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Senate Digital TV Bill To Include $3 Billion Converter Subsidy
Dow Jones Newswires (excerpt) ^ | October 19, 2005 | Brian Blackstone

Posted on 10/19/2005 11:04:22 AM PDT by HAL9000

Excerpt -

WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- A Senate bill, scheduled for committee vote Thursday setting an April 2009 digital television transition date, will include a $3 billion subsidy program for digital converter boxes, Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, said Wednesday.

The subsidy will cover "everyone who has a TV who needs a box," Stevens said at a luncheon speech sponsored by the Free Enterprise Fund.

The $3 billion will come out of the roughly $10 billion in proceeds expected from sale of the block of 700 megahertz spectrum currently occupied by broadcasters that will be freed up with the switch to digital TV signals.


(Excerpt) Read more at nasdaq.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; News/Current Events; Technical
KEYWORDS: digitaltv; dtv; hdtv; rino; sdtv; tedstevens; television
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1 posted on 10/19/2005 11:04:38 AM PDT by HAL9000
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To: HAL9000
Wonderful!

It's so great the GOP is in charge, keeping government spending to the bare minimum!

Like Tom Delay said, they've cut out all the fat!

Seriously, this is no different than the looting in New Orleans...apart from being better organized, and on a larger scale.

2 posted on 10/19/2005 11:11:07 AM PDT by B Knotts
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To: HAL9000
"The subsidy will cover "everyone who has a TV who needs a box," Stevens said at a luncheon speech sponsored by the Free Enterprise Fund."

Thanks for the laugh.

3 posted on 10/19/2005 11:12:15 AM PDT by Shermy
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To: Shermy

Yeah...I caught that, and meant to comment on it, but had forgotten about it by the time the web server allowed me to post. :-/


4 posted on 10/19/2005 11:14:48 AM PDT by B Knotts
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To: HAL9000
Here's one thing I've never yet seen explained...why does a switch to digital TV have to be governmentally mandated? If it's so great, gee, then maybe it can happen on its own? Y'know, market forces, that sort of thing?

Unbelievable. Television has now become a fundamental right. Sort of like driving, abortion, and not being offended. (I hope your sarcasm meter just twitched, by the way.)

}:-)4

5 posted on 10/19/2005 11:15:16 AM PDT by Moose4 (Liberals and vampires: Both like death, both hate crosses, and both are bloodsuckers.)
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To: HAL9000

It ticks me off that the govt is at all involved in what should be a purely economic, supply-and-demand issue. What this means is increased expense for all of us.


6 posted on 10/19/2005 11:16:35 AM PDT by American Quilter
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To: HAL9000

For those in Alaska -

PLEASE vote this guy out of office. How many more $250 million bridges to nowhere and subsidies do we need?


7 posted on 10/19/2005 11:17:53 AM PDT by eraser2005
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To: HAL9000

the $3 billion is probably nothing compared to what the government will collect in new FCC fees for expanded digital broadcasting and radio bandwidth.


8 posted on 10/19/2005 11:18:46 AM PDT by Lunatic Fringe (North Texas Solutions http://ntxsolutions.com)
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To: Moose4

Because the government will raise money selling licenses on the spectrum. What's good for government is good for you!


9 posted on 10/19/2005 11:19:31 AM PDT by Trust but Verify (( ))
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To: Moose4
Here's one thing I've never yet seen explained...why does a switch to digital TV have to be governmentally mandated?

Look, we're paying of some pretty big campaign contributors, here. That can't be left up to chance.

10 posted on 10/19/2005 11:21:07 AM PDT by Wolfie
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To: HAL9000

Well, at least it'll be good for my Scientific Atlanta (SFA) stock.

Jeez...I need a new remote control...will those be free?


11 posted on 10/19/2005 11:21:56 AM PDT by rightinthemiddle (We Self-Destruct. We Blame Bush. That'll Show 'Em!)
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To: HAL9000

Don't worry! Once we get a Republican majority, we'll pare government down to a bare minimum!


12 posted on 10/19/2005 11:24:57 AM PDT by mysterio
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To: HAL9000

My lawnmower broke the other day. We need a lawnmower subsidy.


13 posted on 10/19/2005 11:26:48 AM PDT by Brilliant
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To: Moose4

"Here's one thing I've never yet seen explained...why does a switch to digital TV have to be governmentally mandated?"

The spectrum digital broadcasts use is regulated by the FCC. The FCC wants to force TV broadcasters to use that spectrum so they can free up the spectrum currently used for analog broadcasts for other uses.


14 posted on 10/19/2005 11:27:04 AM PDT by Moral Hazard ("Now therefore kill every male among the little ones" - Numbers 31:17)
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To: HAL9000

Since Ted Stevens is a Republican, logic states that anyone who is opposed to this profram is a Disruptor from DU or Daily Kos.


15 posted on 10/19/2005 11:30:45 AM PDT by Panic in the Streets ("Mayor, I've confirmed the data: the hippies ARE planning a massive jam band concert!"- Eric Cartman)
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To: HAL9000

We have three TVs. I'll take three boxes, please! On second thought, gimme my three boxes! Don't infringe my "right" to free TV.


16 posted on 10/19/2005 11:38:31 AM PDT by pawdoggie
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To: American Quilter
It ticks me off that the govt is at all involved in what should be a purely economic, supply-and-demand issue. What this means is increased expense for all of us.

It's like what's called a "taking" in legalese. They are taking from you something you already own -- that is the ability to watch broadcast TV with your current television set. Because they are taking something from you, they need to compensate you for it. The compensation is the convertor box.

Suppose that tomorrow the government mandated that all cars must run on propane only and they passed a law forbidding further gasoline sales. You would expect that they would cover the cost of converting your car to accept propane would you not?

17 posted on 10/19/2005 11:40:47 AM PDT by FreedomCalls (It's the "Statue of Liberty," not the "Statue of Security.")
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To: Brilliant
My lawnmower broke the other day. We need a lawnmower subsidy.

But if the government passed a law saying that you could no longer use your gasloine-powered lawnmover to cut your grass, and that you had to purchase an electric mower instead, you would expect some compensation for taking away your right to use what you already posess wouldn't you?

18 posted on 10/19/2005 11:43:57 AM PDT by FreedomCalls (It's the "Statue of Liberty," not the "Statue of Security.")
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To: HAL9000

Damn it, TVs are a LUXURY item, not some gub'mint cheese.


19 posted on 10/19/2005 11:46:48 AM PDT by AbeKrieger (Islam is the virus that causes al-Qaeda.)
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To: HAL9000
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens, R-Alaska

Pork King Ted

20 posted on 10/19/2005 11:48:53 AM PDT by bmwcyle (We broke Pink's Code and found a terrorist message)
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