Testimony
Source: Leadership Conference on Civil Rights
Recipient: House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet
Date: 10/17/07
Chairman Markey, Ranking Member Upton, and members of the Committee: I am Nancy Zirkin, vice president and director of public policy of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR). Thank you for the opportunity to testify in today's hearing on the status of the digital television transition.
LCCR is the nation's oldest and most diverse coalition of civil rights organizations. Founded in 1950 by Arnold Aronson, A. Philip Randolph, and Roy Wilkins, the Leadership Conference seeks to further the goal of equality under law through legislative advocacy and public education. LCCR consists of approximately 200 national organizations representing persons of color, women, children, organized labor, persons with disabilities, the elderly, gays and lesbians, and major religious groups. Additionally, LCCR is a founding member of the DTV Transition Coalition, a large coalition that includes as members the Federal Communications Commission, the U.S. Department of Commerce, industry groups, grassroots and membership organizations, manufacturers, retailers, trade associations, civil rights organizations, and community groups. I am privileged to represent the civil and human rights community in submitting testimony for the record to the Committee.
With the arrival date for the future of television drawing near, we urge you to consider the following unmet needs as you assess the status of the digital television transition. First, there needs to be sufficient funding appropriated to ensure a smooth transition, especially for the lower-income households, seniors, minorities, and persons with disabilities who are most dependent on television. Second, there needs to be a comprehensive plan in place that includes research, outreach, and rapid response to ensure that those who are most at risk of losing service are protected. Finally, given the magnitude of the public education effort necessary to inform those Americans most at risk of losing their television signal, there needs to be coordination among all federal agencies on educational outreach, with replication of these efforts at the state and local level.
As context, I would like to discuss what the government-mandated transition to digital television means for the communities LCCR represents, and what needs to be done to ensure than no community is left in the dark. Will all Americans be sufficiently educated about the transition, so that they will be able to make it relatively easily and without undue economic burden? Moreover, will all Americans actually receive the benefits of digital television, including High Definition Television and multicasting, or will they be deprived of these remarkable technological advances?
While the federal agencies most responsible for managing this transition—the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Federal Communications Commission—and a wide range of private stakeholders in the broadcasting, cable, retail, and manufacturing industries are already working hard to address the impact of the transition, LCCR believes that the challenges involved in preparing Americans for the digital television transition are of such magnitude that a strong Congressional response is required.
