Posted by madcityradio.com on January 24, 2009 at 19:57:39:
In Reply to: Senate nears deal to delay digital TV transition posted by madcityradio.com on January 23, 2009 at 07:39:46:
Jeff Richgels | January 24, 2009
77 Square
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Senate Democrats late Thursday reached a deal with skeptical Republicans on a bill to push the transition of broadcast TV from analog to digital from Feb. 17 to June 12 "” setting the stage for a vote early next week, the Associated Press reported.
The House is likely to move quickly after the Senate acts, and the Obama administration has been pushing a delay, so the legislation looks like a slam dunk.
The delay will help the millions of households who are not ready, but will bring problems, AP noted in a story Friday.
One big problem with extending the transition, critics warn, is that many TV viewers could be confused. A delay could also be expensive for broadcasters. And it could burden public safety agencies and wireless companies waiting for the airwaves that will be freed by the shutdown of analog signals.