Obama spokesman says digital TV delay expected

Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said today that the White House expects a bill delaying the transition to digital television to pass the House, which failed to pass it this week under an expedited procedure that required a two-thirds vote. The House is expected to vote Tuesday under normal procedures.

“We anticipate that the House will pass a delay on DTV to June 12,” Gibbs said at today's White House press briefing. “If that gets to the president's desk, and when that happens, the president will sign that delay into law so that we might undergo a little bit better planning process to ensure no interruption for people with televisions.”

Ira Teinowitz of TV Week notes, "As president-elect, Mr. Obama and his transition team had urged Congress to delay the DTV changeover from Feb. 17." (Read more) The Senate passed a delay without dissent, but Republicans blocked passage of the bill in the House.