It also provides broadcasters with the opportunities to serve the public in new and innovative ways. For Americans with disabilities, digital television gives broadcasters expanded technical capacity with which they may provide or enhance such services as video description and closed captioning. For disasters, DTV means the ability to direct emergency or disaster information directly to the communities affected. For diversity, digital technology allows each station to provide several streams of programming. That gives broadcasters more opportunities to ensure that television serves the needs of an increasingly diverse population, and more capacity to provide programming made to serve the needs of children.
Television is a space where people go to exchange ideas about the political process.
It is essential to the way Americans participate in our democracy. Providing access to television for candidates for public office is an essential part of the process. I have heard some broadcasters commit to voluntary actions that they say will enhance our democracy in these ways. I applaud those who have stepped forward. But deeds are more important than words, so I look forward to learning whether these commitments are being honored.