THE WASHINGTON TIMES
With six months to go until the nation’s switch from analog to digital television, federal media regulators are planning to visit about 80 markets across the country to ensure that vulnerable households are prepared.
The Federal Communications Commission has targeted regions in which more than 100,000 or at least 15 percent of households rely solely on broadcast TV - households that must act before the DTV transition on Feb. 17. Each stop in the nationwide outreach tour will feature a public event with one of the agency’s five commissioners and efforts to increase local public service announcements.
U.S. households know about it, compared with 35 percent to 40 percent a year ago - but the Republican chairman said these “at-risk” markets deserve more attention.
The list of markets includes the Washington area and the nation’s largest cities.
Households that rely on analog signals must take one of three steps to continue receiving TV signals after Feb. 17: buy an analog-to-digital converter box, buy a new television or subscribe to cable or satellite service.
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