Apsattv
26-12-2007, 11:13 PM
From http://www.pennlive.com/business/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/business/1198537813265320.xml&coll=1
WASHINGTON - On Feb. 17, 2009, millions of analog, over-the-air TVs, the old-school technology that brought you Ed Sullivan and Edward R. Murrow, Archie Bunker, Apollo liftoffs and Mr. T, will go dark by government decree.
That much is certain. What happens next is a big unknown, and the uncertainty has nervous lawmakers, broadcast executives and regulators scrambling to make sure the intense bonds between TVs and their owners are not broken.
Glossy, multimillion-dollar campaigns are planned to educate people about the transition to an all-digital signal and to explain the steps needed to maintain service. The federal government will spend $1.5 billion to provide $40 coupons to viewers who need to buy converters so their old analog TVs will work. And a collection of government factions and commercial rivals are being asked to work together to coordinate and carry out the effort.
Federal officials estimate that 20 percent of households get their TV signals over the air. That translates to 45 million sets. And 28 million more reside in homes that have at least one other TV hooked up to cable or satellite service.
If all goes as planned, those 73 million or so TVs' signals will transition seamlessly to a digital age. But to make that happen, the analog-only TVs will have to be hooked to converter boxes or tied into cable or satellite systems that convert the digital signal back to analog. Or viewers can buy new digital-ready TVs.
It's a lot of information to absorb and process for people accustomed to turning a single switch and watching their TVs spring to life. And that is where the worrying begins. If TVs suddenly go dark, millions of viewers will be looking for someone to blame. "You will have a disaster on Feb. 18, 2009, and people will be screaming ... at us," said Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii.
Much of the concern is directed at the coupon program, which officials say is critical to a successful transition. The program is operated by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, an arm of the Commerce Department.
Beginning Jan. 1, the NTIA will begin accepting applications for $40 coupons that can be used to defray the cost of conversion boxes. The coupon program is not based on ability to pay, officials said, only the need for a converter. Each household can claim up to two coupons, and the subsidy must be used to buy boxes. The converters are expected to be on the market next year and cost between $50 and $70. According to the NTIA, however, coupons must be redeemed within three months of receipt and cannot be combined to purchase a single converter box.
In August, the agency awarded a $119 million contract to IBM to administer the program. The government also collected promises from Radio Shack and Best Buy to sell converters and honor the coupons.
Few independent analysts say the all-digital service will arrive quietly in 2009 as required by the legislation President Bush signed into law last year. Some are calling it the biggest technological challenge since Y2K.
A major concern is that people who predominantly rely on free, over-the-air TV -- the elderly, the poor, those living in rural areas and immigrants -- might not be aware of the change and what they must do to retain service. "Those of us in rural areas will be begging for someone to tell us what the hell is going on," said Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska.
A study conducted by the Association for Public Television Stations determined that 61 percent of over-the-air households have "no idea" the DTV transition is taking place.
The feds insist they are paying special attention to those populations and taking steps to keep nonconforming equipment out of the marketplace.
Since March, TV manufacturers have been required to equip all new sets with digital tuners, and retailers are required to attach "customer alerts" to unsold analog TVs. The FCC has sent hundreds of warning letters to retailers that failed to display the disclosures clearly.
Other government agencies and private groups, including AARP, have set up Web sites to publicize the change. Broadcasters are launching a $697 million effort that includes public service announcements, a speakers bureau, bus tours and billboards. The cable industry, which is the broadcasters' fiercest rival, promises to spend $200 million in a separate campaign. Some ads are already running, but consumer advocates say the ads encourage people to buy cable or new products and don't always explain the full range of options.
WASHINGTON - On Feb. 17, 2009, millions of analog, over-the-air TVs, the old-school technology that brought you Ed Sullivan and Edward R. Murrow, Archie Bunker, Apollo liftoffs and Mr. T, will go dark by government decree.
That much is certain. What happens next is a big unknown, and the uncertainty has nervous lawmakers, broadcast executives and regulators scrambling to make sure the intense bonds between TVs and their owners are not broken.
Glossy, multimillion-dollar campaigns are planned to educate people about the transition to an all-digital signal and to explain the steps needed to maintain service. The federal government will spend $1.5 billion to provide $40 coupons to viewers who need to buy converters so their old analog TVs will work. And a collection of government factions and commercial rivals are being asked to work together to coordinate and carry out the effort.
Federal officials estimate that 20 percent of households get their TV signals over the air. That translates to 45 million sets. And 28 million more reside in homes that have at least one other TV hooked up to cable or satellite service.
If all goes as planned, those 73 million or so TVs' signals will transition seamlessly to a digital age. But to make that happen, the analog-only TVs will have to be hooked to converter boxes or tied into cable or satellite systems that convert the digital signal back to analog. Or viewers can buy new digital-ready TVs.
It's a lot of information to absorb and process for people accustomed to turning a single switch and watching their TVs spring to life. And that is where the worrying begins. If TVs suddenly go dark, millions of viewers will be looking for someone to blame. "You will have a disaster on Feb. 18, 2009, and people will be screaming ... at us," said Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii.
Much of the concern is directed at the coupon program, which officials say is critical to a successful transition. The program is operated by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, an arm of the Commerce Department.
Beginning Jan. 1, the NTIA will begin accepting applications for $40 coupons that can be used to defray the cost of conversion boxes. The coupon program is not based on ability to pay, officials said, only the need for a converter. Each household can claim up to two coupons, and the subsidy must be used to buy boxes. The converters are expected to be on the market next year and cost between $50 and $70. According to the NTIA, however, coupons must be redeemed within three months of receipt and cannot be combined to purchase a single converter box.
In August, the agency awarded a $119 million contract to IBM to administer the program. The government also collected promises from Radio Shack and Best Buy to sell converters and honor the coupons.
Few independent analysts say the all-digital service will arrive quietly in 2009 as required by the legislation President Bush signed into law last year. Some are calling it the biggest technological challenge since Y2K.
A major concern is that people who predominantly rely on free, over-the-air TV -- the elderly, the poor, those living in rural areas and immigrants -- might not be aware of the change and what they must do to retain service. "Those of us in rural areas will be begging for someone to tell us what the hell is going on," said Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska.
A study conducted by the Association for Public Television Stations determined that 61 percent of over-the-air households have "no idea" the DTV transition is taking place.
The feds insist they are paying special attention to those populations and taking steps to keep nonconforming equipment out of the marketplace.
Since March, TV manufacturers have been required to equip all new sets with digital tuners, and retailers are required to attach "customer alerts" to unsold analog TVs. The FCC has sent hundreds of warning letters to retailers that failed to display the disclosures clearly.
Other government agencies and private groups, including AARP, have set up Web sites to publicize the change. Broadcasters are launching a $697 million effort that includes public service announcements, a speakers bureau, bus tours and billboards. The cable industry, which is the broadcasters' fiercest rival, promises to spend $200 million in a separate campaign. Some ads are already running, but consumer advocates say the ads encourage people to buy cable or new products and don't always explain the full range of options.