*Pages 1--1 from Microsoft Word - 55794.doc* STATEMENT OF COMMISSIONER JONATHAN S. ADELSTEIN APPROVING Re: Children’s Television Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasters, Second Further Notice of Proposed Rule Making. I am pleased that the Commission is seeking comment on a joint proposal filed by the broadcast industry and children advocacy groups to clarify the obligations of broadcasters to provide educational and informational programming intended for children and to protect children from excessive commercialism in these early days of digital television. The joint proposal is the product of hard work, conscientious negotiations and a strong willingness of the two sides to compromise. I now look forward to the public comments and subsequent FCC examination of the proposed changes to ensure that our rules continue to protect American children from an onslaught of commercials and cross promotional ads. The Commission’s children television rules are a corollary to the public interest obligations of broadcasters to the general audience. If the proposed clarifications prove to be acceptable, I believe this bodes well for Commission action on other challenging items, such as enhanced disclosure requirements, public interest obligations of digital broadcasters and the localism proceeding. I look forward to working with Chairman Martin, my fellow Commissioners, broadcasters, programmers and public interest groups to address these issues in the near future. 1