• Broadcasting & Cable, Friday, July 13, 2007 10 AM

Rep. Elliot Engel is pushing a bill to create a federal advisory committee to help the transition from analog to digital broadcasting coming in 2009, while providing more money to inform consumers about it. The New York Democrat joins other powerful politicians, like House Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell and Telecommunications Subcommittee Chairman Ed Markey, who are worried about lagging DTV awareness -- and that it could create a voter backlash.

Engel bill's would create an advisory committee to coordinate DTV movement between industry and government, including the National Telecommunications & Information Administration, set to run the digital-to-analog converter box program and the FCC, which is to oversee the reallocation of the spectrum.

NTIA has already been given $5 million for consumer education but the FCC wants $1.5 million for education in 2008. In the meantime, broadcasters are set to donate tens of millions in airtime for public service announcements.

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