THAT Corp. Calls for Full-Disclosure Labeling about Lack of Built-in Stereo Sound for Americans Relying on NTIA Subsidy Program
July 25, 2007, Washington, DC – In a letter addressed to the Assistant Secretary for Communication and Information at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce, THAT Corporation Chief Executive Officer Leslie Tyler called for full disclosure in the form of prominent labeling of the capabilities and more importantly-the limitations-of the hotly anticipated digital television transition (DTV) converter boxes. Under the current NTIA converter box specifications, stereo sound, also known as BTSC, is optional and will only be included at the discretion of individual manufacturers. In fact, based on these specifications, the DTV transition could result in a degraded television viewing experience for as many as 75 million Americans who will likely rely on the converter boxes to receive digital signals starting in February 2009.
