Media Access Project: Digital Television Advisory Committee Information Page

Digital Television Advisory Committee Information Page

Digital TV Main Page
Co-chairs
Membership

How will digital TV serve the public's needs?
On February 5, 1997, the Vice President announced the formation of a special Presidential Advisory committee, sometimes called the "Gore Commission" to recommend new public interest obligations for television in the digital age.

This move broke the stalemate that had long surrounded the debate over whether and how to give broadcasters a second allotment of airwaves, or "spectrum." This second allotment, broadcasters claimed, was necessary to allow them to make the transition to digital television, which would allow them to mix high resolution TV (called "High Definition TV" or "HDTV"), standard resolution TV ("SDTV"), pay-per-view, subscription, and data delivery services such as Internet access.

After the "Gore Commission" was announced, the Federal Communications Commission moved forward and awarded the digital TV licenses on April 3, 1997. For a more detailed briefing on digital television, please see MAP's "Digital TV and the Spectrum Grab of 1997" web page.

On June 28, President Clinton announced the co-chairs of this committee. The rest of the members were appointed on October 22, 1997, which was also the date of the committee's first meeting.

Co-Chairs:

Leslie Moonves
Norman Ornstein

Frank Blythe
Antoinette Cook Bush
Peggy Charren
Harold C. Crump
Frank Cruz
Robert W. Decherd
Barry Diller
William Duhamel
Robert D. Glaser
James Fletcher Goodmon

Paul A. LaCamera
Richard Masur
Newton Minow
Jose Luis Ruiz
Shelby Scott
Gigi B. Sohn
Karen Peltz Strauss
Cass Sunstein
Louis Jean White
James Yee

Internet Resources
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, a part of the Department of Commerce which is providing support for the Advisory Committee, has a special website devoted to presenting information about the committee's progress.

The Benton Foundation
Maintains a page on the "debate on the future of television."

"We can make our most powerfully effective medium a powerful force for expanding democracy. Free TV time [as part of Broadcasters' public interest obligations] can help free our democracy from the grip of big money....That's the least we can ask of broadcasters, who are given access to the public airwaves worth billions of dollars at no cost, with only the requirement that they meet a basic public obligation."

-- President William Jefferson Clinton

Media Access Project
950 18th Street, NW, Suite 220
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 232-4300

This page last modified 8/24/00.