by Frank James
Don't get rid of those old analog televisions yet. The national transition to digital television was supposed to occur next month on Feb. 17. But some key members of Congress and the Obama presidential transition may engineer a delay of a few months because of problems in the transition.
There's been growing concern that the Federal Communications Commission has mishandled the roll-out in a way that could potentially leave millions of viewers with analog TVs unconnected to cable without the ability to get a signal.
The problem is a backlog in the federal program that provides coupons to the TV owners to offset the cost of converter boxes that will be needed by analog TVs to receive a signal once TV broadcasters completely change over to transmitting digital signals alone.
According to Broadcasting and Cable magazine's website:
Consumers Union (CU) late Wednesday asked the heads of the congressional committees with telecommunications oversight, as well as the current and future administrations, to consider delaying the Feb. 17, 2009 transition date.
And at least one of those key Congressional players, Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), chairman of the House Telecommunications & Internet Subcommittee, says the date may have to move.
In a letter to Rep. Markey, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), the incoming chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committe, and others, the CU requested that Congress consider a delay "until a plan is in place to minimize the number of consumers who will lose TV signals, particularly by fixing the flaws in the federal coupon program created to offset the cost of this transition."
The National Telecommunications & Information Administration this week announced that it had hit the funding ceiling for its program to distribute government subsidies for DTV-to-analog converter boxes and that new applications would have to be put on a waiting list unless the cap were raised or the Antideficiency Act (ADA) rule preventing it from spending money it expected to be freed up by expired coupons was waived.
"Congressman Markey is working on an exemption to the ADA to deal with the immediate waiting list issue," said Daniel Reilly, a spokesman for Markey. "But with the date looming, moving the date back certainly warrants further discussion and may be a wise choice."
According to several sources, the Obama FCC transition team has been "very busy" on the issue and has been floating the possibility of moving the date. The transition press office had not returned an e-mail request for comment at press time.
Joel Kelsey, a policy analyst for Consumers Union and one of the two signatories on the letter, said CU had met with the transition team about the issue, and that they are "rightly concerned that this is a mess that they are now going to have to clean up in a very short time frame."
He would not comment on whether they favored moving the date beyond only saying that the transition team has been "extremely active on the DTV transition issue." He said the Obama transition team had not asked Consumers Union to send the letter.
Consumers Union has suggested a move of four months or so, according to a CNBC interview with CU senior counsel Chris Murray, the other signature on the CU letter. Murray told CNBC that he thought there was a "reasonably good chance" that Congress would push the date back four months or so. "We're not ready to say there will be a delay yet," he said. "We believe that Congress should consider a delay [but] I don't think I can talk about this as something that is readily going to happen," he said.
Comments
This is just amazing. What a blunder this was. A chance for the government to actually make over 10 billion, and they blew it. Somebody should lose their job for this huge mishandling.
Posted by: bill r. | January 8, 2009 10:56 AM
Excellant idea-
Wait for the Congressional Stimlus Package goes though and evey one can buy a new digital TV.
Posted by: Inky | January 8, 2009 10:59 AM
So the 'Communications Industry Profit Enhancement Project' isn't going according to plan.
Thanks Repubs and Clinton for the 1996 time bomb mess.
Originally they were supposed to provide the analog signal along with the digital signal in parallel until something like 2017, but the money interests didn't want to pay for providing both signals and that stipulation was dropped by the Bush admin a few years ago.
Of course the whole bill was aimed at allowing consolidation of the communications industry.
With every one of the half dozen mergers our cable company has undergone in every case the new company said it would provide cheaper, better service. In every case the price of basic cable has gone up.
My first cable bill to the local company was about $12 per month.
My current basic cable bill is over $60 per month. Same '57 channels with nothing on'. ♬ But now there's 90 with nothing on.
BTW, note that they dropped the whole original rationale of 'high definition TV'. That WAS the original reason. Analog signals can be 'High Def' as well as digital signals.
Once again the American people have had another profit enhancement measure for somebody else crammed down their throats disguised as a benefit.
Posted by: C.Morris✈ | January 8, 2009 11:09 AM
Be an excellent task for ACORN and the MoveOn.org. crowd. To pass out those coupons as fast as they do voter registration forms and propaganda it would be a cakewalk.
Posted by: Bubba Porter | January 8, 2009 11:18 AM
Am I the only one who blames consumers? We've known this was happening for more than a decade, and the date has been pushed back several times. Why haven't people acted before now???
Posted by: Charles M | January 8, 2009 11:29 AM
This change has been coming for years - there's no excuse for not being ready. Why didn't the govt. know how many people were going to want coupons? Why do the coupons have expiration dates? Why does everyone wait until the very last moment?
Posted by: JimW | January 8, 2009 11:30 AM
Posted by: Bubba Porter | January 8, 2009 11:18 AM
I wanted to thank you for joining in the discussion that America needs most. Your posts truly adds to this discourse. I knew those on the right were "great" Americans.
Posted by: bill r. | January 8, 2009 11:30 AM
Stop watching TV.
Posted by: Deadwood | January 8, 2009 11:36 AM
Hey, Inky, the word is "excellent" and not "excellant". F7 spell checks for you.
Posted by: Jeri | January 8, 2009 11:44 AM
Holy cow, this has already been delayed numerous times. If people are stuck without TV, it's they're own damn fault. Why are we changing policy to accommodate people who don't even pay attention to the news that comes in through the TVs?
Posted by: Eric | January 8, 2009 11:50 AM
I personally don't care about the delay. I haven't subscribed to cable since 2002 and consider myself the better for it. Netflix and streaming content on the Net have been the alternatives. I wouldn't have minded paying for the signal converter, but I was annoyed when my governmental coupon only covered two-thirds of the cost. The bright-side: I now have crystal clear reception--the two times a month I actually watch a broadcast channel.
Posted by: Robert Salm | January 8, 2009 11:58 AM
This is ridiculous...this has been all over the news for a year or longer. Anyone that doesn't have a converter box probably needs to have their TV yanked away so they can get a bit more motivation. I bet a lot of those people waiting in the queue already have cable or satelite, they are just the sort of people who save everything and want a converter box "just in case" they ever cancel their cable.
Posted by: cpfoutz | January 8, 2009 12:18 PM
What right did the Feds have to decide if and when TV would go digital? I read that cable TV companies lobbied for the change. $$$$$. The FCC wants to sell OUR public analog spectrum to private telecoms--Pay For Play to buy up the public analog spectrum. How wrong. And, this is at the risk of American Security. I did not vote on this important--and personally expensive matter. With analog problems--you may get lines, static or snow--but you still can get some important weather or civil defense information. With digital, anytime the wind speed rises above 15 MPH, or for no reason at all, the digital freezes up or goes completely black. Not a speck of audio or visual information. This is BS. The anlog is reported to be staying around in small alotted places for a couple years. No. We need to know that We The People will always have analog--if desired--as a precaution and as a freedom. The "changeover" was Bush, again, giving, his Big Telecom Buddies a Pay Off. Me thinks that the Warrantless Wiretapping and the "changeover" (one word like bailout) are related-- and was payoff to Verizon &Time Warner, et al.--$$$$$$ from "changeover", retro immunity and all ill-gotten private information--all swiming in the same soup.
With digital there is less local control and more central control through fewer cable companies. Who wants that? Sheep and Fascists.
The federally mandated digital "changeover" (one word like bailout) is, again, public welfare for private telecom companies. The individual citizen gets to buy monthly cable or satellite, new expensive TVs, new digitally compatable CD recorders, new expensive converter boxes, or monthly 6.00 fees per converter box PER TV. I really don't care if my picture is "enhanced". It is actually great as it is. I want my own local control and my already paid for TV--sans a little black converter box. Let those who desire digital buy a box of their own free will. Let the free market deal with those who want to pay for digital. For all time, in a national emergency, I want to be able to get reception from, heaven help us, one of the few or last standing local stations. There's more chance of all going to hell with fewer information outlets. It's like having one water source--if it's contaminated or interrupted--all get sick, or all die. Sorry, I don't trust Time Warner or a Bush associate to feed me the information I need or want to know. KEEP SENDING OUT BOTH SIGNALS--ALWAYS. LET THE PEOPLE AND MARKET DECIDE WHEN THEY, EACH INDIVIDUALLY, WANT TO CHANGE, OR "UPGRADE". DON'T HURT THE PEOPLE BY TAKING AWAY A GOOD AND NECESSARY THING WHILE FORCING THEM TO PAY FOR THEIR OWN HARM.
Posted by: Vivian | January 8, 2009 12:21 PM
OK America, get ready for your 'freeze frame' and 'pixel breakup' events. Just keep repeating' ; 'I'm getting better service, I'm getting better service'. (What ever that is...)
Posted by: OldCreaky | January 8, 2009 12:25 PM
What is up with this, we were told to get the coupon early and so the losers that did not are cotton too. The US governement is full of losers. The idiots that did not get the coupon well the boat sailed on with the show this is it. Next the government will cut the taxes for the idiots that did not act in time.
I have never read of a country that has back sild so far so quick.
Posted by: bob steeb | January 8, 2009 12:38 PM
the fcc has done something wrong?? you're kidding!
Posted by: emily | January 8, 2009 12:46 PM
Really???? Another government mess up? Thank you for one more.
Posted by: Nance | January 8, 2009 12:51 PM
I have a converter box. It has been installed for the last four months. TIm should be able to get all the stations with the digital box. As of yet, I am still not able to get the CBS network on my set. I have e-mailed CBS in Chicago and they told me that the FCC gave them a VHF signal instead of a UHF one. So, I can not get the CBS network.
Any answers?????? Help!!!!!!
Posted by: Marilyn | January 8, 2009 1:13 PM
Why is it we, the taxpayers are being forced to help fund television viewing by other American's? If they can't afford the proper equipment, how is it my responsibility to make sure they can watch TV.
Enough is enough. Pay your own way or get left behind.
Posted by: Brad | January 8, 2009 1:27 PM
First, why is everyone acting like watching t.v. is a constitutional right? The consumer is losing every way you go - spending $40 for a converter (and that's with the coupon) or shelling out around $60 for cable BASIC. In the olden days, didn't the t.v. commercials pay for networks? Now we PAY to watch commercials. I think the world needs to go back to year zero and get off this drug.
Posted by: Geronimo | January 8, 2009 1:45 PM
The coupons that were sent out in early 2008 (which I recevied 1) did no good since stores had no converters yet. The ones that were avail cost $100 at the time. Don't call me an idiot, I tried, but my coupon expired 3/1/2008 and converters were still not readily available.
In addition to that, what about businesses? We aren't eligible for a coupon? Why? I pay business taxes, retail property taxes, and sales taxes, why are we not entitled to a $40 coupon? I'm sure if AIG wanted one, they would have made them available to us as well. Oh well, thanks to our politicians....
Posted by: Sean | January 8, 2009 1:48 PM
THIS SWITCH OVER HAS BEEN PLANED FOR YEARS AND NOW THEY MAY HAVE TO DELAY IT DUE TO MISMANAGMENT.
SO WHAT DOES THIS SAY FOR THE GOVERNMENTS ABILITITY TO SOLVE HEALTH CARE, ECONOMIC, EMERGENCY SERVICES?
AS FOR ME HAVE HAVE VERY LITTLE FAITH IN THAT ABILITY.
Posted by: Bob Tussey | January 8, 2009 1:53 PM
If you wait until everyone get their boxes you will never convert. They had the time, and IF they can but two TVs they can affort a $40 converter box
Posted by: dick | January 8, 2009 1:55 PM
This time it isn't the government. This has been broadcast over everything for a year. If you've waited until now, you've no one to blame but yourself.
I got the converter box a few months ago and love it. I went from 4 channels to 15 using just some cheap $30 rabbit ears. I lose the signal now and then, but no more than the old analog one.
Posted by: jimofoz | January 8, 2009 2:30 PM
Hey, Inky, the word is "excellent" and not "excellant". F7 spell checks for you.
Posted by: Jeri | January 8, 2009 11:44 AM
Thanks, think you understand the meaning-
Happy New Year
Could be a problem- built this computer myself.
Posted by: Inky | January 8, 2009 2:55 PM
Viv,
Great rant.
Posted by: C.Morris✈ | January 8, 2009 3:34 PM