President Signs DTV Transition Bill Into Law
John Eggerton -- Multichannel News, 2/11/2009 3:00:03 PM MT
President Barack Obama has signed the bill extending the DTV date from Feb. 17 to June 12.
His transition team had called for the date to be moved, and the bill
was passed a week ago. But the president had pledged to put bills out
for a five-day public comment period, which he did with the DTV bill.
"During these challenging economic times, the needs of American
consumers are a top priority of my administration," the president said
Wednesday.
"This law, which was crafted in a bipartisan way and
passed overwhelmingly in the House and Senate, ensures that our
citizens will have more time to prepare for the conversion.
"Millions of Americans, including those in our most vulnerable
communities, would have been left in the dark if the conversion had
gone on as planned, and this solution is an important step forward as
we work to get the nation ready for digital TV. My administration will
continue to work with leaders in Congress, broadcasters, consumer
groups and the telecommunications industry to improve the information
and assistance available to our citizens in advance of June 12."
