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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  NEWS  MEDIA  CONTACTS:  September  28,  2004  Rebecca  Fisher  at  (202)  418-  2359 
 Rosemary  Kimball  at  (202)  418-  0511  Meribeth  McCarrick  at  (202)  418-  0654 
 CHAIRMAN  POWELL  TO  KICKOFF  CONSUMER  EDUCATION  INITIATIVE  ON  TRANSITION  TO  DIGITAL  TELEVISION 
 Washington,  DC  –  Federal  Communications  Commission  Chairman  Michael  Powell  will  hold  a  press  conference  on  Monday,  October  4,  2004,  to  kick  off  an  education  campaign  to 
 highlight  the  importance  of  the  transition  to  digital  television  (DTV). 
 The  event  will  begin  at  10:  00  a.  m.  in  the  Commission  Meeting  Room  at  the  FCC  headquarters  at  445  12  th  Street,  SW  in  Washington,  D.  C. 


 At  the  event,  Powell  will  announce  a  major  initiative  headed  by  the  FCC  that  will  bring  all  corners  of  the  television  industry  together  to  educate  the  public  on  the  importance  of  the 
 digital  television  (DTV)  transition  and  how  it  will  affect  them  in  the  coming  years. 
 The  Chairman’s  press  conference  will  be  immediately  followed  by  two  panels  with  senior  executives  of  the  television  industry  discussing  the  present  and  future  of  digital  and  high-definition 
 television.  Participants  will  include  representatives  from  ESPN,  FOX,  CBS,  HBO,  Discovery,  NCTA,  CEA,  DirecTV,  Emmis  Communications  and  public  and  commercial 
 broadcasters. 
 The  first  panel  will  focus  on  what  high-  definition  content  is  available  to  Americans  now,  and  will  be  available  in  the  future.  The  second  panel  will  focus  on  how  Americans  are  able  to 
 take  advantage  of  this  content—  whether  through  broadcast  television,  cable,  satellite,  and  other  services. 


 Over  the  last  several  years,  the  FCC  has  worked  in  a  partnership  with  every  sector  of  the  television  industry  to  bring  the  benefits  of  high-  definition  and  digital  television  to  millions  of 
 Americans.  As  the  DTV  transition  begins  to  hit  its  stride  many  Americans  remain  confused  about  the  DTV  transition  and  the  capabilities  of  new  digital  television  sets.  The  Chairman  will 
 outline  some  of  the  key  components  of  this  multi-  year  effort  to  educate  the  public  about  the  DTV  transition. 


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