More DTV Doings

NTIA head John Kneuer isn’t in favor of creating one unified message for consumers about the DTV transition as some have suggested. There’s no policy where a “regulator dictates to an industry participant that this is the explicit public communication message you need to do,” Kneuer said during an interview with C-SPAN’s “The Communicators” (airs Sat, 9/29 at 6:30pm ET on C-SPAN and on C-SPAN2, Mon at 8am and 8pm ET). He believes there are benefits in the current approach, pointing to cable’s $200mln PSA campaign. If the industry had to get regulatory approval for each spot, maybe they wouldn’t make that voluntary commitment, he said. His take: different messages should be given because consumers have a choice to make. “I’m not remotely surprised that the cable industry would tout the fact that if you’re hooked up to cable, we’re going to manage this transition for you,” Kneuer said. Broadcasters may opt to say that over-the-air is the best experience and encourage consumers to “cut the cord to cable,” he added.