Comments on: Campaign to delay DTV transition gets a boost

Senate Republicans are now backing a bill that would delay the transition from analog to digital TV until June of this year.

[DavidH305]

Too many correspondents impute stupidity or poor character to those who aren't ready for the transition.
In case these quick-to-judge folks forgot, we are in the second great depression.
There are millions of people who have lost some or all their household income, and barely have enough to cover their rent and electric bill. Extras like cable and converter boxes had to wait or be done without.
For reasons that might have never occurred to the well-paid and well-fed, and in many cases through no fault of their own, lots of folks -- particularly lots of elderly -- have the prospect of losing their main or only means of entertainment. The economic conditions when the deadline was announced no longer prevail. It is sensible to adjust to those changed conditions.
The dirty secret about dtv is that the reception radius is dramatically shorter than analog. I live on the periphery of a major metro area: West Kendall, southwest of Miami. I'm just 10 miles from one major station, but about 40 miles from the others. I can get most of them off the air in my apartment with analog, but not with digital; even though I'm on the third floor, the building does not have a functioning roof antenna, and would not look kindly on me installing my own. I can afford cable right now, but I couldn't 13 months ago and very likely won't 5 months from now. When I have them cut the cable, I'll receive one station -- instead of the eight I got in '07. (Not counting the Spanish stations.) If I do get permission to install a roof antenna, my costs for the transition will be a lot more than a mere converter box -- at virtually no improvement to me.
The switchover is just fine for the comfortably middle-class. If their over-the-air reception suddenly tanks, they have options. But for those of limited means, including the elderly, the underclass and the newly poor, the switchover may take away a lot.
Canada and Mexico are also transitioning, but will do so over a much longer period: Canada in 2011, and Mexico in 2021. Bush's poor economic stewardship has come home to roost. It would make more sense to delay in sync with Canada.
Peace and love,
David