dtv -- $350,000 for 3 NASCAR Races

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From:
Date: October 17, 2008 3:26:47 PM EDT
To: dave () farber net
Subject: Please Post Anonymously -- For IP, If You Like

Is this a worthy use of our taxes?  $350,000 for 3 NASCAR Races.  What  
could the FCC put on the hood of a racecar or on a driver's suit that  
people would see and be informed about the DTV transition.  At $40 per  
DTV converter box (though the $40 ones are hard to find), the FCC  
could have done a DTV converter give-away of 8,750 of the boxes, which  
may provide more publicity than this would seem to.

NASCAR Driver To Promote DTV Transition No. 38 Car Will Remind Viewers  
of February DTV Deadline By Ted Hearn -- Multichannel News, 10/16/2008  
5:10:00 PM

Washington—Middle-of-the-pack NASCAR driver David Gilliland has agreed  
to use his No. 38 car as a high-speed billboard promoting the February  
2009 national transition to digital television, the Federal  
Communications Commission announced Thursday.

The FCC—which just received $20 million from Congress to fund DTV  
education efforts—said it agreed to pay $350,000 to ensure that  
Gilliland's driving suit and Ford racer hood promoted the Feb. 17,  
2009 federally mandated migration from analog to digital broadcast TV.

The FCC received a $100,000 government discount on the deal, an agency  
spokesman said.

"I believe this sponsorship is an extremely effective way for the FCC  
to raise DTV awareness among people of all ages and income levels  
across the United States who loyally follow one of the most popular  
sports in America," FCC chairman Kevin Martin said in a statement.

Gilliland, participating in the Sprint Cup Series, will race the FCC  
DTV sponsorship car in three upcoming events: Oct. 19 in Martinsville,  
Va.; Nov. 9 at Phoenix National Raceway; and Nov. 16 at Homestead- 
Miami Speedway.

"I'm flattered that the FCC chose our No. 38 Ford to help them convey  
the message about the upcoming digital television transition taking  
place next year," Gilliland said in the same statement. "I am honored  
to help promote the Digital TV Transition messaging."
According to the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing  
(NASCAR) Web site, Gilliland is 27th in the standings, earning $3.1  
million in 31 starts. In 2008, he has recorded one top-5 and two  
top-10 finishes, with no speedway victories.

On its Web site, NASCAR claims its auto racing "is the No. 1 spectator  
sport—holding 17 of the top 20 highest-attended sporting events in the  
U..S., and is the No. 2-rated regular season sport on television."

It's not clear how much TV time Gilliland's car will get if he's not  
in the front of the pack. The FCC didn't discuss alternatives if  
Gilliland wrecks his car or is injured and can't drive.



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