About 9% of U.S. viewers are unprepared for next month’s switch to digital television, MediaPost reports, citing media agency Mindshare. Out of the 1,200 respondents to Mindshare’s study, 16% have bought new TV sets, another 16% are subscribing to cable and 9% have ordered the coupon for buying a converter box, the publication says.
—Aimee Picchi
About 9% Unprepared for DTV
Jan 21, 2009 • Post A Comment
And those 9% will be ready within days after the switch. Let’s do it already.
A delay is required and should be put into effect now.
Too many (millions) of us will be left out in the cold without any TV.
If you are reading this column then you are among those who are ready.
It is our responsibility to make sure that no one is left without.
Peter Bright
Peter Bright said…”It is our responsibility to make sure that no one is left without.”
Actually sir, I disagree. It is not our responsibility. It is each individual or families responsibility. There is a measure of personal responaibilty to be expected. The education program is in place. Every major network or cable net has been advertising the switch for months. The government is offering coupons via mail and web applications. I think an appropriate word to describe the 9% who are unprepared is apathetic. This is not a civil rights issue and I think the government should focus on it’s job. Their job is not to ensure that everyone can watch T.V. after the switch. In this case, it is the function of government to educate and than reallocate the analog signals. The time has come to make the switch. Don’t make 91% of the United States await 0n 9% who have not made the effort.
Sorry, Peter. You’re way off base this time. There’s no inherent right to watch TV. We (whoever ‘we’ is) have no obligations here.
The ground’s been plowed, the seeds planted. It’s time to make the switch. There have been PSAs aplenty, discussing the switch to digital. I got my coupons for my sets that aren’t connected to cable, bought the converter boxes, hooked them up and I’m happily watching digital on the stations that have chosen to multiplex in advance.
And for those who haven’t made the switch or are afraid to for whatever reason…read a book, get off the couch, go outside, play with your kids, talk to your families. Do something other than stare at the idiot box for hours on end.
For people who have any TVs that use “rabbit ears” or a rooftop antenna to get reception, there are three solutions to choose from:
1 – connect your TV to cable or another video service provider
2 – buy a converter box using government issued coupons; or
3 – buy a new TV.
Anyone looking to learn more about each of these options can find a detailed, but easy to understand, overview at http://www.comcast.com/dtv.