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 NEWS  News  media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  TTY  202/  418-  2555  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp.  fcc.  gov  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974). 
 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE  Contacts:  Brian  Marriott  (202)  418-  7121  July  11,  2002  Robin  Pence  (202)  418-  0505 
 Statement  by  FCC  Chairman  Michael  K.  Powell: 
 DTV  PLAN  UPDATE  --  PROGRESS  FOR  CONSUMERS 
 The  next  year  may  prove  to  be  a  watershed  for  the  digital  television  transition. 
 In  April  I  challenged  several  industries  to  take  specific  steps  to  move  the  DTV  transition  forward.  The  plan  challenged  major  broadcast  and  cable  networks  to  create  more  compelling 
 digital  content,  equipment  manufacturers  to  produce  more  television  sets  with  digital  tuners,  and  broadcasters,  cable  operators  and  satellite  providers  to  make  digital  content  more  accessible  to 
 consumers. 
 Virtually  every  industry  –  cable,  broadcast  and  satellite  –  has  either  fully  embraced  my  plan,  or  made  real  commitments  to  advance  the  transition.  I  deeply  appreciate  these  efforts.  As 
 a  result  of  these  commitments,  many  of  the  key  elements  of  the  digital  television  transition  are  beginning  to  fall  into  place.  As  these  industries  innovate  for  the  digital  future,  consumers  across 
 the  country  will  benefit  with  super  sharp  television  pictures  and  even  more  entertainment  and  educational  choices. 


 I  commend  the  cable  industry’s  10  largest  operators,  which  serve  more  than  85%  of  subscribers  nationwide,  for  their  significant  commitments  to  make  digital  programming  available 
 to  consumers  in  the  markets  they  serve.  They  will  deploy  integrated  set-  top  boxes  capable  of  displaying  high  definition  programming  and  offer  to  carry,  at  no  cost,  up  to  five  broadcast  or 
 other  digital  programming  services. 
 DBS  providers  are  also  prepared  to  carry  up  to  five  digital  programming  services  providing  high-  definition  or  other  “value-  added”  digital  programming  by  January  1,  2003. 


 On  the  content  side,  ABC,  CBS,  HBO  and  Showtime  have  made  strong  commitments  to  provide  consumers  with  a  wide  range  of  high-  definition  programming.  Others,  including 
 Discovery,  HDNet  and  PBS,  should  also  be  recognized  for  the  high  definition  content  they  are  providing  consumers.  NBC  is  moving  in  the  right  direction  by  significantly  increasing  its  high-definition 
 programming  during  prime-  time  and  late-  night.  I  am  optimistic  that  Fox  will  develop  "value-  added  programming"  that  will  take  advantage  of  the  entire  digital  broadcast  spectrum 
 they  have  received. 
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 I  am  encouraged  that  the  great  majority  of  top-  four  network  affiliates  in  the  100  largest  markets  will  be  on  the  air  by  next  January  with  the  ability  to  pass  through  the  networks'  digital 
 signal  without  degradation. 
 The  missing  piece  of  the  DTV  puzzle  is  the  consumer  electronics  industry.  We  have  not  yet  received  a  final  response  from  the  manufacturers  on  the  phased-  in  inclusion  of  DTV  tuners  in 


 new  sets.  I  hope  they  will  join  their  industry  colleagues  and  come  forward  with  real  and  tangible  commitments  to  advance  the  transition. 


 Note:  copies  of  letters  from  participating  industries,  detailing  their  initiatives,  are  available  at  www.  fcc.  gov. 
 -  FCC  - 
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