DIGITAL TRANSITION NEXT YEAR COULD BE RATINGS CATASTOPHY

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[Kosh GTO]

THE SKINNY: 14 million households out of 21 million currently have analog TVs, meaning the government mandated analog to digital conversion on February 19, 2009 could mean countless households waking up to blank screens, reported Reuters.

One year from Sunday, stations nationwide will stop transmitting analog signals  that have been broadcast on the same frequencies since the Great Depression. So call mom and dad, grandma and grandpa and tell them it's time to swap that dinosaur for a TV set with digital capabilities (like a 46" Zenith flatscreen).

Shelly Palmer, president of the New York branch of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences says ratings could drop 5%-7% overnight. Loss in revenue for networks, studios and stations…a predicted $3 billion.

That could translate into a lot of frustrated TV viewers if they somehow miss the warning. But rest assured, if there's one thing executives know how to do, it's sound the warning bell when big revenues are at stake.

Hell hath no furry like a consumer scorned.





When analogue switches to digital, where will you be? GTO

[Valkyrie]

Right here in Canada.  It will be a bit longer for us.  Doesn't matter since my signal has been digital for years now.

[Evil Q]

belgium is going september 2008

so they'll be able to see how it affects us .. think it's a european thing

so they will be able to see how it affects us and do the necessary alarming and making noice if it's a disaster :)

[arend2]

in belgium it will only be with the antena signal and not the good old cabel

[Neoandrew1]

most ppl in the UK have set top box`s now so it wont effect the majority but what about the people that live from pay check to pay check who cant afford to change?

[Valkyrie]

Yup I agree with you Neo.  In the US, the government is giving a small rebate, but it's a first come, first served rebate.  Bet it runs out before the people who are poor can get it.  Besides, it's still going to cost about $30.00 out of pocket from what I can remember.  And for some people, they won't be able to spend even that much!!

[Kosh GTO]

they also have something like a free coupon for one of those Boxes.

[Evil Q]

in belgium it will only be with the antena signal and not the good old cabel

 
the article is about broadcast not cable .. broadcast is antenna I think
 
digital for cable will be 2012 last time I checked  (but that was 3 years ago when I worked for telenet, I think they moved up the timetable)

[Valkyrie]

they also have something like a free coupon for one of those Boxes.

It's not going to cover the whole cost of the box.  It's only going to cover a portion, regardless of which box you get.

[Fcomic]

i saw some digital to analog boxes at best buy the other day, my girlfirend asked me what the hell is that for, she never heard about it, the people without cable, the people who this will effect the most, are the people who dont hear about it.

[Valkyrie]

Yup, it's going to be a disaster.  I imagine a lot of people will wake up that day & turn their sets on & go WTF??  It was working fine last night!!!  

It would be funny except those people often can't afford to replace their set & they have it as their main source of entertainment.

[Evil Q]

they'd only need a cheap decoder .. they go 50 euro here .. you dont' need an entire new tv set

[Valkyrie]

Ya sure that may be cheap to you.  50 euro is what? at least $75.00USD these days.  Think of those families who are barely making ends meet.  If there is even a small problem, they go without meat for meals for a month or two.  Can they come up with $75.00?  Not bloody likely.  The thing is there is a huge number of people like that in the US.  It's getting worse with the plummet in the economy too.  Even with the $30-40 that the government is rebating, they still have to come up with a spare $35-45.  And waaaaaaay too many people don't have that, just to be able to watch tv.

[strutter]

well they could do what I do just download everything off  the net .I understand some people don't  have it so I think they could wait a little longer say 2 more years before pulling the plug on there analogue system

[Evil Q]

they can always go outside and play or read a book