Powell Won’t Seek Vote on Digital TV Plan

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael K. Powell won’t seek a vote on his plan to convert the U.S. television system to digital signals, deferring to congressional plans to take up the issue.

House Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton (R-Texas) has said he planned to introduce legislation this month to impose a December 2006 cutoff for broadcasters to switch. Powell, who is leaving the FCC this month, had proposed a 2009 digital switch.

Local TV stations and broadcasters such as General Electric Co.’s NBC have resisted a deadline for the conversion to digital, which may cost them the 15% of television viewers who get only analog broadcast signals over the air. Public safety groups have argued for a deadline that would speed the transition so they can use the freed analog airwaves for emergency services.