Public television stations operate under a federal mission to provide a free, noncommercial educational television service to all Americans. To us, meeting our universal service obligation is central to our mission. Therefore, public television stations believe that the digital transition can move forward only if free, over-the-air analog service is preserved – and not replaced with a digital service that requires either a substantially prohibitive investment by consumers in reception technology or a prohibitively expensive subscription to a digital pay service. APTS is working to develop a plan that ensures that there is “no viewer left behind” by the digital transition.

Some estimates suggest that more than 15 million American households rely exclusively on over-the-air analog broadcasting. Millions more have “second sets” in their homes that rely on over-the-air analog transmissions. APTS – as well as Members of Congress, the Administration and the FCC – recognize that television is not a luxury, but a necessity. It provides viewers with basic news, public safety and other information vital to enabling their participation in our society. While we are eager to realize the benefits of digital broadcasting, no one should expect broadcasters, Congress or the FCC to disenfranchise millions of American households in a rush to complete the transition. Simply put, developing and implementing a plan to ensure that all viewers – cable, satellite and over-the-air – can have access to digital broadcasts is an essential part of any strategy to complete the digital transition.