FCC Chief Seeks Fines for DTV Violations

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin has indicated that the commission is working on an order that would propose 24 fines aimed at nearly all the largest American consumer electronics retailers and manufacturers for alleged DTV violations.

On March 20, when Martin mentioned the pending order, he said by the FCC’s next meeting on April 10 (with no formal agenda posted yet online) he hoped to have the three votes necessary to issue the order that would cite Circuit City, Best Buy, Sears, CompUSA, Target, Toys R Us and the largest retailer of them all—Wal-Mart—for alleged failure to properly label analog-only devices to adequately warn consumers of the digital switch pending in February 2009.

Manufacturers also facing fines in Martin’s pending order (for alleged V-Chip violations) would include: LG, Audiovox, Sanyo, Westinghouse, Panasonic, Philips and Polaroid. No fine amounts have yet been disclosed.