FCC Cites Dell For Failure To Label TV Sets
(Broadcasting & Cable)
Dell.com has joined the list of online TV sales Web sites cited by the FCC for failure to label analog-only TV sets.
As of May 25, sets without digital tuners must be clearly marked, either on the set or in close proximity, with the warning that the set will not receive over-the-air broadcasts after February 2009 unless equipped with a converter box.
The House voted today 264-158 to delay the analog TV shutdown until June 12.
The nation was two weeks away from the original date of Feb. 17 for the digital transition, allowing broadcasters to replace analog TV signals with digital ones.
Not for the stations in my area, all the U.S. stations are switching on the Feb 17th date. Some stations are waiting for other stations to vacate, some are swapping...some just can't afford to run it (PBS).
You are so right. Anyone in the States who at this point says they didn't know about the cutover watches very little TV and so the change shouldn't matter much to them anyway. The announcements seem to have been continuous for the last six months. Once one delay is allowed (and this is actually the second), it becomes very likely that more delays will happen. This is a very slippery slope to be on.
(CNN) -- American TV viewers have four extra months to get ready for the day their local stations shut down their analog transmitters, thanks to a delay in the digital TV transition approved by Congress Wednesday.
The House, by a vote of 264 to 158, passed a Senate bill that would reset the death of analog TV to June 12, a measure President Barack Obama is expected to sign.
An estimated 6.5 million homes -- including many elderly, poor and disabled Americans -- would lose TV service after February 17 without the delay, supporters argued.
Yeah but like I posted above, it won't affect the Burlington-Plattsburgh stations. They're shutting down on February 17th despite the new law. Makes Congressman Welch and Senators Leahy and Sanders look stupid... they voted to extend the transition but it will have no effect in their home state. "But... you told us you were extending it!" Mouahahaha!
nyone in the States who at this point says they didn't know about the cutover watches very little TV and so the change shouldn't matter much to them anyway.
I suspect that most of the folks that are not now ready are waiting for the coupon program to be re-funded. They also need to re-issue coupons that expired unused. I believe the delay was mostly due to a seriously flawed coupon program that ran out of money.
From what I've seen over the past year, you'd have to be living under a rock to have missed the DTV promos. If anyone isn't ready now, they never will be, or OTA tv is just not that important to them. With all the other bad stuff that's going on, it's absurd to be worrying about TV! Come on..it's only (info)tainment..get a life! Let's keep things in perspective.
The coupon program was obviously poorly implemented. They should have limited the coupon program to people in lowest income bracket, or social assistance, not yer 2-car households that can afford to toss away $80 on all manner of frivolous purchases. Besides, it's just a one-time outlay..not $50/month for cable or satellite.
They should have stuck to the Feb. 17 deadline. An exemption to various stations is likely to be even more confusing, with a hodgepodge of analog cutoffs, perhaps in the same market. Hoo-boy...
They should have stuck to the Feb. 17 deadline. An exemption to various stations is likely to be even more confusing, with a hodgepodge of analog cutoffs, perhaps in the same market. Hoo-boy...
I totally agree with you on this one! Delaying the mandatory shutdown is going to create more confusion as many people will be surprised and unprepared when the stations that are planning on sticking to their original schedule shut down.
What they should have done is pump some emergency cash into the coupon program instead of delaying the shutdown.
The five major television stations in northern Vermont will stick with the Feb. 17 deadline for conversion to digital over-the-air broadcasts.
Ted Teffner, who manages the stations’ broadcasting facility on Mt. Mansfield, said today that extending analog service to the new June 12 shut-off date allowed by Congress would result in cost overruns and scheduling nightmares.
What a joke people will think nothing happened feb 17 so they will now ignore all future messages about june 12.Get on with very real economic problems.I think there will be alot of analog transmitter failures if they don't get to turn them off feb 17.
a simple Google search about the switch and it seems not many channels will keep analog going, a lot of news about channel's shutting down on February 17 anyway. not sure what good that new bill will be if almost all shut down anyway lol
Stations need to let the FCC know by Feb. 9 and have to air at least 120 PSA's before the switch
Stations that still want to pull the plug on analog by Feb. 17 have to let the FCC know ASAP, though the FCC reserves the right to deny the request depending on the degree to which it would affect viewers.
What a mess!!! Looking at the link provided by kool_105, I thought the following were interesting:
for example, we find that all or most of the stations in a market will terminate their analog service on February 17, and that the market is one in which many viewers are unprepared for the transition or at risk if the transition proceeds. In such case, we may require affected stations to submit additional information to explain and justify how their early termination advances the public interest.
The commission also told stations that if they terminate analog before June 12, they must continue to broadcast on their temporary DTV channel rather than their final channel. If they want instead to move to their final channel allotment, they must file a request for special temporary authority.
The six TV stations in the Burlington VT-Plattsbugh NY market
( WCAX (Channel 3), WFFF (Channel 44), WPTZ (Channel 5), WVNY(Channel 22), Mountain Lake PBS (Channel 57) and Vermont Public Television (Channels 33, 20, 28 and 41) will stick with the Feb. 17 deadline for conversion to digital over-the-air broadcast dispite of the the bill that pass in congress to posepone the change over untill June 12 .
In a release on Thursday, Jim Condon, executive director of the Vermont Association of Broadcasters, noted “a high level of readiness” among local networks and viewers.
“Here in Vermont, after more than a year of helping local viewers prepare for the end of analog broadcasting, we know that most of our local viewers are ready,” he wrote.
I believe channel 3 said that they will wait to March 1 for the change over
I believe channel 3 said that they will wait to March 1 for the change over
Not according to the article (for the Montreal, VT, NY area): Stations that will no longer broadcast analog signals after Feb. 17 are: WCAX (Channel 3), WFFF (Channel 44),...
Senate and House has passed the delay and sent it to Obama's desk for signing. Before he signs, he is asking the public's opinion about the delay. Here is a link to give your opinion:
I think the delay should have been determined state-by-state. It seems that urban areas such as the ones Buffalo's broadcasting serves will be mostly prepared and should abide by the original Feb.17 date.
I believe it's the more secluded areas of inner-southern states that may have more problems with the analog cutoff.
I was hoping for NBC to go fully digital but so far, I'm getting a good signal so I'll count my blessings and hope it holds until the new cutoff date.
Looks like a few stations changed their mind at the last moment or didn't refile to indicate they were shutting down on the initial deadline. Were there not more Buffalo stations indicating they flipping to digital only on the 17th.
from:
FCC Announces Procedures Regarding Termination of Analog Television Service on or After February 17, 2009.
We encourage stations that terminate their analog signal on February 17, 2009, to continue to broadcast on their analog signal information regarding their transition and, if necessary, emergency information. Stations in Wilmington, NC and Hawaii that transitioned early on a market-wide basis voluntarily broadcast a “slate” describing the transition and providing sources for information about actions viewers should take to retain television service. Similarly, the Commission recently implemented “analog nightlight” service in anticipation of the planned February 17, 2009 DTV transition deadline in compliance with the Analog Nightlight Act. We find this DTV transition information particularly important to limit viewer confusion in light of the change in DTV transition deadline and the station’s termination of normal analog programming. We urge stations to air this analogous nightlight programming for a minimum of two weeks following their termination of normal analog programming. Stations that intend to provide this limited programming should so indicate in their analog termination notification to the Commission. We note that, because the overall transition is not taking place on February 17, stations may provide this nightlight-type service after their analog termination on February 17, even if they are not included in the list of stations eligible to participate in the analog nightlight program.
WWNY is going ahead with changing to digital according to a post on their blog today. WWTI also had a banner running across telling people they were changing.
I was also getting some Syracuse skip last night, MY43 had a banner and Fox68 had a banner. Should be interesting on Wednesday to see whats left on analogue.
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