Federal ineptness over digital TV transition continues
For years, we've been hearing that our old television sets must be replaced by digital receivers or augmented by add-on converter boxes by Feb. 17, 2009.
Then, Congress decided no, all the nagging wasn't enough, and viewers should get another four months to get their televisions ready for the new signals. As we've observed before, we doubt four months will make any difference.
Now, 123 television stations that decided, no, they'd stick with the original schedule and shut down the old transmitters on the original schedule, saving thousands of dollars over the new June shutoff date.
That resulted in the thing every broadcaster fears -- a demand by the Federal Communications Commission to justify their actions.
The stations include CBS, ABC and Fox affiliates serving Southwest Nebraska. Ironically, at least two of the affiliates planned to utilize an FCC loophole allowing them to continue analog broadcasting on their low-power translators in our area.
For their main transmitters, which they planned to convert to digital Feb. 17, and which includes the NTV tower at Hayes Center, the stations now have to justify their plans to not continue analog broadcasts for another four month.
They will have to operate call centers and walk-in centers to help viewers find digital signals, and somehow continue broadcasting information about the transition and local news in analog for at least two months.
All of this will be costly for the stations involved, especially smaller stations like those serving our area, few viewers will benefit and the result next summer will be the same.
If you like the way Washington has handled the digital television transition, you'll love the way the federal government takes over other things, like health care and the banking industry.