Nielsen: Almost 10% of U.S. Unready for Digital Transition

Nearly 10% of U.S. households are completely unprepared for the transition to all-digital broadcast signals next February, Nielsen said Tuesday. The ratings company issued that finding in a seven-page report it released on the “digital readiness” of U.S. households. The report looked at how many Americans have TV sets that are equipped to receive digital signals when broadcasters start transmitting them exclusively, rather than analog signals, Feb. 17, 2009. Nielsen found that 78% of households are completely ready for the transition, while 12.6% are “partially unready,” or have some TV sets that can’t receive digital signals. Another 9.4% are classified as “completely unready,” with no TV sets equipped to receive digital signals. In anticipation of problems with the transition next year, Nielsen has already said it will push back the February sweeps period until March.
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