FCC's McDowell: Stay focused on February 17

In remarks this morning at a Media Institute Luncheon in Washington, FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell told attendees that he believes the government should concentrate on the existing DTV transition date of February 17:

I think it is important for all of us to stay focused on February 17 regardless of what Congress does or does not do. Most broadcasters are prepared to shut off their analog signals on that date, and with good reason. Not only has the government been working with them for three years to realize this goal, but broadcasters have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in new DTV equipment in the past few years.

On top of that, in some cases broadcasters must spend more than $10,000 per month in additional electric costs to broadcast in both analog and digital. I know that they are eager to go all-digital as soon as possible, and many of them already have -- sometimes on a market-wide or even statewide basis. Not just in Wilmington, North Carolina, but in Hawaii, Nevada, and West Virginia, among other places. In short, if broadcasters are poised to go all-digital as soon as possible, they should be allowed to do so. At the same time, we should all be aware that many TV viewers will be left behind regardless of when the cut-off date is. As I have been saying for months now, this transition will be messy whenever it happens.

McDowell's comments came as a preface to a speech in which he advocated against the revival of the Fairness Doctrine, which decades ago compelled broadcasters over the public airwaves to present equal time for opposing viewpoints. The commissioner argued that in the modern age of broadcasting and new media, so many diverse viewpoints are already given voice that it would be impossible for anyone to gauge accurately whether any point of view commanded a majority of airtime.

FOR MORE: House Republicans invoke bin Laden to expedite DTV transition