Corinne-Digital+Transition

Digital Transition

The transition to digital TV is being delayed because there are an estimated 6.5 million households that are not prepared for the switch. This means that there are still about 6.5 million people that would not be able to watch TV in their homes, until they are to buy a new converter box. Because of this, television networks fear that their ratings will drop significantly. According to President Obama, the stimulus package from Congress includes up to $650 million in helping financing the transition. Since the transition is now being held off until June, everything will not be rushed and these government aided coupons will hopefully be able to help out more people. Some lawmakers and corporations are opposed to this digital delay. Corporations like Verizon and AT&T are opposed to it because they have spent alot of money on new products that will use this new digital spectrum and they are waiting to introduce them. Some lawmakers say that they oppose the delay becaseu its just going tomake the whole thing more confusing for some. In this transition, the only people that need to do something about it, are those that have old analog tv's with antennas. However, this whole situation has gotten a bit complicated. There are government aided coupons on the converter boxes but apparently there werent enough and millions of households were put on waiting lists. Benefits from this would be that the government plans to have free wireless internet. Also, the phone corporations that have inversted in the transition will have better services for its consumers.