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<tt>Congress in its wisdom have voted to delay the transition from
analog to digital TV because 1) the government bungled the coupon
program, 2) ~6.5 million of the 14 million households that depend on
analog TV are not ready for the switch over.<br>
<br>
Paraphrasing the acting FCC chairman, 'There's no way procrastinators
can do in 14 days what they should have been working on for the last 24
months.'<br>
<br>
IMHO Come June 12, there will STILL be people who are not ready for the
transition. There are too many procrastinators who won't do anything
until they can't watch their soaps or "American Idol".<br>
<br>
Additionally, the delay will cost the communication industry additional
Millions of dollars! Stations have options, but all options have cost
that the government, in its wisdom, caused but will not pay for.<br>
<br>
Given that most TV station has started transmitting digital signals
while continuing to transmit their analog signal they can:<br>
<br>
* Wait until June to turn off analog TV. Continuing to pay for both
analog and digital transmitters, towers, etc for 4 more months. </tt><tt>(WETA
$20,000/month, WTTG/WDCA $30,000/month)</tt><br>
<tt><br>
* Switch to digital TV now as originally mandated. This may cost them
audience if all the stations in their market don't also switch.
Viewers are habitual. If the CBS channel goes digital "all" those
procrastinators will start watching NBC. Come June they may not go back
to CBS. ("We can't be the only broadcaster in the market not to be
broadcasting. It puts us at too much of a disadvantage." Christopher
Lane, WETA)<br>
<br>
This will also cost emergency services. The radio frequencies that are
to be freed up by going digital, will not be available until June. So
the advantages will be put off. Additionally, many emergency services,
fire, police, medical, etc lease their communications equipment. So the
old leases/maintenance agreements will need to be continued in spite of
their plans for the new systems.<br>
<br>
'The new deadline will delay the (PG) county's plans to use the old
analog airwaves to create an emergency response radio system for police
and firefighters that will be inter operable with systems in
surrounding counties. The county has spent $76 million to buy equipment
and build the system but cannot start testing it until broadcasters
vacate the airwaves.' said McBride, deputy director of public safety
communications in Prince George's County.<br>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/04/AR2009020402584.html">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/04/AR2009020402584.html</a><br>
<br>
Yes, I am one of those that think that the public/individuals are safer
when congress is <i><b>not</b></i> in session.<br>
<br>
COC<br>
</tt>
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