[IP] WORTH READING Congress Should Delay the Digital TV Transition

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Bruce Kushnick" <bruce@newnetworks.com>
Date: January 9, 2009 11:05:44 PM EST
To: <dave@farber.net>
Subject: RE: [IP] Congress Should Delay the Digital TV Transition




<The available DTV converters are just plain confusing to many viewers,
<especially folks who have been watching the same old TVs with "rabbit  
ear"
<antennas for ages.  Even if they get everything hooked up right, many
<people will find that their reception under the digital regime is
<unacceptable due to coverage variations and differing antenna  
requirements.



We wrote an article about why there should be a delay... The real  
secret --
the antenna configurations were not designed for digital signals and in
whole strips of America's rural fringe areas are going to lose signals  
even
with new antennas.

We wrote an article
http://www.niemanwatchdog.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=ask_this.view&askthisid=0
0383

Tom Allibone of Teletruth actually went to customers' homes in Hunterdon
county, NJ to do real world testing --- The result was -- 100% lost  
New York
channels, even though they are in the NY City MSA

We did a separate report on the survey.
http://www.newnetworks.com/dtvreport.htm


So customers go out, buy the box, find it doesn't work, then goes back  
to
the store who has no idea about an antenna -- and even those who  
bought new
antennas --- or new TVs are not guaranteed they will work.

According to the original documents, the NTIA claimed it would work with
existing technology -- the rabbit ears... with no real world testing.

And, then there's the question of, well, collusion. Every media outlet  
has
been essentially using the materials supplied by the NTIA, FCC, and  
NAB --
and virtually no programming even mentioned that the person may need a  
new
antenna until December 2008. And, most programming today does not  
mention
the antenna issue.

So, in the middle of a winter snowstorm, seniors go on the roofs of  
their
houses to attempt to adjust an antenna that can't be adjusted --- and  
spend
hundreds more on antennas that they really don't have the money to  
spend on
-- then the cable companies comes over and raises their left eyebrow  
-- have
I got a deal for you...

Should we be talking TV-Lifeline?

B.







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