Senate Passes Revised DTV Delay Bill By Scott Wilkinson January 30, 2009 — According to an aide to Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), the US Senate yesterday unanimously passed a revised version of a bill that would delay the transition to digital television from February 17 to June 12. The revisions had to do with budget rules and first-responder communications, changes that were added by the House of Representatives before the bill was defeated there on Tuesday.

The bill is expected to be sent to the House Rules Committee, which could send it to House floor for a full vote on Wednesday, Feb. 4, where it would need only a simple majority to pass under regular rules. The previous version was approved by a majority of the House (258 to 168), but under the expedited rules, it required a two-thirds majority to pass.

Meanwhile, those closest to the actual work of the transition—the broadcasters—are dreading the myriad complications that could arise if the deadline is delayed. Among the potential problems are the schedules for moving DTV antennas on broadcast towers and shifting DTV signals to vacated analog frequencies, not to mention delaying tests on public-safety and wireless applications planned for that part of the spectrum. According to one report, the difficulties associated with a delay, which would be optional, could lead many stations to go ahead and pull the analog plug on Feb. 17 in any event.