100-Day Countdown to the DTV Transition
Feature Story by Joshua Worger - 11/13/2008
On November 10, civil rights advocates joined government officials and broadcast industry representatives in a press conference to mark 100 days until most television stations will stop broadcasting in analog and switch to digital.
The digital television transition will occur on February 17, 2009. A key part of the transition, the TV Converter Box Coupon Program, was created to help offset the cost of the transition for Americans. Under this government program, households can request up to two $40 coupons toward the purchase of DTV converter boxes that will allow analog televisions to receive digital signals.
But according to David Rehr, president and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters, one of the biggest problems with the program is that many households will apply very late - possibly too late - for coupons. As there are only a limited number of coupons available, many of those households may find themselves without a coupon.
With more than 34 million coupons requested so far, Department of Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez said that people need to apply now "in order to make sure to get one."
James Assey, executive vice president of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, said that many people are waiting too long to make sure their TVs work properly with their converter boxes. Since many television stations are already broadcasting digital signals, speakers said it made sense now, before the transition occurs, for viewers to test their boxes.
Civil rights groups are particularly concerned about seniors, people with disabilities, minorities, and people with fixed incomes, all of whom are likely to be hardest hit by the transition. Bill Novelli, CEO of AARP, spoke about the unique challenges faced by seniors, many of whom cannot leave their homes on their own and do not have access to the internet, and thus rely on television as a "lifeline" to the greater world.
Mark Lloyd, vice president for strategic initiatives at the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, said there will be millions of people who are not able to watch TV when they turn on their TV sets on February 17, 2009.
"The government still has no plan in place to rapidly assist those who, for whatever reason, wake up and discover that their over-the-air television service has vanished," said Lloyd.
Lloyd said, "It is critical that we plan now for how we rapidly respond to the inevitable problems that will come. This is why we are recommending to the new Obama administration that DTV rapid response be among its highest priorities."
