Digital Television Broadcast Bill

The House Energy and Commerce Committee is moving toward a bill that would expedite the transition to digital television broadcasts. So far, no hard date has been established as to when broadcasters would be required to return all channels on the analog spectrum to the federal government. Current law sets December 21, 2006 as the target date for the return of the spectrum, but exceptions are made for markets where less then 85 percent of households are able to view digital broadcasts.