FCC Consumer Advisory Committee Recommendation Regarding DTV Transition The Consumer Advisory Committee proposes that the FCC develop a specific plan for notifying consumers about stations that decide to transition before the official analog cut-off date. As part of this plan, and in order to improve digital television transition consumer education, outreach, and adoption efforts, the FCC shall: 1. Publish, distribute, and update information on television broadcast stations that have commenced digital-only operations (i.e., have turned off their analog channel). The CAC proposes that this information be (1) published on the FCC’s website; (2) provided to the FCC’s call center; (3) provided to FCC and NTIA contract recipients; (4) distributed to the members of the CAC, and (5) distributed to members of the DTV Transition Coalition. At a minimum, such information shall be published, distributed, and updated on a weekly basis. 2. Survey a sampling of the stations that have converted to all-digital TV broadcasting and their viewers for the purpose of collecting best practices and issues that warrant greater attention. 3. Work with broadcasters and other stakeholders to coordinate education efforts on a market-by-market basis. 4. If funds are available, consider, as one means of notifying consumers who may be using over the air televisions, about station transitions, direct mailings to consumers. I propose this be changed to: If funds are available, consider, as one means of notifying consumers who may be using over the air televisions, direct mailings to educate these consumers about station transitions. Such mailings should be identified as official government correspondence in a manner that clearly distinguishes such mailings from junk mail. 5. Continue and expand efforts to prevent and remedy, to the extent possible, potential loss of TV signal coverage. 6. Make an extra effort to target DTV funds to educate and assist populations that have been identified by the FCC and the Nielsen Company in its Analog-Digital Transition Readiness Report (January 2009) as least prepared for the DTV transition. In addition to the geographic areas identified by the Nielson survey, these include African American and Hispanic populations, Native American tribes, rural communities, non-English speaking individuals, low income individuals, and people with disabilities. Adopted: January 30, 2009 (two abstentions) Debra R. Berlyn, Chairperson Consumer Advisory Committee