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In just less than two weeks, many television stations plan to pull the plug on analog transmissions, and many Americans who use antennas will find themselves unable to watch TV as they did before.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Many viewers had hoped Congress’ decision to push back the date of mandatory analog-to-digital switch from Feb. 17 to June 12 meant that they would have extra time to prepare for the transition.</span>
<span style="font-weight: bold">However,</span> Commerce Committee Chairman John D. Rockefeller, D-W.V., author of the bill, added a provision that gives broadcasters the option to go entirely digital sooner than the June deadline if they choose – a move that helped win the backing of the National Association of Broadcasters.
<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-weight: bold">Therefore,</span></span> determining which TV stations will continue analog alongside digital from those who choose to broadcast in solely digital format may cause some confusion among viewers.
The bill was proposed in early January due to a Nielsen Co. estimate that found more than 6.5 million Americans appeared to be unprepared for the switch. Additionally, lawmakers who backed the bill cited the fact that some 2.6 million people remain on the waiting list for converter box coupons, according to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
"The shameful truth is that we are not poised to do this transition right," Rockefeller said in support of his bill in January. "We are only weeks away from doing it dreadfully wrong - and leaving consumers with the consequences."
"Delaying the upcoming DTV switch is the right thing to do."
The House voted Wednesday to delay the mandatory shutdown until June 12. The Senate passed the measure unanimously last week, and the bill now heads to President Barack Obama who is expected to approve it.
In January, Mr. Obama had called for the transition date to be pushed back because the Commerce Department had hit its $1.34 billion limit for subsidies given to households who need to purchase analog-to-digital converter boxes. New coupons are only being issued as soon as older ones expire.
The AP reported that acting Chairman Michael Copps said the <span style="font-weight: bold">commission could prohibit stations from making the switch if doing so is not in the public interest</span>. For instance, if all stations in a market want to turn off early, that would draw FCC scrutiny, he said at a commission meeting.
But broadcasters say that continuing to transmit both analog and digital signals is too costly, and therefore many have decided to end analog broadcasts this month.
The Oklahoma Educational Television Authority, the public broadcasting network in the state, said Thursday that it planned to cease analog transmission from its full-power antennas at 1 p.m. on Feb. 17, the AP reports.
"We have four full-power stations all with 30-year-old-plus analog transmitters that are costly to maintain, putting out less than a quality signal," said Mark Norman, deputy director of technology at OETA.
"Sitting right alongside them are brand-new digital transmitters that have been running now for a few years. We just think it's counterproductive to continue to put money into the old ones."
Norman said it would cost an additional $200,000 to continue analog broadcasts through June.
PBS spokeswoman Lea Sloan told the AP that about half of the 356 public broadcasting stations across the country plan to begin broadcasting only in digital format on Feb. 17. Many will do it for financial reasons, citing an estimated cost of $22 million to delay the switch.
Acting FCC Chairman Copps said CBS, Fox, ABC and NBC and Telemundo plan to continue analog broadcasts until June in its 85 full-power stations. The rest of the stations that carry these networks are affiliates not owned by the network.
"These broadcasters deserve our gratitude. I encourage other broadcasters to join them," Copps said.
Furthermore, companies that spent $16 billion in an auction for the public airwaves last year will receive a 116-day extension on their licenses as a part of the bill.
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