*Pages 1--3 from  Microsoft Word - 39711*
 NEWS  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).  News  Media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  TTY:  1-  888-  835-  5322 
 For  Immediate  Release:  News  Media  Contact:  June  25,  2004  Rosemary  Kimball  at  (202)  418-  0511 
 e-  mail:  rosemary.  kimball@  fcc.  gov 
 FCC  CHAIRMAN  POWELL  TO  VISIT  TENNESSEE  TELECOM  FACILITIES;  VISIT  WILL  EMPHASIZE  HOW  RURAL  ACCESS  TO  BROADBAND  CAN  SPUR 
 ECONOMIC  DEVELOPMENT 
 Washington,  DC  --  Michael  K.  Powell,  chairman  of  the  Federal  Communications  Commission,  and  FCC  staff,  will  visit  Nashville  and  Knoxville,  TN,  on  June  29  and  30. 


 As  part  of  Chairman  Powell’s  focus  on  rural  issues  in  America,  he  will  tour  several  telecom  facilities  and  meet  with  local  officials,  including  representatives  of  the  Tennessee 
 Regulatory  Authority  (TRA),  who  are  involved  in  telemedicine,  distance  learning,  broadband  deployment,  innovative  technology  programs,  public  safety  and  homeland  security  and  high 
 definition  television. 
 Several  of  the  events  are  being  co-  hosted  by  the  Appalachian  Regional  Commission  (ARC).  The  ARC  is  a  federal-  state  partnership  that  works  with  the  people  of  Appalachia  to 
 create  opportunities  for  self-  sustaining  economic  development  and  improved  quality  of  life.  Chairman  Powell  has  long  been  committed  to  ensuring  that  the  most  innovative 
 telecommunications  facilities  and  services  be  made  available  to  all  Americans,  including  those  in  rural  areas.  He  has  said,  “Broadband  can  be  the  ultimate  economic,  educational  and  medical 
 growth  engine  for  rural  America.  Advances  in  broadband  services,  offered  over  telephone  and  cable  wires,  licensed  and  unlicensed  wireless  connections,  satellite,  digital  television,  and  even 
 over  ubiquitous  electrical  power  lines  offer  the  opportunity  to  significantly  improve  the  quality  of  life  in  rural  America.  It  is  critical  that  rural  America  be  included  in  the  path  towards  digital 
 migration.” 
 The  schedule  of  public  events  follows: 
 Tuesday,  June  29,  2004 


 10:  15  a.  m.  Interview  and  Tour  of  WSMV-  DT  (NBC)  (central  time) 
 WSMV  is  one  of  two  Nashville  television  stations  that  broadcasts  in  the  1080i  HDTV  format.  (The  other  1080i-  format  HDTV  station  is  the  CBS 
 affiliate,  WTVF-  DT.)  Tour  will  cover  the  broadcast  facility  and  include  a  discussion  with  station  officials  about  current  and  future  HDTV 
 programming  and  multicasting. 
1