*** Americans for Better Digital TV
Getting TV on your computer has become a political cause.
Americans for Better Digital TV, a newly formed coalition of computer and
entertainment industry organizations seeks to defeat Grand Alliance's
HDTV proposal pending FCC approval and replace it with a progressive scan
system. WAVE readers (WAVE#603) will recognize this group as an outgrowth
of previous lobbying efforts by these groups to defeat HDTV.
Bill Gates states Microsoft's reasons for joining the group: "The
standard being considered by the FCC would stand in the way of future
innovation and force consumers to use inferior technology over time. If
this standard is approved, it will be a roadblock to the convergence of
the television and the PC. This standard would slow down the progress
toward the digital future, where consumers will be able to watch
television on their PCs or access the Internet from their TVs."
The coalition claims the proposed HDTV standards "could cost American
consumers more than $91 billion, limit consumer choice, undermine U.S.
industry and lock in obsolete technology."
Coalition members include the Directors Guild of America, the Computer
Industry Coalition on Advanced Television Service, the Media Access
Project, the International Photographers Guild, Local 600, AFL-CIO, the
American Society of Cinematographers, Digital Theater Systems, LP, the
Todd-AO Corporation, Panavision International, LP, the American
Homeowners Foundation, the Computing Technology Industry Association, the
Business Software Alliance Compaq, Apple, Intel, and Microsoft.
Among the Hollywood leaders supporting Americans for Better Digital TV
are Steven Spielberg, Clint Eastwood, Arthur Hiller, Martin Scorsese,
Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman and Robert Zemekis.
Contact: http://www.dga.org/dga
Wave Issue 9604 8/2/96 Article 8-01