As President-elect Barack Obama juggles a cratering economy and two wars, broadcasting and consumer groups are throwing him another sticky issue—the impending switch to digital over-the-air broadcasting.
While less than 1% of TV viewers lost their signals during the Sept. 7 DTV test in Wilmington, N.C., advocates warn that when the switch is thrown nationwide, significant numbers of Americans could lose their TV lifeline.
Some fear the combination of public-awareness campaigns, a coupon program to help people buy digital converter boxes and a change in administration could be a recipe for problems on Feb. 17, the date set for the digital switch.
The Obama transition team is interviewing broadcast and consumer groups to get a handle on what kind of challenge it faces with the DTV switch, which takes place less than a month after he becomes president.
Gene Kimmelman, VP and director of the Washington office of Consumers Union, said he’s hopeful the change of administration will aid the digital switchover.
“I think it should actually help,” he said. “I am most concerned that [the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration] isn’t doing enough to make this as simple as possible to get the most low-cost converters out to consumers who need them. Hopefully the new players preparing to come into the Commerce Department will be more open to anticipate consumers’ needs.”
Dennis Wharton, executive VP of media relations for the National Association of Broadcasters, said his group has met with the transition team, but he declined to detail the meeting.
“We don’t think the DTV transition will get ‘lost’ because of the $1 billion educational effort undertaken by NAB,” he said.
The president-elect has yet to detail what staffing changes he plans to make at the Federal Communications Commission and the NTIA, which is the lead agency on the DTV switch.
“I think the most important thing is to continue to report on the transition to keep it in front of the new administration,” said Mark Lloyd, VP of strategic initiatives for the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights. The group is worried that some people could lose their TV service in the transition.
“This is a serious issue. For many Americans, over-the-air TV is a lifeline. It is the most relied-upon source of news and emergency information,” Mr. Lloyd said. “While the broadcasters, the FCC, the Commerce Department’s coupon program have been very helpful, there are still too many Americans who are at risk.”
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Comments (7)
How practical or rather impractical will it br for someone caught off guard to find out that you have to wait about a month in order for the NTIA to mail a DTV converter coupon out to a consumer?
Maybe in the beginning this made sense, but this may lead to unnecessary frustration once the DTV switch happens and you find people who need a converter immediately.
On a marketing perspective it is bewildering that none of the retailers a person visits show anything except some closed circuit in store looped programming on their in store displays. One of the biggest points of DTV is just totally not promoted by the retailers.
Posted by George Kowal | December 1, 2008 6:20 PM
The transiton timing is wrong. The economy, the weather and other technical issues such as lack of education for the antenna connection will impede viewers. Obama should place a moratorium on the transition to keep the nation informe by EAS in case of emergency.
Posted by John | December 2, 2008 12:01 AM
This has been in the works for years and years. The Government has spent a huge amount of time and energy to make this happen. The convertor boxes are cheap and do more than current analog solutions. The whole transition is a significant step up!
Posted by Jerry | December 2, 2008 4:33 AM
Regarding Jerry's comment, DTV may be a step up if you have a roof top antenna with a rotator. If you live in an apartment whose windows face away from the transmitters, if you don't realize you might need to purchase an expensive advanced antenna, if you are elderly or not technically inclined, then you are likely to encounter a winter wipeout on your TV screen in February. Despite the years of so-called planning, the government and broadcasters have failed to understand the problems this transition is going to cause, and they have done little or nothing to inform and assist people regarding the quirky and unreliable digital signals and the various complicated issues regarding antennas. The transition should be postponed at least until next summer. In the meantime, more information and technical assistance is needed about the different types of antennas and how to orient them for digital signal reception. All the "happy talk" about converter boxes has obscured the real issues.
Posted by Joe | December 3, 2008 2:08 PM
Jerry is right about DVT's being a step up but Joe makes some good points, too. There will be some people who are in circumstances that will make DTV reception difficult or impossible without outside help. I do antenna work part-time and know from first hand experience that DTV reception can be tricky. An outdoor antenna is often necessary. I just about froze my fingers off yesterday putting up a system for a client here in West Central Ohio. Temperatures were in the mid-twenty's. Delaying the analog shut-down a month or 2 sounds like a good idea to me; but no more than that.
Posted by Greg Oen | December 6, 2008 5:47 AM
"“We don’t think the DTV transition will get ‘lost’ because of the $1 billion educational effort undertaken by NAB,” he said."
Fooey! The whole problem starts by lack of total education. 2 comments above mention "antenna education," meaning I'm finally getting my word out on DTV's WHOLE (caps for emphasis) story not getting out there.
However, I also saw the following comment, showing the message isn't really penetrating:
" If you live in an apartment whose windows face away from the transmitters, if you don't realize you might need to purchase an expensive advanced antenna, "
That's true, but one also needs to know what their own situation is and the laws, along with area barriers are. This means moving traffic, buildings, bridges, power lines, etc. Just picking up a $400.00 antenna without being educated on what's around you won't help.
Currently, "John" has the right idea. As more and more people are losing jobs, moving into those things that almost refuse 8-VSB Modulated signal... known as apartments, I personally think it's not in the interest of the public to totally switch yet. A look at the broadcasting industries' situations also may show this as well. I am doing more work at my media job, due to lack of revenues forecasted and retrieved. Company stocks are in the toilet too. Therefore, it is totally the wrong time to be forcing people to change technologies.
Posted by EmmGee-Ohio | December 10, 2008 3:32 PM
This change to Digital TV will be a dismal failure. While all of the working families spending $100 plus on cable or satellite service will not be troubled, the low income and elderly will not be able to receive complete television programs ever again without a big cash investment in equipment!
The reception from DTV stations is destroyed by a windy day, and any low flying private aircraft. I have been viewing DTV programs off-air with my brand new Samsung DTV and outdoor antenna/rotator for more than a year and find the signal/reception totally unreliable. The digital decoder box will not be able to substitute for the loss of signal and may worsen reception.
Posted by W. Beardsworth | December 30, 2008 8:15 AM