Yesterday, the U.S. Senate followed President Obama's recommendation and approved a delay in the digital TV transition date from February 17 to to June 12. If a similar measure passes in the House, then we all know what that means: four more months of DTV transition ads! Woo hoo!Seriously, though, will it matter if the transition date is February, June, or sometime in Obama's second administration? At this point, even the most casual observer has figured out that the transition hasn't been communicated very well to the American public. People who have cable or satellite still think that they need to buy a new HDTV or upgrade to digital cable in order to be compliant with the conversion, people who got discount coupons for converters early on have found that the coupons have expired and they can't get more, and the people who have converted are being surprised that some weak stations won't come in due to the "digital cliff effect."
No matter how well the message gets out between now and June, your Aunt Sally who still uses rabbit ears to watch her "stories" may still call you when her TV goes to snow and she doesn't know what happened.
So what should the government do about this? At this point, I'm almost tempted to say "nothing." Seriously. In any transition to a new technology, there are always going to be a significant number of people who are going to be slow to adapt, or don't adapt at all (ask our friends at AOL how many people still use their dial-up service, even if they have broadband available to them).
What usually happens is that they only make changes when forced to. Once their TV goes to snow, they'll be on the phone quickly to get their technologically-savvy niece or grandson or kindly rep in Bangalore or whoever to get their tubes up and running. There will be a run on converter boxes at the local Best Buy (I would have said Circuit City, but they won't be around by June) and lots of people who will need help setting their boxes up.
So, here's what the government should do: make sure stores have plenty of boxes available and the ability to get more quickly. Staff up a DTV transition hotline with people like my Dad who knows his electronics, likes to talk to people on the phone, and can work from home (imagine that: job creation! Isn't that what our new president wants?). And just be ready for an onslaught. If corporations and the government managed to get themselves ready for a Y2K disaster that never materialized because people prepared themselves, this should be no different.
(Update 1/29/09: Looks like the House Republicans agreed with me, as they helped vote down the delay when it was put on the floor for a quick vote. The bill may be modified and reintroduced for a regular floor vote -- which only needs a majority -- but that might not happen in time for the original Feb. 17 switchover date.)
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
1-27-2009 @ 7:54PM
Donna said...
All in all, I am DTV ready (I'm a rabbit-ears person, so I had to made the transition at some point).
But I don't mind waiting until June. Tornado season hits North Texas from late February through early June, and this way, I can still use my little 2.5" handheld TV set for when I have to get in the closet when the sirens go off. Once DTV hits, I'll have to resort to only the radio stations.
(Although for my neighbors in South Texas and the gulf coast, they still have to contend with hurricane season without portable televisions once DTV starts in earnest.)
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1-27-2009 @ 8:23PM
xdreamwalker said...
Do broadcasters HAVE to keep their analog transmission live? What if the local station decides to switch 2/17 anyway?
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1-28-2009 @ 3:51AM
Smithee said...
I've been trying to find the answer to that, myself. I've read one report that two stations in St. Louis turned off their analog transmitters last week. The Senate bill for the delay includes some language guaranteeing the right to cut over early, but I don't see the point if they already had the right.
1-29-2009 @ 5:10PM
Smithee said...
From a story today in TVWeek:
The request to delay the national changeover comes as a number of the nation’s 1,800 stations are quietly making the switch to digital. The Federal Communications Commission said tonight that 133 TV stations have already switched to digital-only signals, with another 67 set to switch before Feb. 17 and 93 to switch at midnight Feb. 17, whatever happens with the delay legislation.
1-27-2009 @ 8:31PM
Wii60 said...
No, this is a pretty huge mistake. All it will do is cause MORE confusion. People will not hear about it, that's inevitable. All you can do now is facilitate that process. There is no practical benefit to this and was a poor move out of the gate by the Obama Administration.
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1-27-2009 @ 9:52PM
Jim said...
Another bang up job by a government agency... I can't wait until they get their hands on my health care
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1-27-2009 @ 10:19PM
Rocketboy said...
All aboard the failboat. To answer your main question.
NO.
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1-27-2009 @ 10:23PM
KaeDee said...
No, waiting isn't a good idea. This transition hasn't been a secret for at least 3 years, thus waiting an additional 4 months isn't going to make those who've put off changing their viewing habits get ready faster. If they haven't done it yet, what difference is 4 months going to make? And billions of dollars have already been spent on educating the public regarding the change. Get it done, already.
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1-27-2009 @ 10:43PM
Eludium-Q36 said...
Eh, you're suggesting too much effort, it's just tv after all. Most of the US is on cable or satellite, the few million others are scattered in the hinterlands and rely more on radio anyway - Paul Harvey and all.
Besides, it was stupid to schedule the transition in the middle of winter. Just enjoy the break we get from all those annoying PSAs while they change 'em for the new deadline.
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1-28-2009 @ 3:40AM
Toolman said...
I have to disagree with the premise of your statement. Some studies show that only 55% of amewrican households have cable/satellite television and some studies show that the number of working/used TVs on cable/satellite as low as 35-40%. Those numbers are actually being shown as going DOWN in the last three months as people continue to struggle financially. That in its self makes it a much bigger deal than a lot of us, including my self, can understand. Stop being a snob and think about the world around you.
Now to answer the question, its a big deal, but No I don't think that 4 months will help.
1-27-2009 @ 11:29PM
Ralph said...
If people haven't been informed by NOW that it is coming and haven't taken care of being upgraded IF they need it, then they obviously don't watch TV at all. Ads are on 24/7 to the point of it being silly and the local news mentions it at least twice a broadcast.
Get it over with already.
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1-27-2009 @ 11:53PM
Sancty said...
Is this seriously the biggest problem that Obama has to deal with right now?
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1-28-2009 @ 12:00AM
La-Di-Dah said...
I am a rabbit ears person too, but I am resigned to this thing so I did not think the date should have been postponed. Letting people figure it out after TVs go gahgah sounds okay to me.
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1-28-2009 @ 12:18AM
Steven said...
I wholeheartedly disagree with the statement that "At this point, even the most casual observer has figured out that the transition hasn't been communicated very well to the American public."
Anyone who watches local channels without a DVR knows about the transition due to the onslaught of commercials. These are the people who rely on OTA broadcasting and who will be impacted by the transition. If you haven't watched your local channels in a while, you wouldn't know about the commercials. You also won't be impacted because you either don't watch TV or you have cable/satellite.
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1-28-2009 @ 4:02AM
Smithee said...
'I wholeheartedly disagree with the statement that "At this point, even the most casual observer has figured out that the transition hasn't been communicated very well to the American public."'
Absolutely. The problem is not that the communication was flawed -- it is that a certain part of the population is unteachable.
1-28-2009 @ 6:37AM
Rocketboy said...
A DVR and over the air? I'm sure that's like .0001 of the TV viewing population. And it's not like it's mentioned EVERY TIME in the local news, on crawls when you're watching your shows, in the newspaper, on the radio.
Face it, if you're not ready by now, it's be choice.
1-28-2009 @ 7:30AM
Chris said...
I agree, this transition has been communicated for the past 6 frigging years and the date for change has been pushed back at least 3 times!!!! It's not the public holding this up as they want you to believe, it's the national networks and smaller affiliates that don't want to spend the money to JUMP ON BOARD!!! It's time to pony up, you have been given plenty of time and warning. Pushig it back 4 months will do nothing but keep their money in their pockets a little longer so they can cry again in June that "were not ready", what a joke! Flip the switch on Feb 17th and see how fast the so called "uninformed" become informed and have a picture on their TV before the prime time hours!
1-28-2009 @ 1:27AM
ac said...
If things were like they were a few months ago I would say yes. Like you mentioned people were scrambling to get HDTVs and digital cable then but now they have actually explained it several times every commercial break. A few months ago when no one had a frackin clue what the switch meant you had cable companies moving channels to digital cable packages only saying it was for the switch (turns out they just were bullshitting people for extra $ *cough* Cablevision *cough*) and stores advertising to prepare for the switch and then leading you to their new plasma TV selection. But eventually those plans were exposed as lies and now the cable companies have been switched and the signs actually lead to converter boxes its time to get the switch over with.
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1-28-2009 @ 3:52AM
Denise said...
Come on! How many times do people have to see those annoying ads before it gets through? And as far as those "expired" discount cards, the letter that comes with them tells them in clear language that the card expires in 90 days. So they had them for three months and did nothing. It's not like they have to travel to Europe to get the converter; you can purchase them online. You don't even have to leave home. Get the switch over with, for crying out loud!
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1-28-2009 @ 6:36AM
TheH2s said...
STUPID, STUPID,STUPID!!
I think this is the most ridiculous thing I have seen in a very long time. Rip the band aid off and get it over with. They've done plenty to inform people they need to switch over.
Heaven forbid someone doesn't have television. If you are too stupid to pay attention you don't deserve tv.
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