Between 15 and 21 million households rely exclusively on over-the-air television.  Many more have second and third over-the-air sets in their homes.  In February 2009, these Americans could see their televisions go dark, disconnecting them from news, public safety announcements, and their community unless they get a converter box and attach it to their television.

 

Yet far too few of these consumers know that the transition from current analog television technology to digital television, or DTV, is underway. 

 

An article in last month’s National Journal stated that only 10 percent of our citizens know that the DTV transition is slated for 2009.  Many stakeholders in industry, in government, and in our communities are engaged in well-intended efforts to publicize and promote the upcoming transition.  To date, however, their efforts have yielded too few results. 

 

We need to get the digital transition right.  Consumers stand to benefit mightily from the DTV transition. 

 

They can expect sharper pictures, served up with CD-quality sound, that provide a dramatically improved viewing experience.  DTV also makes possible multicasting.  This could mean whole new channels devoted to local news, weather, children’s fare, and non-English language programming. 

 

Along with these improvements, public safety will receive unbroken slices of our airways to enable interoperable communications and improved information sharing.

 

Managing the transition is by no means easy.  We are now nearly 18 months away.  We have seen working groups, conferences, tip sheets, and a converter box coupon plan.  What we do not have yet is a public that is aware that the digital transition is taking place.

 

The time to act is now—before the digital transition devolves into digital disaster.  We must work together to ensure that no citizen is left behind in the transition to digital television.