House votes to delay digital TV transition to June 12

Congress this afternoon granted a four-month reprieve to the millions of consumers who are at risk of losing access to TV signals during the switch from over-the-air television to digital broadcasting.

In a 264-158 vote, the House of Representatives approved a bill to push the transition to June 12 from Feb. 17. President Obama has promised to sign the legislation, which passed the Senate last week. The law will require TV stations to keep broadcasting their analog signals until June 12. Consumer advocates say that as many as 10 million viewers currently get their programming solely from over-the-air broadcasts and are unprepared for the digital transition.

"Consumers are confused about where to buy their converter box, about which box to buy, how to hook up their box, what to do if they lose a channel they once got and whether they need a new antenna," said Joel Kelsey, a policy analyst with Consumers Union. "Changing the date allows them more time to grapple with those questions."

But the delay also could make the confusing transition even more perplexing for some viewers.

TV stations are allowed to seek federal approval to turn off their analog signals before the new deadline. So instead of nearly all broadcasters making the switch on Feb. 17, stations now may ...

... make the switch at different times over the next four months.

That could create another hiccup: Some converter boxes don't have the ability to "pass through" analog signals. As a result, in areas where both digital and analog signals are transmitted, viewers with the wrong converter box may have to unplug the device to watch one channel broadcast in analog, then plug it back in to watch another in digital.

While the vast majority of converter boxes manufactured in recent months have the analog pass-through feature, consumers should check before buying. The Commerce Department has a list of such boxes available online (models with a red asterisk beside them allow analog pass-through).

Although the National Assn. of Broadcasters advocated the postponement, some stations have argued that a delay would impose "moderate to significant costs" because they'd have to maintain an analog signal for four extra months, said Stan Statham, president of the California Broadcasters Assn.

"We’ve had a hard date on the books since September of 2005. Every broadcaster in America is ready to go," said Rep. Joe L. Barton (R-Texas), who led the opposition to an extension.

Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) complained that the delay would cost broadcasters in Oregon $500,000 to $1 million in electricity costs to continue running analog transmitters along with the existing digital transmitters, and would increase confusion among viewers. He noted that advertisements are still airing touting the Feb. 17 date. "They’re still being told this is what they should do," he said. "This is why people don’t trust the government."

Although they did not need to notify the FCC if they planned to switch on Feb. 17, 276 stations have, indicating that they may want to make the switch on that date regardless of the congressional delay. But acting FCC Chairman Michael J. Copps said this week that some of those stations may decide to continue broadcasting in analog after the delay is enacted.

The original law that set the Feb. 17 deadline also allowed stations to make the switch early. Some already have -- 143 of the nation’s approximately 1,800 stations have made the transition, and 60 more plan to do it before Feb. 17, according to the FCC.

But supporters said the delay was necessary, particularly to provide more money for the government's subsidy program for consumers who purchase converter boxes. The Commerce Department, which administers a $1.5-billion program to send coupons worth $40 toward the purchase of a converter, ran out of money Jan. 4 and started a waiting list. There are requests for about 3.2 million coupons currently on the list, according to Consumers Union.

"Even if money were provided today for the converter box program, there still would be massive dislocation on Feb. 17," said Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va.).

While most TV stations already are broadcasting in digital as well as analog and could make the switch before June 12, competitive pressures in each market could make that difficult. Stations are unlikely to switch unless all their competitors in the market do as well or they'd risk losing viewers to those still broadcasting in analog. In 18 markets, including Los Angeles and Chicago, News Corp. would add to those competitive pressures. The company said the 27 Fox stations it owns and operates in those markets would not switch before June 12.

"The legislation passed by Congress provides more time for Americans to prepare for the DTV transition and will allow more time for the government to fix the coupon program," said NAB President and CEO David Rehr. “America’s broadcasters, which have spent the past decade preparing for this historic transition, are ready to make a successful switch."

-- Jim Puzzanghera and Alex Pham

Photo: FCC outreach advisor Daniel Rumelt explains how to use a digital converter box during the DTV Expo in Wilmington, N.C., in August. Credit: Paul Stephen / For the Times

Comments

[Doug Jerdee]

I believe some companies have been all set to use that analog bandwidth for other purposes. Will they be reimbursed for the delay?

[Laney]

What !! Everyone has known about this for several years ! I say keep the Feb. 17th date and people will be forced to actually go down to BestBuy and buy one - rebate or not. It really isn't that difficult, folks. Poor or not, after a few days of boredom and no signal, you will get your box and hook it up.

[John M. Goodman]

Some of the early reports on the Senate version of this bill suggested that the final bill might provide not only more money for the coupon program, but also a provision that would allow those who applied for coupons and got them, but didn't use them before they expired to apply for new coupons. Did this provision make it into the final bill or not? (This information is needed for two reasons: One is to let those who would be affected know that they can re-apply for coupons and then get them, and the other is that if they cannot, then they can stop waiting for that sort of help, and just go get converter boxes on their own--if they can afford them.)

[James Allen]

What a joke - has been in the works forever - how long do people need to get it together?

[Seanboy]

The gov will just keep delaying the switch until hell freezes over. Just do it!

[Jim Townes]

If they switched next week it would be such a freakin fiasco - it will be probably be a fiasco when they switch in June (if another delay isn't added) too. The thing is most digital antennas suck and alot of people who got decent reception are going to find they get only 1 or 2 channels - sucks to be poor or old or poor and old.

[Netizen19380]

Delaying the transition to digital broadcasting for major stations from February 17 to June 12th, 2009 is ridiculous. Listen, the U.S. has tried to cut over to digital broadcasting (and also usher in High Defginition TV along the way, too) for more than a decade.

The February 17th date is actually the third major attempt at a switchover; and it looked as if it was going as well as possible. The hardware is actually available in the marketplace, the service providers are ready to go, content is being produced/distribuuted digitally and with High Definition in mind, the awareness campaigns and government subsides were rolling, and pilot programs were conducted.

So, another four months is not going to help those people who are already unprepared; these types of folks would be unprepared no matter what a date might be. The House and Senate should just let the February 17th date stand, and let local stations and service providers mitigate any small percentage of problem veiwership afterward.

[Roger Pariseau]

For Jim Townes -- I've had a digital tuner for my laptop for more than a year. It came with a teensy antenna about four inches long. Picked up the local stations just fine! Folks have known this was coming since 2005 and have been continuously reminded while they watch their favorite shows.

I think commercial TV is NOT a necessity -- certainly not as important as free (supported by advertising) area-wide wi-fi. Many of our school kids don't have Internet access at home so this move will ensure they'll continue not having it for the remainder of this school year. Probably next year, too.

[Netizen19380]

Regarding digital TV antennas, and not being able to tune-in stations; do know that not all over-the-air (OTA) transmission towers are operating at full strength prior to the cutover to digital TV era. Afterward, many are likely to boost their transmission power, and therefore reach more viewers farther out from the towers.

Also, there is no such thing as a "digital nor High Definition TV antenna". As long as you have a UHF antenna (often the round antenna part of inexpensive ones), that antenna will receive digital transmissions fine. In situations where viewers are a far distance out, an amplified antenna can be of help.

[Daniel]

So how is this going to help? People know it is going to change Feb 17th. Now everyone that is set for the change on the 17th are going to be confused when they are still not able to watch the digital signal because it was postponed due to stupid decisions by the government.
I talk to people all day about this conversion. Its my job. If some people are not ready its their own fault. What good is the government if it is helping the procrastinators? The people that cant afford a converter box could save up to buy one. They have known about this conversion for a couple years. They are procrastinating. I am sorry but this country is becoming lazy!
Now that the date is changed, I bet most of the people that are not ready now wont be ready then. All your doing is giving procrastinators time to procrastinate more. This is not an efficient way of doing things.
If you just change over than everyone that doesn't have a converter box will either just not watch TV or get one.

[Fred : Los Angeles]

The broadcast pattern for the new digital signals is different than the broadcast pattern for our existing analog signals. Some locales which adequately receive the analog signals will not receive the digital signals. If you are in one of these locales, no antenna, no amplifier, absolutely nothing is going to enable you to receive the digital signals. The FCC and congress have decided that you need to now pay to receive public spectrum broadcast signals through a delivery service. The free terrestrial signals are strictly for other people, not you.

[Mike]

OMG, you mean some people may not be able to watch TV! It really must be the end of the world, lol.