Congress Decides on Digital Transition "Resolution"

Looks like Congress will (i) pass a resolution urging complete broadcast transfer from analog to digital by end of '06 and (ii) dropping Senate provision requiring FCC to decide on digital multicast must-carry by end of this month.

With FCC Chairman Powell looking to back-off from any end-date requirement and Congress moving to resolution rather than statute, the deadline (end of '08, end of ;09) may yet be more open-ended than some would like. But the myriad issues of costs, multi-casting, etc., are real enough and can't be resolved solely through government mandate.