Digital TV License Scheme Gets New Scrutiny

Congressional leaders are discussing removing a controversial TV license allocation scheme from the beleaguered telecommunications reform bill, in hopes of regaining momentum for a measure that has languished in a House and Senate conference committee for more than a month.

The dispute over digital TV licenses has threatened to derail the sweeping telecom bill because Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.) opposes as “corporate welfare” a provision in the measure that would allow TV broadcasters to acquire new television channels for free.

But Senate Republicans, including Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Larry Pressler (R-S.D.), think they may be able to defuse the dispute by splitting off the TV channel issue from the main telecom bill for later consideration. The tactic recalls a similar ploy negotiators used last month to overcome controversy over foreign-ownership provisions that had threatened to prevent agreement on the bill.

The allocation scheme for new digital TV licenses contained in the telecom bill is aimed at providing broadcasters with an easy way to introduce high-definition, or digital television, which features much sharper pictures and better sound than TV today.

The provision would require the nation’s 1,500 TV station owners to return their existing analog channels to the government in 15 years, presumably after the migration to digital broadcasting is complete.

The negotiations over how to deal with the dispute over digital TV came as talk surfaced Thursday that the telecommunications conference committee might soon complete its work on the reform bill.

Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) told reporters at a Capitol Hill news conference that action on the bill was imminent. But other congressional sources say lawmakers are likely to adjourn today for several weeks and probably won’t take up the telecom bill until March.

In addition, one House aide said Dole has not had time to hold a scheduled meeting with House Majority Leader Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) to discuss his concerns about the TV license giveaway. Many observers believe such a meeting is a prerequisite to any resolution of the issue.