House Panel Backs Digital TV Deadline
A House of Representatives panel approved a measure that would require television broadcasters to switch to digital signals in 2008 and would create a $1-billion subsidy to keep older sets working, one-third as much as provided for in Senate legislation.
The House Commerce Committee cleared the provision that requires conversion to digital by Dec. 31, 2008. That’s three months earlier than the April 7, 2009, deadline set in the bill passed by the Senate Commerce Committee last week, which calls for a $3-billion subsidy.
The difference in the proposed subsidies sets up a clash between House Republicans led by Joe L. Barton of Texas and Senate Republicans led by Ted Stevens of Alaska, who is backed by consumer advocates.
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