Congress Passes Legislation to Delay the DTV Transition

Councils and partners asked to help communities stay connected

On Wednesday, February 4, 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 352, the DTV Delay Act. The DTV Delay Act will delay the Digital Transition date from February 17, 2009 to June 12, 2009. However, the Act preserves the right of stations to switch from analog to digital prior to that date as long as stations follow the rules established by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC). Communities will need to contact local television stations to assess transition dates for their residents.

Additionally, the DTV Delay Act extends the TV Converter Box Coupon Program until July 31, 2009, and requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to issue, upon request, replacement coupons for each coupon that expires without being redeemed. To find out the status of current coupon orders, registrants are encouraged to visit: https://www.dtv2009.gov/CheckStatus.aspx. Registrants will need to enter their reference number in order to find out the status of their coupon.

Citizen Corps Councils, working with all sectors of the community, to include State and local government agencies, community based organizations, the private sector, and Citizen Corps Partners and Affiliates, can support the Digital Transition by providing focused, grassroots outreach and hands-on assistance to vulnerable populations. Senior, non-English speaking and special needs populations are at risk of not understanding or being able to access Digital Transition resources and may require additional assistance purchasing and installing a DTV converter box. Citizen Corps Councils and partner organizations can support local initiatives by providing grassroots planning and organization to make sure everyone in the community stays connected. Please visit the following link to see more information and suggestions on how your Council or organization can get involved: http://www.citizencorps.gov/pdf/news/Citizen_Corps_DTV_Transition_Fact_Sheet_updated.pdf

The DTV Delay Act is awaiting the final signature from President Obama and FCC and NTIA are currently working to promulgate rules to implement the provisions of the DTV Transition Act. To find out more information about the DTV Transition, please visit http://www.dtv.gov/.