DTV Angst Abounds

摘要

An optimist might suggest that as the digital-TV count-down clock con-tinues to tick away toward the Feb. 17, 2009, deadline, problems should be dissipating. But if that is the case, it would be hard to tell from the issues that roiled in Washington last week. Smaller cable operators, for one thing, are attempting to leverage the DTV transition in their battle with broadcasters over the retransmission consent process. Officials last week were making the novel argument that breakdowns in retransmission consent negotiations (many current contracts are up at the end of this year) could confuse viewers and impede the process.