STATEHOUSE (Dec. 22, 2009) - Sen. Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) said today 19 state senators have joined her in calling on federal lawmakers to fix lingering problems caused by the recent switch to digital television (DTV).
"For many Hoosiers, the aim of the federally mandated move from analog to digital television is missing its mark," Leising said. "The switch was supposed to improve public safety, but for residents who live in border counties, the inability to receive major Indiana news channels is putting their safety at risk."
In June, broadcast television stations across the country turned off analog signals and crossed over to digital. According to the Federal Communications Commission, the switch opened up valuable broadcast spectrum space for emergency services to use. The switch also allowed for telecommunications companies to purchase spectrum space to provide consumers with advanced wireless services.
"But in some cases, the change is actually hindering public safety rather than improving it," Leising said. "Before the switch, those in rural areas were able to watch Indianapolis or other major Indiana news stations to receive weather alerts or other emergency bulletins. But now they can only receive signals from TV stations based on their placement within the media market."
Leising said after the digital switch many households in southeast Indiana receive only Ohio news, because they are located within the federally designated Cincinnati media market- missing weather or emergency alerts broadcast by Indiana stations.
"Because severe weather typically travels from west to east and often appears without much notice, southeast Indiana residents are not effectively forewarned by weather alerts from Cincinnati television stations," Leising said. "What's more, we may or may not be well served from out-of-state public safety information like Amber Alerts for missing children and Silver Alerts for seniors who may have wandered."
In a letter to U.S. lawmakers, Leising along with other state senators presented possible solutions to this and other DTV problems. Among the ideas presented were updates to House bill 3570, the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act (SHVERA). According to the bill's summary, its goal is to ensure people have access to basic broadcast television.
Leising and other state senators, wrote to ask federal lawmakers to support three crucial points:
- Nationwide rollout of in-state broadcasting. This will allow customers living in media market border regions to receive their in-state news, weather alerts and programming. This has been undergoing successful testing since 2004.
- Provisions within the SHVERA discussion draft that reflects the move from analog to digital broadcasting. In particular, the digital broadcasting signal prediction model and on-location testing methods must be updated to be relevant to today's digital broadcasts.
- Clarifications provided in the SHVERA discussion draft regarding a satellite provider's ability to broadcast a significantly viewed network in high-definition. This small detail is required for consumers to receive in-state high-definition broadcasts for local-into-local signals.
Among those to receive Leising's letter are U.S. Reps. Baron Hill (D-Seymour) and Steve Buyer (R-Monticello.). Buyer and Hill serve as members of the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet.
Currently, the Senate Committee on the Judiciary is reviewing H.B. 3570 after the bill passed the House on Dec. 3.
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Leising represents Senate District 42, which is composed of Decatur, Fayette, Rush and Shelby counties and a portion of Franklin County.
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