The Night The TVs Go Out

THE NIGHT THE TVs GO OUT
[SOURCE: Washington Post 9/29, AUTHOR: Kim Hart]
The industry has tried to get the word out, but many consumers still aren't getting the message: In a year and a half, millions of television screens could go dark. Not the fancy high-definition TVs or those connected to cable or satellite. But the 70 million sets relying on rooftop or "rabbit ears" antennas will end up showing nothing but snow. Broadcasters will stop sending analog signals and move to all-digital programming on Feb. 17, 2009. After that, antenna TV watchers will need a special converter box to watch their sitcoms and newscasts. But many consumers have no idea that this change is coming, and members of Congress are voicing concern over the lack of cooperation between federal agencies and the entertainment industry. The political static comes as broadcasters, retailers, cable operators and regulators clash over how to educate consumers about the change. Sales of digital television sets have nearly tripled since 2005, and the Consumer Electronics Association expects annual sales to top $26 billion this year. With the holiday season approaching, government officials in charge of managing the transition to digital TV say that they're severely underprepared and that they worry that the biggest electronics retailers are misinformed.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/28/AR2007092801769.html
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