Category — Digital TV

Digital TV: Upcoming transition sparks issues at CES — Government and industry representatives are divided over whether the nationwide transition to all-digital television will go as easily as the flick of a switch or cause a sparking explosion.

Digital TV: 2 million apply for digital subsidy — Almost 2 million requests for government-subsidized coupons to defray the cost of digital-to-analog converter boxes have been logged since the program — part of the federally mandated switch to all-digital television — began on Jan. 1.

Digital TV: Conversion from analog to be completed in ‘09 — With the start of the new year, the government began distributing millions of $40 coupons to help television owners who don’t get cable or satellite service buy special converter boxes to receive digital signals.

Digital TV: New digital platform sets sights on paybox — New Zealand has created its own version of Blighty’s Freeview digital terrestrial TV platform — a partnership of pubcaster TVNZ, MediaWorks (which owns, with commercial webs TV3 and C4, a group of small public service channels) and government transmission company Transmission Holdings.

Digital TV: New Zealand broadcaster kicks off channel — Pubcaster Television New Zealand launched digital factual channel TVNZ7 Sunday to boost uptake for the Freeview digital free-to-air platform.

Digital TV: Political player worried about transition — Though the hard date for the switch to all-digital television broadcasting is fixed and won’t change, at least one influential lawmaker is “deeply concerned” that the result could be a trainwreck.

Digital TV: Plans animation for TV, digital markets — Walt Disney Japan is planning to produce toons for the Japanese and Asian TV and digital markets, company sources said on Thursday.

Digital TV: ‘House’ stars inform public on switch — Stars of PBS’ “This Old House” will soon be informing the pubcaster’s viewers about the future of their old televisions.

Digital TV: Martin says digital transition is on track — FCC chairman Kevin Martin told a skeptical House subcommittee that plans are on track for broadcasters to make a smooth transition to all-digital television next year.

Digital TV: Wieshofer named senior vice president — After establishing itself as a source of pic production financing, private equity fund Media Rights Capital is looking to expand into distribution of movies, TV and digital content.

Digital TV: Martin promises to expand broadband services — Federal Communications Commission chairman Kevin J. Martin affirmed his commitment to a la carte cable subscriptions and to striking a balance between the need to protect digital content and ensure consumer rights to fair use of it.

Digital TV: Transition causes fighting over ‘white spaces’ — Ten months before the nation flips to digital television, technology companies and TV broadcasters are fighting over the virtual remote, with different ideas of what to do with the unused airwaves.

Digital TV: Lawmakers worry about TV change — Less than two months since his last appearance on Capitol Hill, Federal Communications Commission chairman Kevin Martin on Tuesday once again assured hand-wringing lawmakers that the nation’s transition to all-digital television is on track.

Digital TV: Many households might not receive signal — Days after top lawmakers expressed serious concerns that the impending switch to all-digital television may not go smoothly, a new report states that possibly half of over-the-air dependent households might not receive a picture even if they do everything the Federal Communications Commission advises.

Digital TV: Sets now in stores; content on the way — The motion picture industry is making a big bet on 3-D, in part because it’s supposed to promise an experience that can’t be duplicated on television.

Digital TV: Confab puts focus on upcoming switch — The sprawling National Assn. of Broadcasters confab has long had the feel of an auto show, with product demonstrations and a high-tech hucksterism drawing crowds of gearheads eager to test-drive the latest in broadcast and production equipment.

Digital TV: Network talks ‘Hills’ at upfront presentation — MTV Networks is leaving no stone unturned in its efforts to embed advertising messages into its TV shows and digital content.

Digital TV: City acts as a test market for upcoming change — The city of Wilmington, N.C., has volunteered to be a test market as an indicator of how well — or poorly — the nationwide switch to all-digital television may go next year, Federal Communications Commission chairman Kevin Martin announced Thursday.

Digital TV: Industry toppers dig digital at confab — The answer to digital piracy isn’t simply fighting it — find new business models or prepare to die.

Digital TV: CSA issues licenses to TF1, M6 — France’s broadcasting authority the CSA has issued HD digital terrestrial television licenses to private networks TF1 and M6 plus pubcasters France 2 and Arte.

Digital TV: FCC, NTIA need a plan of action for switch — No one is ultimately taking responsibility for the federally mandated switch to all-digital television by early 2009, and that’s a serious problem, a new government report claims.

Digital TV: Claims org harbors ‘anti-diversity’ agenda — The Rev. Jesse Jackson — the headliner among witnesses skedded to testify at a Federal Communications Commission hearing today on media consolidation — charged the nation’s top media regulator with harboring an “anti-diversity” agenda that seeks to placate minorities with “consolation” prizes.

Digital TV: City acts as a test market for upcoming change — The city of Wilmington, N.C., has volunteered to be a test market as an indicator of how well — or poorly — the nationwide switch to all-digital television may go next year, Federal Communications Commission chairman Kevin Martin announced Thursday.

Digital TV: Network talks ‘Hills’ at upfront presentation — MTV Networks is leaving no stone unturned in its efforts to embed advertising messages into its TV shows and digital content.

Digital TV: City acts as a test market for upcoming change — The city of Wilmington, N.C., has volunteered to be a test market as an indicator of how well — or poorly — the nationwide switch to all-digital television may go next year, Federal Communications Commission chairman Kevin J. Martin announced Thursday.