Broadcasters dodge FCC DTV bullet
Cory Bergman February 23rd, 2008
The FCC was planning to require broadcasters to air a rigid, frequent schedule of PSAs promoting the upcoming shift to digital television (which happens February 17th of next year). But fortunately for broadcasters, the FCC is moving to a more flexible proposal that’s backed by the NAB. (By the way, have you seen the FCC’s DTV site? It looks like it was built back in 1997.)
Adds Safran in comments: “The switchover is an absolute disaster in the making. When I mention it to relatives, they have NO IDEA it is coming. They think I’m kidding. They can’t believe their TVs won’t work. Meantime, the PSAs smack more of ass-covering than they do of education, the FCC’s DTV site, as Cory points out, is an amateurish joke and the locals are going to get absolutely flooded with calls on changeover day.”
8 Comments Add your own
1. Safran | February 23rd, 2008 at 6:49 pm
The switchover is an absolute disaster in the making. When I mention it to relatives, they have NO IDEA it is coming. They think I’m kidding. They can’t believe their TVs won’t work. Meantime, the PSAs smack more of ass-covering than they do of education, the FCC’s DTV site, as Cory points out, is an amateurish joke and the locals are going to get absolutely flooded with calls on changeover day.
It’s great that there’s a government site and that cable will handle this. What about those who can’t afford cable and the web? They’re going to be completely taken by surprise.
From The Baltimore Sun:
“A recent survey by Consumers Union found that three out of four households that would be affected by the change didn’t know the converter box vouchers were available. Of the families surveyed, 42 percent said they had no plans to do anything to prepare for the change.”
This is less than 12 months away. Their televisions won’t work. And we’re deliberating how we can cut back on informing them. Perfect.
2. tdc | February 24th, 2008 at 11:21 am
shee-it, didn’t i read that the nab wants the gov’t to buy commercial time to run these spots?
3. Amanda | February 24th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Word from a Wal-Mart manager I know is that their company is in the preparation ground-work stage for a blitz explaining the new DTV changeover and what customers need to buy to be ready.
Pretty sad to think that viewers are going to get a better heads up of whats to come from Wal-Mart and not their local TV station.
4. Glenn | February 25th, 2008 at 7:45 am
Because I’m A) lazy or B) have no idea where to get the figures, what percentage of the population gets their TV from free over-the-air broadcasts? Just curious if anyone has that figure handy.
5. Francisco | February 25th, 2008 at 9:39 am
Consumer Reports and HearUsNow.org have a great information site on DTV.
http://www.hearusnow.org/tvradio/12/
And they set up a way to share your experience with the transition to digital television.
cu.convio.net/HUN_shareyourDTVstorypage
Consumer Reports site with all the info: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/electronics-computers/news-electronics-computers/pulling-the-plug-on-analog-tv-206/index.htm
6. Hussman | February 25th, 2008 at 10:12 am
It blows my mind that TV stations aren’t doing more. We’re running the PSAs, I’m speaking in the community (using my own corrected version of the NABs slightly inaccuarte materials), and we’ve done/are doing News stories.
7. Esteban | February 25th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Este comentario no me gusta
8. Tim | February 25th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
I can’t believe Safran’s relatives don’t have cable!
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