FCC’s 2007 Review Features DTV Education, Telecom Competition
FCC aides highlighted the commission’s efforts in 2007 to educate consumers about the DTV transition and increase competition for video and other communications services, at Thursday’s meeting. DTV.gov, the FCC Web site on the transition, has had more than 6 million visits, said Cathy Seidel, Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau chief. The site was revamped with information on the transition for government agencies and other organizations to use in their education efforts, she said.
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Enforcement Bureau officials in FCC field offices helped with the education effort by scheduling or attending more than 300 meetings on the transition, bureau Chief Kris Monteith said. Bureau staff made 1,500 inspections to see whether retailers were following DTV labeling requirements, and they issued almost 300 citations, she said. Two notices of apparent liability involving DTV tuners totaled almost $3 million, Monteith said.
It was a busy year for the Media Bureau, which worked with the other bureaus on DTV. Recent orders on apartment video, franchising and program access will spur competition, said Chief Monica Desai and other officials. Wireline video competition is needed because cable “prices continue to outpace the general level of inflation,” she said. The bureau circulated 109 items on the FCC’s top floor in 2007, said Desai. Commissioners approved 47 Media Bureau orders last year, including approving buyouts of Tribune and Univision, she said.
A proposal to improve FCC processing of forbearance petitions should be ready soon for comments, Wireline Bureau Chief Dana Shaffer said in response to a question from Commissioner Michael Copps at Thursday’s meeting. Once the item runs in the Federal Register, a comment cycle can be set, she said. Copps “would favor policymaking by the commission” rather than through the forbearance process but said he would at least like to see FCC processing improved. Copps asked if forbearance is a “priority” and Shaffer said “absolutely.” FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said he hoped so because “I promised Congress it would be a priority.”
The FCC backlog has not been a topic of the annual bureau and office chief briefings at the January meeting under Martin, but agency officials touched on it Thursday. Wireless Bureau Chief Fred Campbell said the bureau has pending the fewest items since electronic tracking began in 1999. Office of Engineering and Technology Chief Julius Knapp said pending applications for experimental licenses hit a high of 580 in March but is under 300 now.