Reps. John D. Dingell (D-Mich.), chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, and Edward Markey (D-Mass.), chairman of Telecommunications and the Internet Subcommittee, Thursday sent a letter to the FCC urging it to submit to Congress its plan for educating the public about the upcoming digital television transition that will take effect on Feb. 17, 2009.

The chairmen requested the plan by June 11.

The abandoned analog broadcast spectrum will be made available to enhance public safety communications and offer consumers an array of new wireless broadband services.

However, as a result of the digital television transition, American consumers with analog over-the-air television sets will have to do one of the following in order to continue receiving a television signal:  purchase a digital television, subscribe to pay television service or purchase equipment to convert the new digital signal to analog.

Dingell and Markey said that without adequate consumer education, millions of consumers may see their analog TV sets go dark.

The chairmen noted that the FCC is the lead agency for educating consumers about the digital television transition and instructed the agency to immediately implement a national consumer education campaign using its extensive resources and expertise.

In doing so, the chairmen expressed additional concerns over the FCC's lack of progress in educating consumers about the transition by highlighting the following:

“Lack of focus on consumer education at the federal level is jeopardizing the digital television transition. The FCC has no comprehensive plan for consumer education and has requested only an additional $1.5 million from Congress to educate 300 million Americans; by contrast, Berlin, Germany, spent $984,000 to educate 3 million consumers about a similar transition.

“Given that the FCC has requested very little funding for consumer education, it must rely on existing authorities to educate consumers.” The letter suggests several initiatives the commission could take using its existing authorities, including requiring broadcasters to air public service announcements, cable and satellite television operators to include educational bill stuffers, and consumer electronics manufacturers to include information about the DTV transition with television receivers and related devices.

They added that the FCC could also educate consumers by collaborating with state and local governments and Congress, by publishing information on its Web site, and by working with other interested stakeholders.

A copy of the letter can be read here.