Planning efforts are underway to help public broadcasters raise their share of funds from local businesses, listeners viewers, and other sources. While we are eager to devote our local resources and energy to the digital transition, we ask the federal government to reaffirm its historic partnership with us to help meet this challenge, said Liroff. If digital technology is developed primarily to serve the demands of the commercial marketplace, its full public service potential will not be realized. Absent extenuating circumstances, all public television stations are required to begin digital broadcasting by 2003 or risk losing their channel assignments.
Digital technology frees public broadcasters from the limitations imposed by a single analog signal.
Many stations currently must choose among broadcasting preschool programs, adult learning courses, national series, local productions, cultural programming or public affairs. Digital compression will allow public broadcasters, for example, to carry simultaneously a dedicated children s instructional channel, an adult lifelong learning channel, a public affairs service, and a local programming channel. All these channels could be accompanied by data that enhances the broadcast experience. Digital technology also enables transmission in a high-definition format. Public broadcasters are committed to HDTV service as part of their plan.