DTV Transition Assistance Act
Key claim: This 2008 law lets leftover federal money meant to help low-power TV stations convert digital signals to analog be spent instead on teaching consumers—especially seniors, rural residents, and minorities—how to switch to digital TV and obtain converter boxes.
Abstract
(S2607 · 110th Congress) (This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the Senate on June 19, 2008. The summary of that version is repeated here.) DTV Transition Assistance Act - Amends the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 (title III of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005) with respect to the low-power television and translator digital-to-analog conversion program. Requires the Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information of the Department of Commerce to determine whether the full amounts provided from the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Fund will be needed for payments to eligible low-power TV stations toward purchase of a digital-to-analog conversion device to convert the incoming digital signal of their corresponding full-power TV station to analog format transmission on the low-power TV station’s analog channel. Permits the Secretary to make adjustments to such determination from time to time. Authorizes the Assistant Secretary, if such full amounts are not needed, to use the remaining amount for consumer education and technical assistance regarding the digital television (DTV) transition and the availability of the digital-to-analog converter box program (in addition to any pre-existing amounts expended for such purpose). Allows the use of such funds for partnering with, providing grants to, and contracting with non-profit organizations or public interest groups in achieving these efforts. Requires the Assistant Secretary, if such education program is initiated, to develop a plan to address the educational and technical assistance needs of vulnerable populations, such as senior citizens, individuals residing in rural and remote areas, and minorities, including, where appropriate, education plans focusing on the need for analog pass-through digital converter boxes in areas served by low-power or translator stations. Requires the Assistant Secretary also to consider the speed with which these objectives can be accomplished to Latest action (2008-07-30): Became Public Law No: 110-295.
Why this matters
The 2008 DTV Transition Assistance Act illustrates how Congress repurposed leftover federal subsidy dollars from a hardware program (low-power TV analog-to-digital conversion) into a consumer education campaign for demographics considered most at risk of losing TV service. It is largely historical now that the DTV transition is complete, but it remains a template for how NTIA can reallocate unspent telecom transition funds without a new appropriation.