I raise these questions because so much is at stake for our country in the communications revolution, and the consequences of policy mistakes can't be underestimated. Nor can we recapture lost opportunities as we move into the digital era. I hope his statement will help spark a serious discussion of how digital television can best serve the public interest in the 21st century. I look forward to seeing this discussion unfold, through comments in our pending digital TV proceedings. Yesterday, the first comments for our pending rulemaking were filed.
Reply comments are due in a month.
Other proceedings on the issues of the standard and the allocation of licenses are teed up for early 1996. In all of these proceedings we will be pursuing the twin policies of private competition and public benefits.