Career FCC staff recommended the agency let cable operators use HD set-top boxes lacking CableCARDs and with basic, non-interactive functionality so subscribers with older TVs can get HD service without leasing a more costly box, agency and industry officials said. That’s in a draft version of an order meant to make improvements to CableCARDs before the regulator issues rules for all pay-TV providers to let subscribers connect any video device to their systems. They would use a cheap gateway device that would let customers more easily switch providers.

A rulemaking paving the way for the FCC to auction TV stations’ spectrum for wireless broadband use and give part of the proceeds to the affected broadcasters won’t be approved until after the deadline envisioned by the commission in its agenda to deliver on the National Broadband Plan. The plan called for action this quarter on an item on “broadcast TV spectrum innovation” that would seek comment on proposals to increase spectrum efficiency and innovation (http://xrl.us/bhf9kj). Instead, Chairman Julius Genachowski is expected to circulate in Q4 a rulemaking notice that could be voted on at the November or December FCC meetings, agency officials and industry executives said. The FCC has missed several other deadlines in the agenda (CD Sept 1 p1).

Two FCC actions concerning children’s media drew praise from kids advocates for giving parents more information about rules by starting a website and showing programmers it takes quick action on what are alleged to be Children’s TV Act violations. The site, www.fcc.gov/parents, has been about a year in the making and its creation was one of Julius Genachowski’s stated first priorities when he became the FCC chairman in June 2009 (CD Aug 21/09 p1). The Media Bureau sought comment Wednesday on a complaint filed last week that a show coming to Viacom’s Nicktoons violates the Act. That’s an unusually quick turnaround. But children’s advocates said the commission could do more to help parents navigate online and older media.

Lack of final FCC action on petitions about how pay-TV providers handle public, educational and government (PEG) channels has resulted in additional cable operators’ moving the networks to digital tiers before all other channels have been switched, representatives of the programmers told us. That the FCC hasn’t disposed of three petitions before it since February 2009 on whether cable operators must treat the programmers the same as commercial ones was cited in a new, emergency petition filed late Monday with the commission. In it, a Texas school district asked the commission to temporarily halt such PEG channel moves by AT&T and cable providers.

Finishing the DTV transition is a step closer with release of an FCC rulemaking notice on setting deadlines for low-power broadcasters, about half of which already are going all-digital, to end all analog operations. Commissioners on Friday approved an item that proposed 2012 as the transition deadline for all low-power TV (LPTV) stations not operating in the 700 MHz band, as expected (CD Sept 14 p5). The regulator proposed LPTV outlets on channels 52-69, vacated in last year’s full-power analog transition, go all-digital by Dec. 31, 2011, in other slots, and submit an application picking another channel by June 30 of that year.

Forthcoming rules on fixing CableCARDs as an interim step toward adoption of gateway devices that let plug-and-play devices connect with any pay-TV provider and get online video on set-top boxes may reflect agreement among industry players on perhaps all but two significant issues, executives said. There appears to be agreement among consumer electronics and pay-TV companies on many of the ways cable operators can make it easier for subscribers to use CableCARDs to connect devices, like DVRs, that they buy from retailers to cable systems, executives of both industries said. They expect the agency will OK use of digital terminal adapters for cable operators with systems of any size to use cheap set-top boxes without CableCARDs. That would let subscribers get HD without two-way services like interactivity.

Commissioner Mignon Clyburn seems set to get a new aide from the office of her father, which could help strengthen the FCC member’s ties to Capitol Hill, industry and agency officials said. They said Dave Grimaldi, senior counsel to House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., appears headed to his daughter’s office. He could start as soon as next week. Grimaldi likely will either be Clyburn’s adviser on media issues and/or chief of staff, though some said media adviser is more likely. Eloise Gore was detailed in July from the front office of the Media Bureau to work on media issues for Clyburn, and Rick Kaplan was both interim chief of staff and media aide to Clyburn before joining the office of Chairman Julius Genachowski. An aide to Clyburn declined to comment and Grimaldi didn’t reply to a message.

The FCC is asking more academics for more help on a wider array of issues under Chairman Julius Genachowski than under predecessors, though the relationship between the agency and academia is inconsistent, said many professors we asked. Systematic and wide-ranging efforts were made in summer 2009, after Genachowski took over in late June, some researchers said. Outreach continues, but not in any way that appears coordinated, and deadlines to contribute to the development of some policies were too short to accommodate academics, they said. There was ample time to respond and there’s “mutual benefit” to the agency and academia when they work together, said FCC Chief Deputy Economist Jonathan Levy.

The FCC is no longer proposing 2012 as the year for all of the thousands of low-power TV stations to make the digital transition (CD June 10 p7), under recent changes to a draft rulemaking notice that’s likely to be made public soon, agency officials said. They said a recent draft of the item seeks comment on a transition for all low-power stations of 2012, 2015 as proposed in the National Broadband Plan, or other proposed dates. A version of the notice initially circulated in 2008 during Kevin Martin’s tenure as chairman with the 2012 analog cutoff. The current version may soon be approved by all FCC members and released as early as this week, agency officials said. Executives said the industry can meet a 2015 deadline, and may be able to do so for 2012.

Broadcaster interest in buying construction permits for two DTV stations that the FCC allocated to the Northeast (CD March 18 p5) may be limited by the markets’ small size and the channels’ location in the VHF band, which has had problems with digital signal propagation, engineers said. Auction No. 90 for channel 4 in Atlantic City, N.J., and channel 5 for Seaford, Del., will begin Feb. 15, the commission said. The Wireless and Media bureaus proposed minimum bids of $200,000 each for the construction permits, said a public notice issued Wednesday afternoon. Comments on bidding procedures are due Sept. 30, replies Oct. 15.