Getting to February 2009: Implementing the Digital TV Transition

Now that President Bush has signed the Deficit Reduction Act which includes the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act (DTV Act), a clearer picture of the digital television transition is developing. The purpose of the DTV Act is to prepare US consumers for the end of free, over-the-air, analog broadcasts. Mainly, this is to be accomplished by subsidizing the purchase of digital-to-analog converter boxes that will extend the life of current TVs into the age of digital TV broadcasting. Additionally, the law allows the proceeds from the auction of returned analog TV spectrum to be used for other national communications priorities. Follow this link for a quick outline of the timeline for implementing the new law and the requirements it makes on various government bodies — and consumers — to end analog television broadcasts in the US on February 17, 2009.