Posted on 01/08/2009 8:52:45 AM PST by MikeNJ
The Federal Communications Commission awarded 12 grassroots groups $8.4 million to help TV viewers prepare for the digital transition on Feb. 17.
FCC had sought proposals from local, regional and national organizations to inform the public in all parts of the U.S. about the conversion, particularly in the 82 markets with the highest over-the-air TV populations.
Last September, Congress appropriated $20 million to the FCC to help fund its digital television outreach efforts, such as instructing the public how to set up converter boxes and antennas.
AARP scored $2.7 million to answer senior citizens’ questions related to the conversion via its telephone service center. The Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit will publicize its help centers in its publications and newsletters aimed at seniors.
PinTech Corp. scored the biggest piece of the $8.4 million distributive award — $2.8 million — to offer consumer assistance to seniors, low income, disabled and non-English speaking and minority communities in Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
The Wilmington, N.C.-based engineering and design company will work with volunteers from state and local service groups.
It will also put a telephone DTV help center in each state to help residents install DTV converter boxes. Technicians will make on-site visits, if needed, to assist customers.
God I was hoping millions of sheeple would be left TV-less!
Personally I wouldn’t mind if I was forced to abandon TV. But my wife and daughter are strongly against that.
So when do corporations like Google and Verizon who lobbied hard for this changeover swoop in to buy up the old airwaves at discounted prices?
The government is going to regret this stupid move. More and more people are turning OFF their t.v. sets. It is not worth watching television anymore: It's 'All a Vast Wasteland' anyway. Televisions in homes are just propaganda machines. With more and more people unemployed, perhaps Americans will stert using their free public libraries again. To read.
90% of the time my t.v. is off. The other 10% of the time, I'm watching films via DVD.
TV should be considered a luxury item, not a government-subsidized benefit. Just like anything else that is not basic food and basic shelter.
If you can’t afford it, you don’t get it.
FCC GIVES NOTHING. It is reallocating CITIZEN money or incurring CITIZEN DEBT.
The new digital stuff no doubt has built-in ‘Nielson Rating’ tracking cookie systems built in. Big Brother Boob Tubes.
Why is the FCC pushing so hard to make this conversion? What’s wrong with the system we have now. I don’t see the need for this at this time......unless something else is behind it. I doesn’t make any sense.
Analog TV signals use up a LOT of bandwidth. This is radio spectrum which could be put to other uses if TV broadcast was digital instead. Digital signals don't need nearly as big of a chunk of the spectrum.
The FCC wants to put the analog TV part of the spectrum to other uses.
How did they arrive at the $40 value? That was the anticipated price of the converter boxes, and congress decided we should get $40 vouchers. But when the boxes came out, they cost around $60. How convenient. So congress’ move makes the boxes cost $60 if you don’t have a voucher! (And many people don’t even have vouchers, since receiving them and using them on time has been a challenge for many people.)
The government putzes have once again only informed the public about 50% of the problem.
The crooked cable companies love this since they realize more people will be forced to switch to cable or satellite service.
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