Digital Television Transition Broadcasters¿ Transition Status, Low-Power Station Issues, and Information on Consumer Awareness of the DTV Transition

The Digital Television (DTV) Transition and Public Safety Act requires all full-power TV stations in the U.S. to cease analog broadcasting by Feb. 17, 2009. Low-power stations are not required to cease analog transmissions and most will continue broadcasting in analog. Fed. law also requires the National Telecomm. and Info. Admin. to subsidize consumers¿ purchases of digital-to-analog converter boxes. This testimony provides info. on: (1) technical and coord. issues facing full-power broadcast stations as they transition to digital; (2) issues pertaining to low-power broadcasting and how they affect consumers; and (3) the extent to which Amer. households are aware of the DTV transition and likely to utilize the converter box subsidy program.