NTIA Head Salutes Orlando Stations
NTIA acting head Meredith Attwell Baker gives shout-out to stations in Orlando, Fla., conducting DTV test Wednesday.
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/24/2008 1:57:00 PM
National Telecommunications and Information Administration acting head Meredith Attwell Baker gave a shout-out Tuesday to stations in Orlando, Fla., conducting a digital-TV test Wednesday and called on more stations to follow suit.
At 7:59 p.m. Wednesday, stations will pull the plug on their analog signals for 10 seconds or so. If viewers see a message that reads, "Your TV Passed the Test," their TV is ready for the transition, Baker said. Otherwise, their TV didn't pass.
“We are grateful to the Orlando broadcasters for using their airtime to further prepare their viewers for the digital-television transition," Baker said Tuesday. "I hope more broadcasters nationwide use this creative approach to help their viewers know their options -- including obtaining a coupon to purchase a converter box from the TV Converter Box Coupon Program -- prior to the national digital television switch Feb. 17, 2009.”
The NTIA is overseeing the DTV-to-analog converter-box-coupon subsidy programs. Those with TV sets that do not pass the test will need one of those boxes, or a cable or satellite hookup, to continue to see TV.
