News

CITY PREPS FOR SWITCH, THOUGH SOME STATIONS WILL DELAY

By Amy Riggin/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Monday, February 16, 2009 10:23 AM CST

Most area residents appear to be ready for the switch to digital TV, although some stations are opting to hold off now that Congress has passed the DTV Delay Act, giving them until June 12 instead of the original Feb. 17 deadline.

Pictured is a converter box for the upcoming digital television conversion. Pine Bluff Commercial/Ralph Fitzgerald

Danny Morris, manager of Morris TV Sales & Service Inc. on Sulphur Springs Road, said last week that the store had sold about 150 converter boxes so far. The boxes are required by some viewers in order to pick up the digital signal after full-power broadcast stations stop broadcasting in analog.

“Sales are steady for the boxes and so far I’ve had no problems in getting them,” Morris said.

Converter boxes also can be purchased in Pine Bluff at Sears, RadioShack and Wal-Mart.

According to the Federal Communications Commission, those who rely on antennas, including outside antennas and “rabbit ears,” to receive over-the-air broadcast signals on TV sets having only analog tuners need a converter box. Analog TVs will continue to work with cable, satellite, VCRs, DVD players, camcorders, video games consoles and other devices for many years.

Cable subscribers may need new DTV equipment to view DTV programming in digital format and satellite subscribers may need new DTV equipment to receive and view high-definition digital programming. Consumers should ask their providers what they will need and when.

The National Telecommunications & Information Administration is offering $40 coupons for the converter boxes, which retail for $59.95. However, those who requested coupons after Jan. 4 have been placed on a waiting list. Up to two coupons per household can be requested online at www.dtv2009.gov, or by calling (888) DTV-2009.

Bart Forbes, NTIA spokesperson, said the agency received $1.34 billion in funding in 2005 — enough to redeem 33.5 million coupons. As of Feb. 11, 23.4 million coupons had been redeemed and 52.4 million had been requested.

Still taking requests

“We have lots of cash available,” Forbes said. “The problem is the Antideficiency Act, which means that we cannot mail out more coupons than for which we have funding allocated. We are still taking requests and mailing coupons out. We mail out coupons every day based on the number of coupons that are expired.”

The coupons expire 90 days after being mailed.

As of Feb. 10, according to the NTIA Web site, 399,143 coupons had been requested in Arkansas — 9,837 of those from Pine Bluff zip codes.

Glenn Crain, who lives 15 miles south of Pine Bluff on U.S. 425, said his family has never had cable and has an antenna on top of their house. Instead of opting to buy a converter box, however, he decided it was time for a new TV.

“It’s a digital television,” Crain said, adding, “Most of the stations have already started broadcasting in digital along with analog ... to test their systems.”

The Federal Communication Commission required that as of March 1, 2007, all new TVs must include digital tuners.

Some opt for new sets

Morris said some customers also have opted to buy new TVs instead of converter boxes. He added that while the boxes are “simple to hook up,” his staff will assist in showing customers how to do it themselves or come to their homes and install them.

KARK and KARZ General Manager Gayle Kiger said those stations “are planning to stick with the date” of Feb. 17 to end analog broadcasting.

“One of the most important reasons is the fact that we are in the process of purchasing KARZ and we have actually already taken over operations of it,” Kiger said. “By signing off the analog signal on Feb. 17, it will allow us to do a full-power, digital upgrade for KARZ.”

KLRT (Fox and CW) initially planned to switch on Feb. 17, said Vice President and General Manager Chuck Spohn, but public feedback led to a change of plans. “It was clear to us that we needed to act in the best interest of our viewers and alter our original decision in their behalf,” he said in a news release.

Ch. 11 switches June 12

KTHV President and General Manager Larry Audas said that station will wait until June 12.

“That’s the direction that the powers that be [Gannett] believe will allow for the best preparedness,” he said. “And that’s what this is all about. We have been ready to go for a long, long time but that’s not the focus. Our interest ... is that consumers and viewers are ready to go.”

A spokesperson for KATV could not be reached for comment. However, the station’s Web site, under a “Frequently Asked Questions About the Digital Transition” section, states, “Preparing for the DTV transition is easy and requires you to take one of three steps by June 12, 2009.”

Details: www.dtv.gov or (888) CALL-FCC.

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