**REMARKS OF FCC COMMISSIONER MICHAEL J. COPPS**

**DIGITAL TELEVISION SWITCH-OVER IN WILMINGTON, NC**

**SEPTEMBER 8, 2008**

Mayor Saffo, Chairman Martin, Secretary Baker, Distinguished Guests. 
This is a very big day---certainly here in Wilmington and ultimately I
hope for the rest of the country when it follows your lead next
February.  In less than two hours, Wilmington will become the first
market in the United States to flip the switch on the digital future. 
That makes you much more than just the answer to a trivia question.  It
makes you true digital pioneers.  First in flight, first in digital, and
first in the hearts of the FCC!

 

I know being first is not easy.  You didn't have a DTV playbook to
memorize, or any history to fall back on.  That's what makes this test
so important.  You are actually helping to ***write*** the playbook for
the rest of America!

 

I do wish that more communities had stepped up to the plate like
Wilmington.  We'd have a fatter playbook for next February if we could
run tests like this in markets with different terrains and different
demographics.  But we still have a lot to learn from Wilmington.

 

Which leads me to make a last request.  I know you may be sick of the
DTV transition at this point.  Maybe after today you'd just as soon
never think about it again.  Perhaps you've seen enough of the FCC to
last you a lifetime.  That's completely understandable.  But let me ask
you one last favor.  We need to really ***learn*** from what you've just
experienced.  I know that the NAB and others will be here doing
follow-up and I thank them for those efforts.  But---very, very
importantly---the FCC has some serious responsibilities to gather and
distill and analyze and disseminate far-and-wide the lessons we learn
here.  So the Commission will be on the ground here after today and I
look forward to everyone working together to learn everything we
possibly can from this experience. 

 

What kind of information do we need?  Just about anything you can think
of.  Which messages worked and which didn\'t.  Where you found helpful
information.  Whether you chose to buy a converter box or hooked up to
cable or satellite or went out and bought a digital TV.  Whether those
of you who needed a converter box with analog pass-through were able to
find one.  Whether you needed a new antenna to receive digital.  Whether
you were caught unprepared for the switch, and why.  On a broader scale,
how local broadcasters coordinated with cable and satellite and local
retailers.  And how local governments and local civic and religious
organizations coordinated with each other and with their fellow
citizens.  Also, for those who bought new digital TVs, what\'s happened
to all those old analog sets, because communities around the country
will face the problem, just like you did, of where to put all those old
sets and receivers.  Without some planning, there could be some serious
adverse environmental consequences to all this.

 

I could go on and on about things we need to know, but you get the
point.  There is no substitute for real world experience.  And you are
the people who have it---and probably the only people who ***will***
have it before the nationwide transition next February.  So we really
need your input, the benefit of your experiences and perspectives, in
the days just ahead.

 

You know, in addition to a better picture and better sound, DTV brings
another huge potential reward.  I'm talking about the ability of
broadcasters, using the new digital technologies, to send out four, five
or even six different program streams on the same amount of spectrum
where they can broadcast only one stream in analog.  In this age when we
seem to have so much homogenized, nationalized fare on our airwaves,
think about the possibility here of more real local news, better
coverage of community, cultural and athletic events, more stories about
all the groups who make up our communities, and an enhanced civic and
political dialogue.  What a step forward that would be for diversity and
localism in our media!  I hope broadcasters and communities will work
together to help make this dream come true.

 

Let me close by offering my deepest thanks and appreciation to those who
made this happen.  Chairman Martin, who took this idea, ran with it and
provided strong leadership to actually make the Wilmington test happen.
 Mayor Saffo who showed a real profile in courage in taking this on, and
other local, municipal and county officials who worked on making this a
success.  Local broadcasters, cable and satellite operators, retailers
and so many other local businesses.  The local churches, schools, civic
and many other groups and organizations that pitched in---they played a
huge role.  Secretary Baker and NTIA who worked so hard on the converter
box program.  And, so importantly, our FCC staff.  These folks are
public service personified.  We hear so much silly talk from the
political hustings lambasting "government bureaucrats."  Well they're
real people, working hard and dedicated to getting things done. You've
had some of the best and the brightest on the ground here preparing for
this test and many of you know first-hand whereof I speak.  We all ought
to take pride in the public service they give. Finally, thanks to all
the good people---***especially*** all the good people, of Wilmington. 
You\'re reaching the digital summit ahead of the rest of us.  I think
you\'ll find the climb was worth it\--I hope so.  Thank you all for
performing a significant public service for the rest of the country. 

 

Thank you very much.