NPRM: Word | Acrobat
Appendix B: Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat

07/16/07
FCC Announces Digital Television Consumer Education Workshop on September 26, 2007.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

06/12/07
Joint FCC/Consumer Electronics Retailers Coalition Advisory on Mandatory Labeling of Consumer Electronics Products with Only Analog Broadcast TV Tuners.
News Release: Word | Acrobat | En Español

06/12/07
FCC/National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators Joint Advisory on Mandatory Labeling of Analog Tuners.
News Release: Word | Acrobat | En Español

5/18/07
DTV Build-Out-Consideration of Requests for Extension Filed by 145 Stations Seeking Additional Time to Complete Construction of Their DTV Facilities.
Order: Word | Acrobat

5/18/07
Commission Acts on 192 DTV Build-Out-Requests for Waiver of the July 1, 2005 and July 1, 2006 "Use or Lose" Deadlines.
Order: Word | Acrobat

5/4/07
Media Bureau Acts on Requests for Waiver of Rules on Integrated Set-Top Boxes.
News Release: Word | Acrobat
Order (Charter Communications): Word | Acrobat
Order (GCI Cable): Word | Acrobat
Order (Millennium Telcom): Word | Acrobat

5/4/07
FCC Seeks Comment to Ensure All Cable Customers Receive Programming After the Digital Television Transition.
NPRM: Word | Acrobat
News Release (4/25/07): Word | Acrobat
Martin Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat
Tate Statement: Word | Acrobat
McDowell Statement: Word | Acrobat

5/3/07
FCC Requires Retailers to Fully Inform Consumers About Analog TV Equipment Limitations as Transition to Digital Approaches.
Order: Word | Acrobat
News Release (4/25/07): Word | Acrobat
Martin Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat
Tate Statement: Word | Acrobat
McDowell Statement: Word | Acrobat

4/25/07
FCC Requires Retailers to Fully Inform Consumers About Analog TV Equipment Limitations as Transition to Digital Approaches.
News Release: Word | Acrobat
Martin Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat
McDowell Statement: Word | Acrobat

4/25/07
FCC Seeks Comment to Ensure All Cable Customers Receive Programming After the Digital Television Transition.
News Release: Word | Acrobat
Martin Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat
McDowell Statement: Word | Acrobat

03/12/07
NTIA Releases Final Rule on Digital Television Converter Box Coupon Program: The converter box coupon program will assist Americans in receiving over-the-air broadcast television programming when full-power television stations cease analog broadcasting after February 17, 2009.
Press Release: HTML | Word | Acrobat
Digital TV Fact Sheet for Consumers: Acrobat
Digital TV Fact Sheet for Retailers: Acrobat
Digital TV Fact Sheet for Manufacturers: Acrobat
Digital Television Transition & Public Safety Web Site

10/20/06
Advanced Television Systems and their Impact upon the Existing Television Broadcast Service. (Includes a listing of post-transition DTV channel assignments at Appendix B)
Appendix B: Excel | Acrobat
McDowell Statement: Word | Acrobat

7/24/06
Digital-to-analog Converter Box Coupon Program: The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce, has released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) seeking comment on ways to implement the digital-to-analog converter box coupon program pursuant to the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005.
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: HTML | Acrobat
Press Release: HTML | Word | Acrobat
Frequently Asked Questions (Background Information): HTML | Word | Acrobat

6/14/06
DTV Channel Election Issues - Compliance with the July 1, 2006 Replication/Maximization Interference Protection Deadline; Stations Seeking Extension of the Deadline.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

3/24/06
FCC Releases Second Further Notice of Proposed Rule Making on Children's Television Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasters.
FNPRM: Word | Acrobat
Attachment (Joint Proposal of Industry & Advocates): Acrobat
News Release (3/17/06): Word | Acrobat
Martin Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat
Tate Statement: Word | Acrobat

1/26/06
Announcement of Filing Window for LPTV and TV Translator Digital Companion Channel Applications From May 1, 2006 Through May 12, 2006.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

11/08/05
FCC Modifies Digital Tuner Requirements to Advance DTV Transition.
R&O: Word | Acrobat
News Release (11/03/05): Word | Acrobat

8/23/05
FCC Implements Satellite Carriage of HDTV and Multicast Programming in Alaska and Hawaii.
News Release: Word | Acrobat
Order: Word | Acrobat

6/9/05
FCC Modifies Digital Tuner Requirements to Advance DTV Transition.
News Release: Word | Acrobat
Order: Word | Acrobat
Abernathy Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat

6/8/05
FCC Advances DTV Channel Election Process.
News Release: Word | Acrobat
Report & Order: Word | Acrobat
Attachment 1: Excel | Acrobat
Attachment 2: Excel | Acrobat

5/3/05
FCC Requests Comment on Distant Digital Television Reception.
NOI: Word | Acrobat
News Release (4/29/05): Word | Acrobat

4/29/05
FCC Requests Comment on Distant Digital Television Reception.
NOI (5/3/05): Word | Acrobat
News Release: Word | Acrobat

3/1/05
DTV Channel Election Issues - Proposed Negotiated Channel Election Arrangements and Procedures for Filing Associated Pleadings.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat
Attachment: Excel | Acrobat

1/31/05
Statements on the APTS/NCTA Digital TV Carriage Agreement.
Powell Statement: Word | Acrobat
Abernathy Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat

1/31/05
Children's Television Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasters.
Order: Word | Acrobat

11/30/04
Notice of Publication in the Federal Register and Announcement of Effective Date of Certain Digital Low Power Television Rules.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

11/22/04
CAC Addresses Homeland Security and DTV Issues at November 19 Meeting; Committee Rechartered for Another Two Year Term.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

10/4/04
Chairman Powell Announces Major DTV Consumer Education Initiative "DTV - Get It!"
News Release: Word | Acrobat
Advisory & List of Panelists: Word | Acrobat
Webcast

9/30/04
FCC Establishes Rules for Digital Low Power Television and Television Translator Stations.
Order: Word | Acrobat
News Release (9/9/04): Word | Acrobat
Powell Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat

9/28/04
Chairman Powell to Kickoff Consumer Education Initiative on Transition to Digital Television.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

9/9/04
FCC Establishes Rules for Digital Low Power Television and Television Translator Stations.
Order (9/30/04): Word | Acrobat
News Release: Word | Acrobat
Powell Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat

3/2/04
Tutorial on Field Studies of Digital Television Translators Monday, March 22, 2004.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

10/16/03
DTV Transition Moving Forward: FCC Says More Than 80% of Commercial DTV Stations Are On the Air.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

8/29/03
FCC Releases Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Beginning Process to Bring Digital TV to Rural America.
NPRM: Word | Acrobat
8/6 News Release: Word | Acrobat

1/27/03
FCC Initiates Second Review of DTV Transition.
News Release: Word | Acrobat
NPRM: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Text | Acrobat
Adelstein Statement: Text | Acrobat

12/19/02
Abernathy Applauds Cable and Consumer Electronic Industries for Working Together Toward Offering "Plug and Play" Digital TV Sets to Consumers.
Statement: Word

10/22/02
"Digital Television: The Time is Now," Chairman Powell's Remarks at the Association for Maximum Television DTV Update Conference.

9/24/02
FCC Commissioner Michael J. Copps Calls for National Discussion of Ethics in Government and Consolidation in the Media; Seeks Further Action on the Public Interest Obligations of Digital TV Broadcasters.
News Release: Text | Word | Acrobat
Speech: Text | Acrobat

7/31/02
The Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Reminds Manufacturers and the Public of July 1, 2002 Deadline for Providing Digital Television Receivers Capable of Providing Closed Captioning.
News Release: Text | Word | Acrobat

7/12/02
Chairman Michael K. Powell Responds to CE Industry's Failure to Make Real Commitments on DTV Tuners.
News Release: Text | Word | Acrobat

7/11/02
Statement by FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell: DTV Plan Update -- Progress For Consumers
News Release: Text | Word | Acrobat
Industry Letters: Acrobat

11/8/01
FCC Acts to Expedite DTV Transition and Clarify DTV Build-Out Rules.
Order (FCC 01-330): Text | Acrobat
Statements: Copps

10/17/01
FCC Releases Report and Order that Clarifies Rules for Noncommercial Television Stations’ Use of Digital Television Channel Capacity
Report and Order FCC 01-306: Text | Acrobat
Statements: Powell | Copps

10/11/01
FCC Clarifies Rules for Noncommercial Television Stations’ Use of Digital Television Channel Capacity
Report and Order FCC 01-306: Text | Acrobat
Statements: Powell | Copps

10/11/01
Chairman Powell Announces Creation of FCC Digital Television Task Force

4/20/01
Digital Television Presentation from April 19, 2001 Open Meeting.

1/23/01
FCC Adopts Measures To Facilitate Voluntary Clearing of 700 Mhz Band and Accelerate DTV Transition.

1/22/01
FCC Grants “Must Carry” Status to Digital-Only TV Station.

1/19/01
FCC Issues Further Order in Digital Television Transition; asks for Further Comments on DTV Receiver Issues.

1/19/01
Chairman Kennard DTV Legislative Recommendations.

1/18/01
Report of Chairman Kennard, "Report to Congress on the Public Interest Obligations of Television Broadcasters as They Transition to Digital Television" [ News Release | Letter | Report - Acrobat | Report - Word97 ]

10/10/00
FCC Chairman Kennard Calls for More Benefits to Public from $70 Billion Give-Away of 2nd Digital TV Channel.

10/05/00
NPRM on Digital Televison Broadcasters Children's Television Obligations.

9/29/00
U.S. and Canada Reach Agreement on Implementing Digital Television Service Along the U.S./Canada Border.

9/15/00
FCC Seeks Comments on Digital TV Broadcasters' Obligations to Serve Children.

9/15/00
FCC Adopts Rules for Labeling of DTV Receivers.

7/21/00
FCC Adopts Technical Standards for Display of Closed Captioning on Digital Television Receivers.

6/22/00
FCC Affirms Rules for the 700 MHz Band and Considers Possible Voluntary Measures to Facilitate Spectrum Clearing and Accelerate DTV Transition.

4/17/00
FCC Releases NPRM in Proceeding to Resolve Compatibility and Copy Protection Issues Involving Digital Television Receivers and Cable Systems.

4/13/00
FCC Begins Proceeding to Resolve Compatibility and Copy Protection Issues Involving Digital Television Receivers and Cable Systems.

3/8/00
FCC Commences Periodic Review of Digital Television Conversion (FCC 00-83). [Text | Word97 | News Release]

2/23/00
Chairman Kennard's Statement: Industry Agreement Will Jump Start Digital Television.

10/4/99
September 30th DTV Report on COFDM and 8-VSB Performance. [ Text | Word97 ]

10/1/99
FCC Office of Engineering and Technology Issues Report on Transmission Standards for Digital Television.

7/14/99
FCC Proposes to Adopt Technical Standards to Facilitate the Display of Closed Captioning on Digital Television Receivers.

7/2/99
Entertainment, Technology Industries Reply to Chairman Kennard's Request to Report by July 1 on DTV Receiver Compatibility Timetables

5/19/99
Office of Engineering and Technology to Host a Roundtable on Thursday, May 20 on DTV Receiver Compatibility With Cable Television Service. [ Panelists & Topics | Meeting Announcement | Audio ]

5/3/99
Chairman Kennard's Statement on DTV Implementation Rules Effective May 1st.

1/12/99
Commissioner Ness' Remarks "Delivering on the Promise of Digital Television" at the Consumer Electronics Show, DTV Supersession.

12/21/98
Commission Reaffirms DTV Policies, Provides for Conditional Power Flexibility, and Adjusts DTV Table of Allotments. (MM Docket No. 87-268, FCC 98-315). [ Text | WordPerfect | Acrobat ]

8/17/98
Chairman Kennard's Letter to NCTA and CEMA Calling on Industry to Work Together on DTV Compatibility.

8/11/98
Additional Application Processing Guidelines for Digital Television (DTV).
[ Text | WordPerfect | Acrobat]

5/29/98
Commission Creates DTV Tower Strike Force to Target Potential Problems in Implementing Digital Television.

5/29/98
Commissioner Ness's Remarks Before the MSTV'S DTV Implementation Seminar.

4/9/98
Commissioner Ness's 4/8/98 Remarks before NAB '98, "The Road to DTV" Panel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

3/25/98
Commissioner Ness's 3/23/98 Remarks on the Launch of DTV Express.

2/24/98
FCC Adopts Final DTV Allotment Table, Policies and Rules (FCC 98-24, MM Docket No. 87-268) and Affirms Service Rules Providing for Rapid Conversion of Over-the-Air Broadcasting to Digital Television (FCC 98-23, MM Docket No. 87-268).

2/18/98
FCC Adopts Final DTV Allotment Table, Policies and Rules and Commission Affirms Service Rules
Providing for Rapid Conversion of Over-the-Air Broadcasting to Digital Television (DTV),
with Chairman Kennard and Commissioners Ness and Furchtgott-Roth issuing separate statements.

1/13/98
Commissioner Susan Ness's 1/9/98 Remarks at the DTV Supersession of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.

1/9/98
Commissioner Susan Ness's 1/8/98 Remarks at the "DTV in the Desert" Symposium at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.

9/3/97
Chairman Hundt Releases Statement as FCC Issues First DTV Construction Permit Application to Station KHVO (TV), Hilo, Hawaii.

4/22/97
DTV Rules, Fifth Report And Order on Advanced Television Systems and Their Impact Upon the Existing Television Broadcast Service (FCC 97-116, MM Docket No. 87-268).

4/21/97
DTV Allocations, Sixth Report And Order on Advanced Television Systems and Their Impact Upon the Existing Television Broadcast Service (FCC 97-115, MM Docket No. 87-268).

4/8/97
Waiver of ex parte sunshine prohibition in DTV proceeding.

4/4/97
Commission Adopts Table of Allotments for DTV: Establishes Policies and Rules. Separate Statements issued by Chairman Hundt and Commissioners Quello, Ness and Chong.

2/24/97
Chairman Hundt's 2/24/97 speech "DTV And DARS: Let's Get On With It" to the NAB State Leadership Conference in Washington, DC, is now available online.

12/27/96
FCC adopts DTV Standard. (MM Dkt 87-268)
[ News Release ]

12/26/96
Statements regarding DTV Fourth Report and Order and Adoption of DTV Standard.
[ Commissioner Ness | Commissioner Chong ]

12/3/96
Statements regarding agreement on DTV Standard:
[ Chairman Hundt | Commissioner Quello | Commissioner Ness | Commissioner Chong ].

Last reviewed/updated on 05/05/08