Analog television
One issue that has bothered Keith Clark is the cutoff date for analog television. Congress and the FCC approved a plan that forces analog broadcasting to cease on February 17, 2009, in a move to digital-only.
That means those who use antennas will have to buy a digital-to-analog converter box and anyone with a TV that doesn’t have the right tuner will either have to buy a new TV or buy the box. For more details, click here.
Keith doesn’t like this forced conversion. He thinks it was a decision made without consent of the people and without warning.
“It’s not the ‘land of the free’ because now we don’t even have decisions on our televions for people who can’t afford things like that,” Keith said.
The FCC still isn’t sure how much the coverter boxes will cost. They’re expected to cost less than $100 and to help offset the cost, the government is sponsoring a coupon program to help families buy the converter boxes.
I recently bought the converter box. I believe the sticker price was $50, but since I got the government coupon it only cost me $10. If you fill out a request for the coupon online, the government should send it to you within a month or so.
Elizabeth Lucas
October 23, 2008 at 5:45 pm