DTV Transition Date Delay - It's final. Again. June 12, 2009.

[Trip in VA]

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6627445.html

Talk begins of pushing the transition back to June...

- Trip

[demonfoo]

I'll believe it when it actually comes up for a vote. However, I still think there are too many large companies that have spent too much perfectly good money on buying the freed spectrum - there's no way they'll allow that. If Congress seriously does more than talk about it, they're going to be *pissed*.

[MikeBiker]

It would be moronic to move the date when it is less than 6 weeks away. Lots of commitments have been made by everyone concerned.

[iowegian3]

With the coupon mess, 2/17 is looking less likely.

4 months delay is too long. 2 months (as I've suggested) is about the most delay that all that I'd foresee.

[Ken H]

I don't believe it.

[Scooper]

Originally Posted by Ken H

I don't believe it.

Don't believe that something is being said or that Congress can actually get something through in time ?

I've always believed that this date can't be moved - Congress simply doesn't move that fast.

[afiggatt]

Originally Posted by iowegian3

With the coupon mess, 2/17 is looking less likely.
4 months delay is too long. 2 months (as I've suggested) is about the most delay that all that I'd foresee.

The coupon mess does not prevent people from buying the converter boxes. There are a pretty good stock of converter boxes at the local electronic stores from what I have seen. So this is more about political CYA because of the confusion and growing public anxiety over the impending transition and saving people $40 on a converter box. Some of whom will be hard pressed to spend $20 on a $60 box even with a coupon.

Of course, the focus in Congress will be on mollifying the general public. How a delay would affect the broadcast stations and the consumers who have made the move to digital tuners is likely to given short thrift if the move to delaying the transition date gets strong enough. A delay will hurt several hundred stations waiting to go full power with a digital signal or get on the air at all with a digital signal. There are also, maybe several hundred?, stations who have transmitter work and in some cases tower crews lined up to do major antenna work in the week after Feb. 17. What happens to those stations and digital OTA viewers if there is a last minute 4 month delay?

It would be interesting if someone in the press were to ask congressman Markey or the CU if they know how many stations have already shut off their analog broadcast? And how many will be shut off by end of January? And what happens to the stations who can't fire up a proper digital signal until another analog station goes dark? Oy, what a mess...

[Ken H]

Originally Posted by Scooper

Don't believe that something is being said or that Congress can actually get something through in time ?

I don't believe a (another) delay is actually being considered.

[demonfoo]

Originally Posted by Ken H

I don't believe a (another) delay is actually being considered.

As was pointed out in another political thread, it's just being used as a political posturing device. The odds are basically nil that they'll actually delay it now, but it gives these guys a way when their constituents start howling to say "hey, look, *I* tried, see what I did for you?"

[BeachComber]

Won't happen. Obama doesnt even expect a Stimulus Package through Congress until President's Day which 2/16/2009. Too many leases and technical changes are already in place with the current cutoff date in mind.

[biker19]

Originally Posted by afiggatt

It would be interesting if someone in the press were to ask congressman Markey or the CU if they know how many stations have already shut off their analog broadcast? And how many will be shut off by end of January? And what happens to the stations who can't fire up a proper digital signal until another analog station goes dark? Oy, what a mess...

Exactly - the train already left the station. Everyone involved will say fine, extend the deadline, but we want a bailout.

[xraffle]

‘Here we go’ is right. We need to get this DTV transition over with. I think if they do extend this, some people will be happy, some will be annoyed. Some will be happy because they get extra time to prepare, while some will get annoyed because they rushed and prepared for this.

[CRT Dude]

I think they want shake the winners down for some more money. Give me a "donation" or you'll be waiting for your spectrum.

[Scooper]

Fund more coupons ? Certainly - while we're throwing billions around for big business for screwing up, what's another $1 billion for consumer coupons ?

But extend the deadline - no way. If I was a station owner - I'd say - "You want me to extend analog ? - Fine - fund me for it, but otherwise my plans are for ____ (Feb 17 for most, some earlier)".

[Trip in VA]

Given that they got $20 billion for the spectrum, the coupon program is paid for. If they're smart, they'll throw the extra money into it.

- Trip

[MikeBiker]

The people who will not be prepared to receive digital in the middle of February will not be ready in four months if the transition is delayed.

[Falcon_77]

Originally Posted by MikeBiker

The people who will not be prepared to receive digital in the middle of February will not be ready in four months if the transition is delayed.

No, but there is likely to be less snow on the ground and the roof-tops for mad rushes to the electronics stores and antenna work when people discover their equipment isn't ready.

This should have been figured out right after Wilmington at the latest, but that test probably wasn't early enough to learn from it.

The Coupon thread had predicted that the money would run out early for some time now. The NTIA doesn't seem to be watching their own results. Saying that the waiting list is ok as expired coupons will flow back in eventually is not going to get it done. New requests are outpacing expired coupons by about 5:1 right now, with perhaps 50% of OTA homes converted so far (probably an optimistic number).

[afiggatt]

Originally Posted by CRT Dude

I think they want shake the winners down for some more money. Give me a "donation" or you'll be waiting for your spectrum.

No, that is not the reason. This is a pander & CYA reaction to a lot of public, well, fear and backlash about the transition. This transition is not unlike a parachute jump. Congress & the still on analog OTA public is standing at the open door in the aircraft, staring out into the open (digital) sky and freezing up. Someone just needs to yell "don't forget to pull the ripcord' and kick them out the door.

[Trip in VA]

And given that it's digital, the "freezing up" may be more literal than you implied.

- Trip

[jb4647]

I knew they would wuss out at the last moment....

[SkiSmuggs]

Those that aren't ready now won't be ready then either. Keeping the current date will force those folks to either do something or do nothing.

[Trip in VA]

Originally Posted by SkiSmuggs

Those that aren't ready now won't be ready then either. Keeping the current date will force those folks to either do something or do nothing.

While I'm not in favor of moving the date, it's much easier to do that something when your roof isn't covered in snow and ice.

- Trip

[biker19]

The sad fact is that just a few constituents (or lobbyist) writing to their politicians will cause that politician have some uninformed knee jerk reaction.

[BeachComber]

CEA: No Need to Delay DTV Conversion
TVNEWSDAY, Jan 8 2009, 11:41 AM ET
With less than six weeks remaining before the transition to digital television is completed, the Consumer Electronics Association today announced that manufactures and retailers have ensured ample and widespread DTV converter box availability.

As of today, CEA said, more than 34,000 thousand retail outlets are offering coupon-eligible converter boxes to consumers, including at least seven major nationwide retailers and 35 online retailers.

An informal survey conducted by CEA on Jan. 7 found in-stock converter boxes at nationwide retail outlets including major consumer electronics retailers Best Buy, Circuit City and Radio Shack as well as Sears, Target, Wal-Mart and Kmart.

In addition to in-store availability of converter boxes, many of these outlets offer online and phone sales of converter boxes. Online-only retailers, CEA added, including Amazon.com, are stocked with multiple brands of converter boxes and many offer free shipping to consumers.

"Consumer awareness of the DTV transition is well over 90 percent," said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CEA. "The majority of Americans now own a digital television and even more subscribe to multichannel video service. Converter boxes are in stock and available from retail outlets within reach of all Americans, and manufacturers and retailers will meet consumer demand. The DTV transition is on schedule and will be successful."

Reacting to published accounts of a call for consideration of a change to the DTV transition date, Shapiro said: "The facts clearly support maintaining the hard date of Feb. 17. Any delay to the transition date would cause massive confusion among the more than 90 percent of Americans who have already taken the necessary steps to prepare. Equally important, a delay could further slow first responders' access to valuable spectrum for emergency communications. It would also delay consumer access to innovative wireless broadband spectrum, further postponing America's return as global leader for broadband availability."

Although NTIA recently slowed distribution of DTV converter box coupons because of federal accounting rules, coupons remain in ample supply, CEA said. Specifically, as of Jan. 7, only about 19 million coupons had been redeemed out of the more than 33 million coupons available under the program.

"I encourage Congress and the new Administration to continue down the successful path we are currently traveling," said Shapiro. "Focus should be on ensuring that NTIA can quickly distribute coupons that are currently held up by bureaucratic accounting rules. After years of coordinated work, billions of dollars of investment, and unprecedented consumer education, an eleventh hour change to the DTV transition would create enormous uncertainty for consumers."

CEA has urged Congress to waive the Anti-Deficiency Act requirements with respect to the DTV coupon program, which would allow NTIA to distribute more coupons without additional appropriations.

[jdoppke]

Originally Posted by Trip in VA

While I'm not in favor of moving the date, it's much easier to do that something when your roof isn't covered in snow and ice.

- Trip

Which is why I, in Michigan, switched months ago. I don't even like getting on my roof in summer.

[WS65711]

Obama team urges delay in digital TV transition
01:34 PM CST on Thursday, January 8, 2009

Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- President-elect Barack Obama is urging Congress to postpone the Feb. 17 switch from analog to digital television broadcasting.

In a letter to key lawmakers, transition team co-chair John Podesta warned Thursday that too many Americans who rely on analog TV sets to pick up over-the-air broadcasts won't be ready.

The incoming administration is pushing for a delay in part because the Commerce Department has run out of money for the coupons that subsidize digital TV converter boxes for consumers. People who don't have cable or satellite TV or a new TV with a digital tuner will need the converter boxes to keep their analog TVs working.

Obama officials are also concerned that the government is not giving consumers enough help with the TV transition.


(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[petergaryr]

What's unbelievable is that at this late date, they are even considering pushing back the date after all the advertisements and warnings that have been posted over the past year.

I can almost guarantee that if they delay this for say 4 months, there will be people complaining that they still need more time.

[dan57]

Not surprising since the feds have apparently spent their budget on coupons for converter boxes.

[SnellKrell]

This is has just come in.

Pony up the money and lets do on 2/17!

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6627776.html

[vurbano]

Originally Posted by petergaryr

What's unbelievable is that at this late date, they are even considering pushing back the date after all the advertisements and warnings that have been posted over the past year.

I can almost guarantee that if they delay this for say 4 months, there will be people complaining that they still need more time.

I agree