Original post January 9, 2009
With only a few weeks away, Congress is considering a delay on the transition to DTV that was slated for February 17, 2009. The major broadcasters support postponing the switch which was under funded according to John Podesta of Obama’s transition team. It is in the best interest of the broadcasters and much of the general public to hold off on shutting down the analog signal because the less affluent and elderly will be the most affected by the change. Those people using rabbit ears would lose their signal, but anyone with a cable TV or a digital converter box would continue to be able to watch their favorite programs. Apparently, the government coupon program that discounted the converter boxes ran out in the past month and with the economy the way it is currently, asking people to go out and subscribe to cable or buy a new TV may not be the best move.
This brings me to a question, “Is television merely an entertainment platform, or should it be considered an important form of communication that is a right for Americans to have?” Let me know your thoughts.
