Ensign Satellite TV Bill: Did you contact your Senator?

[dallas_axelrod]

On Thursday morning, the Senate Commerce Committee will be voting on the Ensign Satellite TV Bill which would allow eligible satellite TV subscribers to receive an HD feed of ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX. To prevent the broadcasters from killing the bill, we need everyone to contact their U.S. Senator in support of the bill. You can call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121, and ask to be connected to your Senator's office.

The following members of the Senate Commerce Committee are most important:

Sen. John McCain, Chairman (R-AZ); Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK); Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA); Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL); Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI); Sen. Peter G. Fitzgerald (R-IL); Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS); Sen. John B. Breaux (R-LA); Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME); Sen. John F. Kerry (D-MA); Sen. Trent Lott (R-MS); Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT); Sen. John Ensign (R-NV); Sen. John Sununu (R-NH); Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ); Sen. Byron L. Dorgan (D-ND);
Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR); Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR); Sen. Ernest F. Hollings (D-SC); Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX); Sen. George Allen (R-VA); Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA); Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV (D-WV)

[gor88]

I filled in an online form on both Senators websites this morning, asking them to support the bill. Although I can't afford to upgrade to HD, I want to make sure and support those who do and force the hand of the broadcasters that are dragging their feet.

One of my senators is Trent Lott, so it's good to know that he is on the committee. He now has at least one Mississippian contact him about the bill. The senator's office is known for listening to and helping out consituents, so hopefully this bill will pass.

[Mark Lamutt]

Neither of my senators are on the committee.

[waltinvt]

I called both my Vermont senators today and sent personalized emails yesterday. I even called the senator for NH since I live right on the border.

The above number makes it easy to call and I got through right away on all 3 calls.

[waltinvt]

Neither of my senators are on the committee.
I think it's ok to call one of them even if you're not a constiuent. They seem receptive to getting general feedback.

This type of legislation will have a positive affect on ALL HD viewers, whether it's satellite, cable or OTA.

The more venues HD is made available on, the more people will be watching it. The more viewership grows, the more providers competeing for that viewership will be likely to improve quanity and quality of HD. The more that happens, the more equipment will be sold. The more equipment is sold the lower prices will go. The more.......................

The industry is just waiting for that push and this could be the catylyst that gets the ball into high gear and that helps all of us.

WaltinVt

[Intrepidguy]

If someone will answer the FIRST thread you put up.........I posted a question on that one that has NOT been answered.

I prepared a piece for the paper. I need to know if it makes sense to put it in "my" local paper. Please let me know so it all will not be for naught.

[RichW]

Note the Conrad Burns (R-MT) was a broadcaster himself and may be a tough nut on this issue. He has very close ties with the NAB. Both of my Senators are on the committee and know how I feel. Unfortunately I think they will vote opposite of each other.

[waltinvt]

Note the Conrad Burns (R-MT) was a broadcaster himself and may be a tough nut on this issue. He has very close ties with the NAB. Both of my Senators are on the committee and know how I feel. Unfortunately I think they will vote opposite of each other.
Keep in mind that they all know that no new legislation is probably not an option since if they let the current SHVIA regs expire on Dec-31 '04, they'd probably have complete chaos. But then again a lot of things are in complete chaos these days, so who knows :-(.
I still think they'll all reach some sort of compromise and pass something this session.
WaltinVt

[waltinvt]

If someone will answer the FIRST thread you put up.........I posted a question on that one that has NOT been answered.

I prepared a piece for the paper. I need to know if it makes sense to put it in "my" local paper. Please let me know so it all will not be for naught.
If you're talking to me, will you please repeat whatever your question was.

WaltinVt

[DBSPaul]

Neither of my senators are on the committee.

Yeah, and it does us little good since any new legislation would go into effect next year, so by then it would just be a number of months until the Lookout Mountain tower is up. The situation in the Denver DMA is a joke (and I know you've worked hard on the issue, Mark), but I've heard of places much worse. Those are the people this kind of "out-of-market" HDTV would help most.

CBS in essence already is allowing exactly what this part of the bill is proposing in any area which is served by a CBS owned&operated affiliate that doesn't have their act together in terms of HD broadcasting by allowing CBS-HD-E or CBS-HD-W to be delivered via satellite. Those of you who do contact your Senators who sit on this committee might want to mention that.

[Jacob S]

After Dish Network called me today I decided that if it was that important that I would do so and I also emailed them. I figured if Dish Network took the time and expense to call me then I can take the time and expense to call my senator.