Chairman Ed Markey’s opening statement during the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet’s “Hearing on the Digital Future of the U.S.: the Future of Video”:
"Good Morning. Today we have an all-star line-up to help the Subcommittee learn about the next topic in our series of oversight hearings on the Digital Future of the United States. Today we focus on the future of video.
"We have already had a few hearings that addressed the topic of the transition of free over-the-air broadcast television to digital technology. Twenty years ago, I chaired the 1st hearing on high definition television in this Subcommittee, so this transition has been a long time coming. But now we can see a light at the end of the tunnel, (or rather, at the end of the tuner), and our hope is that if we plan comprehensively, and the relevant agencies work diligently, the broadcasting industry can switch over in February 2009 to full digital service.
"Today the Subcommittee will explore the future of video more broadly. This inquiry will run the gamut -- from high resolution, high definition digital on big screens to digital wireless video services on mobile gadgets and finally, to the video services and technologies enhanced by a high speed, open architecture Internet. It is a future characterized by services that may compete with the movies or traditional television, as well as by services and technologies that will complement the video experience consumers have been used to for years.
"New technologies such as TiVo and the Slingbox are fascinating technologies that help to make consumers the masters of their video universe – no longer tethered to the networks’ time-schedules, or the physical space of the living room. Moreover, broadband wireless technologies will give consumers even greater chances to have video “on the go” as they roam. These technologies often supplement efforts by existing TV networks and content creators themselves to find other apertures and distribution mechanisms for their video content. And our inquiry today will examine how the explosion of video services and technologies affect consumers as well as existing business practices, rules, and regulations.
"All of this is happening at a breathtaking pace. For instance, two years ago, in January of 2005, YouTube didn’t even exist. Today, there are 100 million downloads per day on the site. The openness of the broadband Internet helps to ensure that innovation can continue to drive opportunity, entrepreneurial investment, and economic growth in this area.
"The fact that today any consumer can be a programmer and get their video content up on the Net is changing the way consumers view the Web, their creative opportunities and how politicians run for President. Last December, Time Magazine named “You” as the “Person of the Year” in a salute to consumer-generated media.
"In that spirit, today we are going to film a brief clip that we’ll put up on YouTube later today."
