Sometime soon (it was suppose to be next Tuesday, 17 Feb 09 according to DTV.gov. Now it's sometime in June, I think) television broadcasters in the USA will switch from analog to digital broadcasting. There is a panic (as noted by the change in date) because, DTV.gov forbid, you might not be able to watch your favorite programs after that date if you still use "rabbit-ear" tv antennae and aren't on satellite or cable tv. Not!
I grew up with antennae TV. I remember the first time I saw those ghosty UHF signals. I remember my dad telling me to hold the antennae a certain way so he could watch the news. Yes, lots of those old jokes had bases in fact.
There wasn't this massive concern about missing out on your favorite programs back then...and broadcast technology certainly has come a long way since when I was a kid.
So how many people are still using rabbit-ears to watch tv? Some 20 million, according to HDTV Info Port. Nielsen estimates the total number of tv households at about 114.5 million. This means that there's about 17% of the total viewing population that won't be able to watch their favorite shows unless they get those converter boxes, switch to satellite or cable tv.
Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my!
Sorry to be the drop of reality here, folks, but nobody cares about you watching your favorite shows. I know that's horrible to deal with. I think it is true. Nobody cares if you can't watch Lost, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, Two Men and a Mugwump, etc.
But 17% of the market missing those commercials...
Whoa!
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I didn't realize how much we cared that people get their commercials. I just saw this on the dtv2009.gov web site:
Are all consumers eligible? Yes, but supplies are limited. There are 22.25 million coupons available to all U.S. households. Once those coupons have been used, there are an additional 11.25 million coupons available only to households that solely receive their TV broadcasts over-the-air using an antenna. Households with TVs connected to cable, satellite or other pay TV service are not eligible for this second batch of coupons. Consumers can apply for coupons until March 31, 2009, or until the funds are exhausted.
And the coupons have been exhausted. So the US government, which has had trouble funding health care for the elderly and poor, education, and the like, has handed out over a billion dollars so that people can watch TV? Plus spending the money to facilitate this program? If you can't afford $40 to get the box, maybe you need to stop watching television (which you bought, how?).
Thank God my kids are getting taxed for this crap instead of me.
Posted by: Windkiller | February 11, 2009 10:19 AM | Permalink to Comment
'Killer, thanks for this. Great take and a good laugh!
Joseph
Posted by: Joseph Carrabis | February 12, 2009 7:39 AM | Permalink to Comment