Urgent HDTV Message

[Scott Greczkowski]

Urgent HDTV Message: Call Your Senators Now!

TIME IS RUNNING OUT, and we need your help! The broadcasters are now lobbying Congress to kill the Ensign bill which would allow satellite TV subscribers to receive HDTV service from ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX.

Unless the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee members vote YES on this bill, satellite TV companies will not be able to provide you network HDTV.

If your Senator is on the Senate Commerce Committee (see list below), please contact them and urge them to support the Ensign Satellite Bill.

This bill will be before the Senate Commerce Committee as early as Tuesday, July 20, and we need you to call your Senators to urge them to support the Ensign Bill.

Call 202.224.3121
and ask to be connected to your Senator's office.
Tell them to support the Ensign bill, S.2644.This bill will allow consumers to receive an HDTV feed of ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX via satellite when it is not available from their local broadcasters.
​

Arizona Senator John McCain
Alaska Senator Ted Stevens
California Senator Barbara Boxer
Florida Senator Bill Nelson
Hawaii Senator Daniel Inouye
Illinois Senator Peter G. Fitzgerald
Kansas Senator Sam Brownback
Louisiana Senator John B. Breaux
Maine Senator Olympia Snowe
Massachusetts Senator John F. Kerry
Mississippi Senator Trent Lott
Montana Senator Conrad Burns
Nevada Senator John Ensign
New Hampshire Senator John Sununu
New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg
North Dakota Senator Byron L. Dorgan
Oregon Senator Gordon Smith
Oregon Senator Ron Wyden
So. Carolina Senator Ernest F. Hollings
Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison
Virginia Senator George Allen
Washington Senator Maria Cantwell
W. Virginia Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV

Please visit www.iwantmyhdtv.com for more information. Thank you.

 

[ken]

Don't bother Kerry, he's to busy for no news stuff like this.

 

[waltinvt]

Glad to see this is finally getting some wind behind the sails.

I posted a summary of the bill and Sen Ensign's press release last Friday and it's being talked about here and on other sites. The DTC site http://www.digitaltransitioncoalition.org/digital/ has a link to the actual bill.

But I agree with Scott - the time for discussion is over. It's time to call / email your representives.

I know some are spewing crap about this bill, etc; some whine it doesn't go far enough but you know what - it's probably the best offer we're going to see during this session of congress and it may not survive. If you think it ought to go further - call congress and tell them that but don't sit on your collective butts doing nothing.

The important thing here is for satellite viewers to start making noise to congress. We're tired of being discriminated against when it comes to viewing choice. We've invested in the equipment, the networks want to provide the HD programming, the government wants the digital transition to take place but the NAB and local affiliates only want to circumvent the process. They basically want their cake and eat it too. They want to be your ONLY source for network programs but they want to water it all down before it gets to you.

Your told your local must be your only source of network programming but they're going to retransmit in black & white and mono ?
What would you do ? Would you stand for it ?


Think about it.

That's the type of thing the NAB wants you to put up with .

 

[one028]

doesnt this bill only apply to people who can't get their hd via an ota antenna? i would love not to have to use an antenna to get local hd broadcasts, but i dont think this bill applies to me since i can get them with an antenna. please correct me if im wrong..thanks.

 

[BFG]

you are correct.

 

[Stargazer]

I got a call from Dish Network today asking me to call my senator and gave me the phone number for him. I called and left a message and also sent an email to three representatives including the guy I called.

 

[ken]

It passed in the Senate today.

 

[BFG]

It passed in the Senate today.

err the Committee passed it... It still has to be on the Senate floor

Maybe you should watch that school house rock video again

 

[Alan Gordon]

err the Committee passed it... It still has to be on the Senate floor

Maybe you should watch that school house rock video again

Actually, I didn't know that either, I assumed it passed the senate and would move to Congress... it's not that I'm stupid, I just never cared for politics.

~Alan

 

[waltinvt]

err the Committee passed it... It still has to be on the Senate floor

Maybe you should watch that school house rock video again

errr the committee passed it.....It has to merge with the Senate Judiciary version then go to the senate floor - probably after August recess.

 

[DFW Tecs]

Good By 2 dish Thanx cousin McCain

On Thursday, the Senate Commerce Committee marked up legislation that will allow satellite TV providers to deliver a network high-def feed to distant network customers and addresses the delivery of local TV to a two-dish solution.

The legislation, the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Rural Consumer Access to Digital Television Act, is sponsored by Sens. John Ensign (R-Nev.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.). McCain also is chair of the Senate Commerce Committee. The bill would allow satellite TV providers to supply customers that cannot receive an over-the-air digital signal from the four major networks with a distant digital network signal by satellite.

"This bill is the result of hard work and compromise and has been approved in a bipartisan fashion," Ensign said. "Rural Americans are the true winners as a result, and I look forward to seeing this bill signed into law."

EchoStar praised the bill, saying it will encourage broadcasters to speed up the transition from analog to digital TV by making high-def available to consumers via satellite in areas local broadcasters do not reach. EchoStar also commended Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) for supporting the development and implementation of a digital white area model within a year, "and we hope the entire Congress will similarly embrace the committee's efforts to provide digital service to rural America," the company said.

And the Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association was happy with passage of the bill. "It was critical that the Senate Commerce Committee pass this legislation and its work today is testimony of Congress' commitment to increase DBS' competitive capabilities and ability offer a choice for all Americans, especially those in rural areas," said SBCA President Richard DalBello.

The Digital Transition Coalition also commended the legislation. "Consumers throughout the nation, especially in rural America, are waiting to see the benefits of digital technology and Congress has taken an important step in making that a reality," the organization said in a statement.

The Ensign/McCain legislation also addresses the use of two dishes to receive local TV channels. EchoStar said it's disappointed with the 18-month timeframe the Senate Commerce Committee has presented for the switch from the two-dish solution to a single dish for reception of locals. However, "we believe the Senate has taken a far better approach than legislation passed by the House Commerce Committee," EchoStar said.

DirecTV also praised the committee for addressing "complex issues" contained in the legislation. "We remain concerned, however, about several provisions in the Senate draft, including resolving copyright issues with respect to the white area provision and the timeframe for ending the practice of relegating certain broadcasters to a second dish," the company said.

"We look forward to working with all the committees to ensure passage of this important legislation later this year," DirecTV said.

Reaction to the bill was mixed for the National Association of Broadcasters and its president, Edward Fritts.

"Our goal is to ensure consumer access to local television stations that provide news and lifeline information to local audiences," Fritts said. "We reject the notion that viewers might be better served by distant out-of-market stations. We applaud the bill's recognition that Echostar's discriminatory two-dish policy must end and look forward to working with Congress to complete the SHVIA reauthorization legislation."

 

[DFW Tecs]

EchoStar said it's disappointed with the 18-month timeframe the Senate Commerce Committee has presented for the switch from the two-dish solution to a single dish for reception of locals. However, "we believe the Senate has taken a far better approach than legislation passed by the House Commerce Committee," EchoStar said.