WPCL 2BJ#|x   p From:  Joe Blackman To:  'dtvallotments@fcc.gov' Date:  27 Nov 1996 6:39p Subject:  FW: Digital TV ` hp x (#%'0*,.8135@8:---------- >From: Kevin Taglang[SMTP:kevint@benton.org] >Sent: Wednesday, November 27, 1996 11:17 AM >To: benton-compolicy@cdinet.com; upforgrabs-l@cdinet.com >Subject: Digital TV > >The Benton Foundation salutes the cooperative efforts of the broadcast, >consumer electronics, and computer industries to find a compromise on >the >technical standards for the next generation of television. Benton fully >supports the adoption of a digital TV standards that affords the most >flexibility to consumers by allowing them to use their televisions not >just >for entertainment, but for educational uses as well. > >Digital television will be a powerful medium. Powerful enough to do >some >powerful things for the American people. Like using television to serve >children better. Giving us political debate that really is debate. >Using >the new interactive and on-demand features to provide the information >people want and need every day. But there's no commitment from the >broadcast industry to serve these public needs. > >Broadcasters are about to get twice as much of the broadcast spectrum >as >they have now -- for free. Many think they ought to pay for it -- just >like >every other new entrant does. But at the very least, broadcasters need >to >make the commitment to more expansive -- and frankly more creative -- >ways >to make television work harder for the public. > >In comments filed at the FCC on Friday, November 22, Benton called for >a >formal rulemaking process to define broadcasters' public interest >obligations in the digital era. > >In a recent speech, FCC Chairman Reed Hundt outlined the need to define >concrete public interest obligations for broadcasters before they >receive >digital licenses. Benton cannot agree more. The underlying question >Benton >returns to is "What public interest is being served by the transition >to >digital TV?" > >Every American household will have to purchase a new TV set to enjoy >the >pretty pictures promised by broadcasters. Will it be worth it? > >Programming quality, not picture and sound quality, should be the >ultimate >test for a public that seems fairly uninterested in digital TV. > >Benton believes that the only way to do this is through a formal >rulemaking >*before* digital licenses are issued. That way, we can all together -- >broadcasters, government leaders, public interest groups, and the >American >public -- define the public interest in the digital age. And where it >could take us. > >To support the Benton initiative to define broadcasters' public >interest >obligations in the digital age, send an email to dtvallotments@fcc.gov >by >December 23, 1996. Say that you are commenting on Mass Media Docket No. >87-268. Let the FCC know you support defining broadcasters' public >interest >obligations before they receive their digital licenses. (Please send a >copy >of your note to benton@benton.org as well). > >For more information about the transition to digital television, see >Benton's World Wide Web page on the Debate on the Future of Television >at >http://www.benton.org/TV/debate.html > >************************************************* >Benton Foundation >1634 Eye Street NW, 12th Floor >Washington, DC 20006-4006 >phone: 202-638-5770 >fax: 202-638-5771 >benton@benton.org >http://www.benton.org >To join the Benton Communications Policy Mailing List, send the >following >command in the body of your message to benton-request@cdinet.com: > subscribe benton-compolicy youremail@host.domain > (for example, subscribe kevint@benton.org) > > > >