At Obama’s request, law to delay DTV transition underway
January 14th, 2009, 2:15 am · 21 Comments · posted by Tamara Chuang, a.k.a. The Gadgetress
After Barack Obama asked key lawmakers last week to delay the digital TV transition, new legislation in support of the president elect could be introduced as early as this week, despite dismay from major digital TV organizations.
West Virginia Sen. Jay Rockefeller, who became chairman of the Senate’s Commerce committee this month, has taken the lead in crafting legislation with fellow politicians in the Senate and House. According to an aide to Rockefeller, the committees are working on delaying the transition for a period of time and “fixing” the coupon problem.
For those tuning in… TV channels will switch to all-digital broadcasts after Feb. 17. Viewers who don’t have a digital TV or digital service will most likely see a blank screen (some stations will continue to air DTV transition tips over analog airwaves). The cheapest option for analog TV viewers is to purchase digital converter boxes, which start at $40. A government-funded coupon program, which allotted two $40 coupons per household, has been tapped dry; a waiting list began earlier this month. Obama has asked that more money be added to the coupon fund.
“Their hope is to file some legislation this week,” said a Rockefeller aide.
If a delay is approved, it won’t be the first time. The original deadline was December 2006. A delay would give analog TV viewers more time to convert their TVs to digital. On the other hand, it also would give them more time to procrastinate.
The Federal Communications Commission isn’t in favor of a delay because it could cause confusion among consumers. Readers of the The Consumerist aren’t fans either. One commenter points out ”…if they do delay it again, what’s going to get people motivated to get their new converter boxes? The deadline will just keep getting pushed back. Until Analog is shut down, most places won’t turn up their digital equipment to full power.”
The National Association of Broadcasters, which has aggressively promoted the digital TV transition to consumers for the past year, feels the nation is ready.
“NAB and broadcasters nationwide are committed to being ready by Feb. 17 and strongly support a solution that would enable the government to continue making converter box coupons available to consumers who rely on free television,” NAB Executive Vice President Dennis Wharton said in a statement.
Of course, consumers can still buy a converter box without the $40 coupon. They just won’t get the government-funded discount.
Back in 2007, NAB estimated that the DTV transition would affect 19.6 million households who rely solely on over-the-air TV signals. But it would also affect 14.9 million people who have a mix of analog TVs and a paid service or digital TV at home. But those numbers are nearly two years old.
The most recent figures come from The Nielsen Company, the TV research company. By December 2008, Nielsen reported that 6.8 percent or about 7.8 million households would have no working television after Feb. 17.
However, the Orange County/Los Angeles market is “somewhat less prepared than the nation as a whole,” said Anne Kissel Elliot, Nielsen’s vice president of communications.
Nielsen estimates that as of December 9.5 percent of the 5,654,260 total TV households here are completely unprepared.
“That means that in the Los Angeles area there are approximately 535,000 households that would not be able to get a TV signal. These households do not have a digital television, converter box or cable or satellite service,” Elliot said.
Related stories from the web:
FCC Says No to Obama’s DTV Transition (Tom’s Hardware)
What Would Pushing Back The Digital TV Transition Mean? (TechDirt)
Do we have a 700 MHz problem? (Telephony Unfiltered blog)
AT&T, Verizon Disagree Over Digital TV Delay (Dow Jones)
New Internet services may get postponed if digital-TV shift delayed (Dow Jones)
All digital TV? Please stand by (LA Times)
More on the digital TV transition at gadgetress.freedomblogging.com/dtv/
- Guide to the 2009 Digital TV transition (Gadgetress)
- Dish welcomes digital TV transition with $9.99 deal
- Waiting list begins for Digital TV converter coupons
- How to install that digital converter box
- Digital TV coupons now available to more users
- Amazon starts selling converter boxes
- Most digital-TV coupons expire before being used
- Portable TVs will fade away after February
- Tax discount on digital TV converters bought with coupons
- 23 reviews of digital converter boxes
- Questions about Digital TV and the February deadline?
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If you couldn’t save up $40 bucks in the past how many months that you have known about the transition, then you have far bigger problems than not being able to watch tv.
The reason why there is a problem with the coupons is because of fraud. People who would afford the boxes got coupons instead so all of us could buy the converter box for them. I heard one guy on the radio who called out a cable company to install cable in his house, and when he learned he couldn’t get it, he went and got a government coupon to buy his converter box. He had no issues with paying Comcast, but suddenly couldn’t afford a converter box. Please.
Who cares – uber poor people who can’t afford it, just don’t get TV. Big deal, there are worse things in this world.
Another Freebie from obama to the useless lazy people. $40.00
Give me a break !!
Why the big issue with this? People have known about this “digital switch” for quite some time now. Another delay will—as the article mentions—just give people an excuse to procrastinate. And, I’m not quite understanding why this issue is being framed as some sort of a life or death situation—as though if people’s television service is interrupted their lives are going to fall apart. It’s ONLY television. The complaint that poor or elderly people won’t have access to the news is bogus. Radio is still free and radio news stations are typically more current on breaking news than television broadcasters.
I would think people would look on this as an opportunity to break free of the bondage to television. Lost your signal because you’re not digitally ready? Instead of curling up in fetal position, get up off the couch, get out, and get some exercise!
thanks Commander in Chief for tackling such an important issue
Not even in office and Obama is already acting like a Moron. Here we go. What a terrible 4 years it’s going to be for this country.
You have got to be kidding me.
Lauren and PG are totally right. And isn’t there something better we can do with the money it will cost to push the start date back yet again? This is so ridiculous – there was a time, not too long ago, when TV didn’t exist at all. Like driving, it is a privilege, not a right. And who’s to say at least some of those 535,000 people in the LA area just plain don’t want TV anymore? When I used to sell fiber optic TV, I came across an astounding number of people using analog TV who were either going to get their converter box (well ahead of time, whether it cost them money or not) or just forego TV altogether.
I think Obama’s time would be much better spent worrying about the rising unemployment rate, credit crunch, starving children in our own country, gang violence…there are so many more important problems in our country and world that he really shouldn’t be wasting his time on TV! (At least that’s the lesson my mother taught me when I was avoiding my homework by watching TV.)
This is what happens when lawyers are elected to run the country. Look at the democratic party and see what most of them have their degrees in (hint: Law).
Socialism is starting already! Why the heck is the government basically giving out free money? The state is broke and already possibly issuing I.O.U’s on tax returns.
I’m sure there’s got to be a program through the cable companies which allows those in true poverty to get a discount on cable. Basic cable without the all the extras is reasonable enough (oxy-moron). At least you can watch the same programs as they would with their antenna!
Stop mooching off the government, i.e., taxpayers and cough up the $40.
The sky is falling! The sky is falling!…….
Thank you Pres-Elect. Your first major decision!!!!
The Gov. should not be funding any of this. The quality of this signal is _rap. Worse than the Analog signal we received. I will not be bullied into buying cable or satelite TV. They are slowly, insuring that everthing in life is fee base. Our time is spent on more worthy and interesting things versus the fake junk on TV. Wake up everyone. Go out and exersise,, get a second job, and pay off your debt. Go to the library or park with your children. Or maybe stop buying your beer, cigs, everyweek, then you could pay off your debt, then maybe afford cable.
Can you believe people actually watch stuff like the Golden Globe Awards. It’s an awards ceremony, the average citizen had nothing to do with, but the want to make sure america is watching. Ceremony and recognition is great, but just think how many people are glued to this becuase TV rocked their world.
Same goes for Professional Sports, why would you consider paying 45 dollars for a nose bleed seat at a Hockey areana? Protest, just don’t support. Well that was a rant!!!
SCBeachgoer, you are right; there are programs through the various cable companies that allow senior citizens, low-income households and the like to have limited cable channels for a very low rate. They’re shockingly cheap!
So many people waited until the last minute to request the coupon. We shouldn’t delay the transition for the procrastinators.
If the problem is due to the lack of funds, I’m sure the government could fund the program NOW by using the bail out money for a quick fix. Once congress has time to pass the next trillion spending bill they can reimburse the bail out fund.
Time to send a email to my congress man.
I hooked up one of those digital converters and I now get 2 channels
use to get 2-13 and and 60% of UHF
But off rabbit ears digital is crap! and my apartment wont let me put up an outside antenna or satellite dish (and Time Warner is expensive crap!)
So I will loose all but KNBC when they turn the analog off!
How about Mr Obama force my apartment to put up an antenna or get very basic cable for a few dollars a month!
>The National Association of Broadcasters, which has aggressively promoted the digital TV transition to consumers for the past year, feels the nation is ready<
So if NAB is wrong will they pay for free cable for me and millions of others?
SurfCity,
Hey, racist, why don’t you use your real name??
Someone please tell me this is a joke… Actually someone please wake me up from this nightmare!
SurfCity: You are a disgrace to the human race! It is the United States of America, the the United States of YOU!
What a joke !
Don’t worry, everything will be fixed in 6 days. Yeah right !!!
have another cigg…………………….
If someone’s TV stops working, how are they going to know who to vote for?
arent there supposed to be more channels with the box than what antenna had? And why is everyone so dang racist? Get over it people if you cannot afford cable then request the 40$ coupon if you cannot afford to send a request GET A JOB! Thanks