Digital TV shift affects minorities most

DIGITAL TV SHIFT AFFECTS MINORITIES MOST
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: John Dunbar]
A new Nielsen survey estimates that more than 13 million households in the United States receive television programming over the air on non-digital sets, meaning they will need converter boxes. Another 6 million households contain at least one television that fits that description. Nielsen researchers found that 10.1 percent of all households would have no access to television signals if the transition occurred today. Broken down by race, 8.8 percent of whites would be unready; 11.7 percent of Asians; 12.4 percent of blacks; and 17.3 percent of Latinos. By age, of those 35 and younger, 12.3 percent rely solely on over-the-air broadcasts. Of those age 55 and older, 9.4 percent fall into that category. The survey noted that 16.8 percent of all households have at least one analog television set that would not work after the switch. By market, New York is considered the most ready for the transition. Only 3.5 percent of television sets are non-digital and get programming over the air. Portland, Ore., is at the other end of the list, with 22.4 percent of television sets in that category.
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* Digital transition may delete millions of viewers
http://www.reuters.com/article/televisionNews/idUSN1448533020080215