Broadcasters Want to Delay DTV Transition

Responding to a recent NATPE survey that found 78% of the nations broadcasters want to delay the transition to DTV, FCC Chairman William Kennard, speaking to entertainment industry executives said, “In a world in which all of broadcasting’s competitors have already gone or are going digital, why in God’s name would any broadcaster not want to be digital right away? I know there are complex issues and there’s a lot of uncertainty about this transition, but within this uncertainty lies opportunity.”

Kennard said he was encouraged by the efforts of companies such as Geocast and iBlast “who are working to bring broadcasters together around a wireless data strategy” and by the concept of broadcasters creating cooperatives that would lease unused spectrum to third parties.