Digital Transition Looms, but Do Americans Have a Right to TV? That's because on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009, the FCC will repossess the analog spectrum from the major television broadcasters and the networks will go all-digital. [...]
The prospect of good, honest, television-loving Americans losing their signal has caused a lot of hand wringing of late. According to a January survey by the National Association of Broadcasters, 79 percent of Americans are aware of the transition. That number is up from 38 percent the previous year, but it still means that 21 percent of the citizenry has no clue that the country is about to go through a wrenching technological change with its most massive of mass mediums. A recent New York Times article cites a study estimating that 9 million households could lose one or more stations, even if they do get converters.
All this despite a huge information campaign and an incentive program that amounts to an investment by American taxpayers of up to $1.5 billion. [...]
Nevertheless, it would be naive to think that television's primary function in most households is as an emergency alert or learning tool. And it's illuminating to put the government's $1.5 billion allocation in perspective. Consider: The proposed 2009 federal budget for adult basic and literacy education is $574.6 million.
Can watching telly make your children cleverer? The makers of the hit show 'Little Einsteins' think so.
