The transition to digital TV is not going as smoothly as some had hoped, according to some government agencies that testified to Congress earlier this week.
A report issued by the Government Accountability Office showed that nearly half of the households that could lose TV service after the transition to digital broadcasting are still unprepared for the switch.
About 84 percent of consumers were aware of the transition, but many didn't know what they had to make sure their TV service wasn't interrupted, the GAO report said. More than half of those surveyed said they were aware of the government's voucher program to subsidize the cost of converter boxes that are needed to view digital TV on older analog TVs. But about two-thirds of those people didn't know how to get a coupon.
Even consumers who won't be affected by the switch were confused, The Washington Post reported. Roughly 30 percent of those who don't actually need a converter box said they were getting ready for the transition.
The confusion is occurring despite broadcasters and cable operators airing public awareness campaigns on TV.
The vouchers, which cover $40 of the cost of the converter boxes, started being sent in February. But they expire after 90 days. The agency overseeing the program reported that more than 40 percent of the 800,000 vouchers that have already been sent out have not been redeemed. And the agency doesn't have enough money to pay for the postage to resend these vouchers.
In February 2009, TV broadcasters will vacate wireless spectrum used to broadcast analog TV signals. Instead, broadcasters will transmit digital TV signals, which use spectrum more efficiently and provide better picture quality. The transition to digital means that some older TVs, and TVs with analog-only tuners, will have to be retrofitted to tune into digital signals.
Preparation for the switch to digital TV is being closely watched since some older TVs that have not been retrofitted won't work after the analog signals stop broadcasting.
Many of the 70 million or so analog TV sets that rely on over-the-air signals belong to minorities, senior citizens, low-income individuals, and people who live in rural areas. The fear is that these individuals will not be ready for when broadcasters stop transmitting analog TV signals in February 2009.
The transition to digital TV is going smoothly for broadcasters, according to a government report issued earlier this week. But lawmakers are still worried that consumers may still be confused or unaware of the change.
In February 2009, TV broadcasters will vacate wireless spectrum used to broadcast analog TV signals. Instead, broadcasters will transmit digital TV signals, which use spectrum more efficiently and provide better picture quality. The transition to digital means that some older TVs, and TVs with analog-only tuners, will have to be retrofitted to tune into digital signals.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) report issued Tuesday said about 91 percent of the 1,122 full-power TV stations that answered their survey said they were already broadcasting a digital TV signal.
"Broadcast stations have made substantial progress in transitioning to DTV, with the vast majority already transmitting a digital signal," the GAO concluded.
But the Web site Ars Technica points out that the agency got answers from only about 66.7 percent of the 1,747 full-power TV license holders in the Federal Communications Commission's database. The article notes that "while the report's conclusions are still encouraging, the phrase 'vast majority' may be a tad overoptimistic."
The agency's study also said some stations still had technical and logistical issues to work out before the February 17, 2009, deadline for making the big switch from analog to digital broadcast.
"Some of these stations still need to order equipment, such as antennas, to build their final digital facilities. Furthermore, stations may have coordination issues to address, to complete their final digital facilities," the agency said. "Stations also need to coordinate with cable providers and satellite companies to ensure that cable and satellite facilities receive digital signals when the analog signals are turned off."
While it looks like the TV broadcasters are on track to meet the deadline, some lawmakers worry that there is still confusion about what the digital transition means to consumers.
"Far too many Americans are unaware of, or unprepared for, February 17, 2009," Senate Commerce Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-HI) said in a statement after the GAO's report was released. "It is imperative that all stakeholders in the DTV transition, both public and private, work together to ensure that local communities are fully informed and prepared for the transition, and that no consumer is left in the dark."
It's estimated that there are 70 million or so analog TV sets that rely on over-the-air signals. And because many of these TVs belong to minorities, senior citizens, low-income individuals, and people who live in rural areas, the fear is that these individuals will not be ready for when broadcasters stop transmitting analog TV signals in February 2009.
While TVs made after March 2007 will have digital tuners built-in, TVs made before then won't. This means that some folks will have to either buy a new TV or get a digital-tuner box, which will be subsidized by the government. The government is already offering vouchers to help people buy these boxes.
The National Association of Broadcasters, which has already spent millions of dollars in efforts to educate the public, has said awareness is increasing. According to a new survey by the trade organization, almost 80 percent of households with a TV have at least some knowledge of the digital transition, up from 38 percent a year ago.
Under pressure from the FCC and lawmakers, broadcasters earlier this year agreed to run at least four advertisements a week during prime-time hours, along with a 30-minute show about the transition before the February 17 deadline next year, to educate the public about the transition.
For the vast majority of Americans, analog TV sets aren't supposed to go black as part of the switch to all-digital broadcasts until February 17, 2009. But federal regulators are expected to announce Thursday that Wilmington, N.C., has volunteered to make the transition several months early as part of a last-minute test of sorts, The Wall Street Journal reports.
The waterside town of about 100,000 plans to cut off its analog broadcasting as soon as September 8, according to the Journal and confirmed by a source familiar with the matter. North Carolina is Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin's home state, but it was unclear whether that had anything to do with the test market's choice.
The FCC has scheduled a press briefing Thursday afternoon, where a formal announcement is expected to be made. An agency spokesman declined to comment further but said Martin would be answering questions about the plans at that event.
As part of the larger digital television transition, people who rely on over-the-air broadcasts will have to outfit their analog TVs with converter boxes--which the U.S. government has offered to partially subsidize--or buy new digital TVs or peripherals, such as VCRs.
Of course, residents who rely on cable or satellite for their television service won't have to worry about making any changes to their TV-watching set-ups. For more on what the switch means for you, see our FAQ.
If you buy GE's lackluster DTV converter box, are you stuck with it?
(Credit: CNET)We finally got one of our government-issued DTV converter box coupons in the mail, and one of the notices on the accompanying information sheet caught our eye:
IMPORTANT UPDATE REGARDING REFUNDS: You will not be able to receive cash or credit for the coupon amount, but you can receive cash or credit for any amount you paid out of pocket, if the store policy permits.
To be honest, that's not much of a surprise when you consider how the coupon program actually works. If consumers were able to get credit or cash for returned DTV converter boxes, unscrupulous buyers could return a DTV converter box then use the credit to purchase any piece of electronics they wanted--which is definitely not the spirit of the coupon program.
But what happens if you get your DTV converter box back and it's broken?... Read more
The Federal Communications Commission slapped heavy fines on several retailers Thursday for failing to properly label analog TVs that will have to be retrofitted next year for digital TV when broadcasters turn off their analog signals in February.
In total, the FCC levied fines of $3.9 million on big retailers such as Sears, Wal-Mart, and Best Buy. The agency also fined other companies roughly $2.7 million for violating other digital TV rules, such as shipping analog equipment and blocking technologies such as V-chip.
Sears Holding, which operates Sears and Kmart retail stores, was fined nearly $1.1 million for failing to label products properly. Wal-Mart was fined $992,000. Circuit City Stores got a $712,000 fine. Target, Best Buy, CompUSA and Fry's Electronics were all given fines as well.
In February 2009 TV broadcasters will vacate wireless spectrum used to broadcast analog TV signals. Instead broadcasters will transmit digital TV signals, which use spectrum more efficiently and provide better picture quality. The transition to digital means that some older TVs and TVs with analog-only tuners will have to be retrofitted to tune digital signals.
Most new TVs manufactured now are ready to handle digital broadcast. But there are some TVs that are being sold that only handle analog TV signals. Last May the FCC adopted a rule requiring retailers to put some kind of label or alert on analog-only products that tells consumers that it will not receive digital TV signals without a special converter box.
The rule is part of a wider effort by the FCC to provide a smooth transition for consumers. The agency has been working with broadcasters to help educate the public. And it's providing coupon vouchers for converter boxes that will allow people to use their older analog-only TVs.
For more information on the digital TV transition, check out an FAQ on CNET News.com. And if you're looking for a digital converter box, you can check out the CNET reviews of these devices.
This National Association of Broadcasters' "TV Trekker" truck is one way that broadcasters are trying to get the word out about next year's switch from analog to digital TV broadcasts.
(Credit: Anne Broache/CNET News.com)By now, you've probably seen at least one of those televised public service announcements--or maybe even read on this very Web site--about how the U.S. government is forcibly cutting off analog TV broadcasts starting next February. And if you're a cable, satellite, or Internet-based TV subscriber, you probably already know that you shouldn't have to make any changes, and if you rely on over-the-air broadcasts, you may have already requested a taxpayer-funded coupon for a converter box.
Well, it seems your elected representatives on Capitol Hill don't have a lot of faith in the ability of their constituents--particularly ones who are elderly and live in rural areas--to make whatever adjustments are necessary to keep their TV sets from going dark when that juncture arrives.
At a hearing on Tuesday afternoon, Democrats and Republicans on the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee sounded repeated alarms about the coming switch to all-digital broadcasts--and grilled the transition's top two administrators, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin and National Telecommunications and Information Administration Chief Meredith Baker, about how they can be sure the message is getting out to every nook and cranny of the country.
Some suggestions arguably verged on the impractical. Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), voiced concern about getting the word out to "those people in rural areas who rely on the (TV) system but don't pay attention to it," a notion that Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) seconded.
Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) said he is concerned about reports, which he claimed arose from a recent Washington Post article, that if people don't type in the "exact right" Web site address for the coupon program (
A number of senators said they were worried that senior citizens would be left behind, and Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), voiced concern that people living in tribal areas in his home state won't get the message.
In response to the queries, Martin and Baker outlined a familiar list of educational strategies that their agencies are employing. (FCC staffers have been going to senior centers around the country to provide information, for example.) The FCC, for its part, has also called for more frequent public service announcements during peak TV-watching hours.
They also pointed to an backed by trade associations representing consumer electronics manufacturers and retailers, the cable and broadcast industries, public television stations, and civil rights advocates. The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), which has said it will have spent $1 billion on a "multi-platform" information campaign by the time the transition occurs, has even taken to driving giant TV-shaped trucks around the country as part of its efforts.
The politicians' concerns come amid mixed evidence about how much Americans know about the switch. A survey of about 1,000 American residents conducted in late January by the advocacy group Consumers Union found that more than one third weren't aware of the government's converter box subsidy program and nearly two-thirds incorrectly believed the transition wouldn't affect them. Results of a broadcaster-commissioned survey (PDF) put out the same day found that some 79 percent were aware of the switch.
Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), the Commerce Committee's chairman, said he worried that "too many Americans remain in the dark about what the digital television transition means" and called for monthly reports from the FCC and NTIA about how things are going.
"I've just got my fingers crossed," the veteran senator said. "I hope everything turns out well."
Sorry little guy, but your days are numbered.
(Credit: Wal-Mart Stores)Editors' note: Since the publication of this story, a battery-powered DTV converter box has been released, the Winegard RCDT09A. While we'd still hold off on buying a new portable TV this year--it's better to wait for portable TVs with new digital tuners--older analog portable TVs can be used with the RCDT09A if they have a composite or RF input. For more information, read our full review of the Winegard RCDT09A.
Portable TVs can be great for camping or in case of emergency, but you're probably going to be getting ripped off if you buy one in 2008. That's because almost all portable TVs use standard analog TV signals, and those signals are going to get turned off on February 17, 2009. And even though these TVs are just about obsolete, you can still buy them at places like Target, Wal-mart Stores, and Amazon. Some of the pages have warnings about the impending DTV transition, but some of them don't.
While it is possible that someone will come out with a battery-powered DTV converter--which could work with a portable TV that has inputs--we wouldn't hold our breath. The FCC's DTV FAQ page already explicitly says, "it is not anticipated that battery powered digital-to-analog converter boxes will be produced," ... Read more
(Credit:
DTV2009.gov)
The DTV transition is less than a year away and as of January 1, 2008, Americans have been eligible to sign up for a $40 coupon to help purchase DTV converter boxes needed to receive new digital TV signals. While your instincts may tell you to sign up as quickly as possible, there's a strong argument to be made to hold off for a little while. Here's why:
1. The coupon expires in three months
If you carefully read you the FAQ on the government's Web site, the program clearly states that the $40 coupons expire three months after they're shipped. That's unfortunate because we're guessing many people don't think much of it, and are just trying to sign up before they forget. Now you're forced into getting whatever DTV boxes that are currently on the market, even though...
2. Better, cheaper boxes are coming
... Read more
The Federal Communications Commission is backing off plans to force TV stations to air more advertisements about the upcoming transition to digital TV next year, according to several news reports.
The FCC supposedly backed down from its position amid criticism from the industry that feared airing more advertisements would displace lucrative paid advertisements during prime-time hours, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The FCC is expected to adopt a more flexible plan that will give broadcasters more leeway in choosing which ads to air and when.
Under the FCC's previous plan, broadcasters and cable operators were asked to increase the number of advertisements about the digital transition to at least four 30-second public-service ads a day with this number increasing to as many as 12 ads a day on each station as the deadline approached.
But the industry complained that it needed more flexibility. So the revised plan, which could be announced today, loosens the requirements.
The FCC had originally rejected the industry's first voluntary proposal, the Journal said. But broadcasters revised their proposal and agreed to run at least four ads a week during prime-time hours along with a 30-minute show about the transition before the February 17 deadline next year, according to the The Journal.
It's estimated that there are 70 million or so analog TV sets that rely on over-the-air signals. And because many of these TVs belong to minorities, senior citizens, low-income individuals, and people who live in rural areas, the fear is that these individuals will not be ready for when broadcasters stop transmitting analog TV signals on February 17, 2009.
Officials also fear that there is still confusion about what the digital transition means. While TVs made after March 2007 will have digital tuners built-in, TVs made before then won't. This means that some folks will have to either buy a new TV or get a digital-tuner box, which will be subsidized by the government. The government is already offering vouchers to help people buy these boxes.
But having an old TV doesn't necessarily mean that a special digital-converter box is needed. Most people who subscribe to cable or satellite won't have to worry about the transition, regardless of when their TV was made, because their set-top boxes will do the conversion. So for the most part, the only people affected are people who still use the old rabbit ears to watch TV.
If you're among the 2.4 million Americans who have already applied for government subsidies to offset the cost of a forced digital television upgrade, you should be receiving that voucher soon.
Next week, the U.S. Department of Commerce plans to start mailing out the $40 coupons, which can be used to defray the cost of selected converter boxes that permit older, analog televisions to receive digital broadcasts, Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said Friday.
It's all part of the congressionally mandated switch from analog to all-digital broadcasts scheduled to occur on February 17, 2009.
Here's a favorite demo that digital TV converts like to show: contrast the snowy picture generated by the good ol' rabbit-ears antenna and analog tuner on the left screen with the clearer image on the right of the analog TV outfitted with a converter box.
(Credit: Anne Broache/CNET News.com)If you're currently a cable, satellite, or Internet Protocol TV subscriber, you're most likely not going to have to make any changes. But anyone who relies on over-the-air broadcasts will need to purchase a TV or DVD player with a digital tuner--or take the arguably thriftier route of outfitting an existing analog TV with a digital-to-analog converter box.
To that end, the government is allowing any household, regardless of income level or any other factors, to request up to two of the $40 coupons during a first phase, in which 22.5 million coupons are expected to be available. If that supply runs out, Congress can authorize some 11 million more vouchers, but households applying for that batch would have to self-certify reliance on over-the-air broadcasts.
Some 9,700 store locations across the country are prepared to accept the electronic cards next week, and another 7,000 or so expect to be able to redeem them in the coming months, according to the Commerce Department. The coupon-request Web site allows you to search for the nearest retailer who's supposed to be stocking one or more of the certified models.
The eligible boxes--some of which are apparently already in stores--cost between $40 and $70, according to the Commerce Department. Here's a complete list of the more than 30 certified boxes.
Remember that the coupons expire 90 days after they're mailed. Right now, the government isn't allowing households to reapply for help beyond the two-coupon maximum if theirs expire, although some congressional Democrats are urging more flexibility.
Applications are still being accepted online at
For more information about the digital TV switch, check out CNET News.com's latest FAQ.
