Hundreds of TV Stations to Proceed With Digital TV Switch Next Week

With millions of US viewers still apparently unprepared for the nation's switch to digital TV, hundreds of television stations across the nation are preparing to forge ahead with the transition anyway and drop traditional over-the-air broadcasts next week. Stations moving ahead with the digital transition were required to notify the Federal Communications Commission by Monday night. The agency must give its approval for stations to halt analog signals. Subscribers with cable or satellite TV service, who represent about 85 percent of households, or those with digital tuners, are not expected to be significantly impacted. Some station officials explained that they've already scheduled the crews to make the switch; others said their budgets didn't allow for continuing transmission of the analog signal. Some small cities, such as Burlington (VT) will see traditional over-the-air broadcasts halt altogether next week; others will see only one or two stations end analog broadcast signals. Most of the affected stations are in smaller markets, but together cover millions of viewers. The FCC is encouraging stations to continue airing transition information and public safety alerts over analog airwaves for 30 days after they switch to all-digital programming. Showing such messages is intended to inform viewers who do not have the necessary equipment to receive digital broadcasts by the transition deadline.