The joint broadcast-cable industry Coordination Reference Handbook for the digital television (DTV) transition has been released.

Through the leadership of David Donovan, president of the Association for Maximum Service Television (MSTV), and in coordination with the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA), the American Cable Association, the National Cable Television Cooperative, Inc., and the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers, our industries have come together to ensure there is full and timely coordination in the final months of the digital television transition.

The handbook is designed to provide general background information concerning the broadcast industry's transition to digital television. It includes a technical and operational checklist to assist television broadcasters and cable operators in preparing for coordination efforts to help facilitate the digital transition, and prepare for carriage of digital broadcast signals post- transition.

We encourage all stations to use the checklist, as it serves as a tool for sharing information that is necessary to help with the transition process. Once completed, the checklist should be exchanged between cable operators and broadcasters in the local market.

We also encourage television stations and cable operators to begin coordination discussions immediately.

Finally, broadcasters have coordinated with satellite operators. The satellite technical checklist has been developed to assist in broadcast-satellite coordination and a market-by-market schedule has been established by the satellite operators. We will apprise you of any updates to the schedule.

Should you have any questions, please call Lynn Claudy at (202) 429-5340, lclaudy@nab.org or Kelly Williams at (202) 429-5337, kwilliams@nab.org in NAB's Science and Technology department.