Dingell on GAO Report on Broadcaster Preparedness for
Digital Television (DTV) Transition

Washington, D.C. – Rep. John D. Dingell (D-MI), the Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, today issued the following statement in response to a report released by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on the preparedness of broadcasters for the nationwide transition to digital television. The report, entitled “Digital Television Transition: Majority of Broadcasters Are Prepared for the DTV Transition, but Some Technical and Coordination Issues Remain," concludes that stations have made substantial progress toward transitioning to digital, though some still need to resolve technical or coordination issues.

“I am greatly encouraged that so many broadcasters are well on their way to becoming fully prepared for the digital transition. I urge the FCC to work closely with industry to resolve remaining issues so that one hundred percent of full-power broadcasters will complete a smooth transition to digital. The Committee will continue to monitor the status of the transition, and I expect to see continued progress.”

The Committee on Energy and Commerce will hold a hearing on Tuesday, June 10 on the status of the DTV transition, including examining the conclusions of today’s GAO report, as well as the FCC plan to establish Wilmington, NC, as a DTV test market. A witness list will be made available when it is finalized.

To date, the Committee on Energy and Commerce has held four hearings on the status of the DTV transition during the 110th Congress.

The full report is available on the GAO web site: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08510.pdf.