Is Michigan Ready for DTV Transition?

Michigan Association of Broadcasters President Karole White Still Has Concerns

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/3/2008 11:17:00 AM

Broadcasters may be engaged in a multipronged digital-TV-education effort, but the head of the Michigan Association of Broadcasters is still worried that lots of Michiganders won't know the Feb. 17, 2009, switch is coming.

According to excerpts of her planned testimony before the Michigan House Energy & Technology Committee June 4, MAB president Karole White plans to tell the state legislators she is concerned that many of the 600,000 Michigan households receiving TV over the air "will either be unaware of or unable financially to take the steps needed in order to continue to receive television signals when analog broadcasting ceases next February."

She plans to tell them that while Michigan broadcasters have an "aggressive" DTV-education program, she will ask for more government help "to ensure that no citizen is left behind."

That message will likely be of interest to Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), chairman of the House Energy & Commerce Committee. Commerce's Subcommittee on Telecommunications & the Internet is holding a hearing June 10 on the progress of the transition and its education efforts.