Digital TV vote delayed; Republicans question flexibility on switch, warning of interference

The U.S. House of Representatives will vote Wednesday on the bill to delay the transition to digital TV, not Tuesday, House Democratic leadership aides told TV Week.

The bill, which the Senate passed without dissent, would delay the mandatory switch to June 12 from Feb. 17. It gained a majority in the House last week, but not the two-thirds needed to pass it under expedited procedures.

Republicans, whose votes blocked the bill, "questioned reassurances given in the Senate that the legislation would allow TV stations the choice of switching early rather than waiting until June 12," reports TV Week's Ira Tenowitz. They suggested that few stations would switch early, out of fear of interference with their signals." (Read more)