By Matthew Lasar
January 09, 2009 - 07:10AM CT

Edward Markey, the outgoing Chair of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications, says that Congress should consider soon-to-be President Barack Obama's call to push back the DTV transition from its current deadline of February 17. And key Congressional Democrats, like Senators Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, say they support the idea.

Broadcasting and Cable reports that Rockefeller sent out a statement in support of the delay late Thursday. "I’ve long believed that there is too much at stake for consumers and for public safety to simply cross our fingers and hope for the best when it comes to the digital television transition," he wrote. "Millions of Americans could be left in the dark if this doesn’t go smoothly." February 17 is the last day for full-power TV stations to broadcast with analog signals.

But Markey's statement is far more ambivalent about the call. "Moving the transition date entails significant logistical challenges," he said on Thursday, although adding that "the prospect of leaving millions of consumers in the dark requires Congress to immediately consider the feasibility of the President-elect's proposal." Meanwhile the National Association of Broadcasters doesn't appear very enthusiastic about this discussion.

"The certainty created when Congress set the February 17 hard date for the DTV transition was a positive catalyst for broadcasters, manufacturers, retailers, public safety groups, consumers and the government," says NAB Vice President Dennis Wharton. "NAB and broadcasters nationwide are committed to being ready by February 17 and strongly support a solution that would enable the government to continue making converter box coupons available to consumers who rely on free television."