DTV Switch Puts America at Risk; Public Safety Compromised?

Millions of households are not ready for the analog-to-digital conversion that will take place on June 12. President Obama has said that there will be no more delays in the DTV switch. Is public safety at risk? What if there is a terrorist attack next week? What if there is an emergency weather situation?

What measures are being taken to protect public safety during the transition and what are the plans for delivering emergency broadcast information to households without TV?

According to a news release from the FCC, nationwide, "Nielsen estimates that about 3.3 million households - 2.9 percent of U.S. households with TVs - remained unready for the transition as of May 10. In Minneapolis-St. Paul, Nielsen estimates that about 321,170 households (or 18.6% of that media market) rely entirely on over-the-air broadcasts. Nielsen estimates that as of May 24, 3.13% of households in Minneapolis-St. Paul were not ready for the DTV transition."

My theory is that those 3.13% probably know about the switch, but are unable, or cannot afford to upgrade their existing television sets. In my case, I am in job transition, having been laid off in January.

I know of at least one family on my street in the same situation, and will not be ready. I did try and prepare, by requesting and receiving two DTV coupons to use to offset the price of the DTV converter boxes. Those coupons expired when I was unable to locate the boxes last year. Read about the experience in this article.

I researched the subject of how to use the expired coupons, or to see if the proposed tax credit for unused coupons would be passed into law, in this article. The many comments that these articles elicited is proof that many people are in a similar situation.

The issue of public safety is addressed in an Information Week article, however, it doesn't address keeping an analog station in operation in every market. Their "solution" is to have the government open up clinics to "help" consumers hook up their TV's. There are lists of places that consumers can call or walk-into if they have questions, presumably, about the technical aspects of hooking up their TV's.

Sometimes, just getting the converter box isn't enough to receive reception, because with the digital signal, it is an all-or-nothing reception, and if you were receiving fuzzy reception with your existing analog set and rabbit ears, you will probably not be able to receive digital reception with your existing rabbit ear antenna.

Will America be ready to get information quickly next week if there is a terrorist attack or an emergency weather situation?

For locations of DTV clinics, free in-home installation resources, and walk-in centers located in your community, visit http://www.dtv.gov/media_toolkit.html

Government hot line on the transition 1-888-CALLFCC (1-888-225-5322).