Congresswoman Lois Capps
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Digital TV

As mandated by Congress, on February 18, 2009, full-power broadcast stations will discontinue over-the-air transmissions using analog signals and instead use exclusively digital signals. Digital television will deliver cleaner, crisper pictures. More importantly, digital broadcasts are a more efficient use of our spectrum because they take up much less space than analog signals. This reallocation of spectrum will allow our country to move forward with one of the key recommendations of the 9/11 Commission: establishing a nationwide public safety network to respond to regional or national disasters.

Click here for more information about how you can make the switch.

However, I am concerned that some people on the South and Central Coasts and across the country could lose their television service if they are not prepared for this change. Together with Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), I authored the Short-term Analog Flash and Emergency Readiness Act (SAFER, S. 3663) which would allow for the short-term continued analog broadcast of essential information after the February 18, 2009 nationwide transition to digital television (DTV), including broadcasts of emergency information.

Under the SAFER Act, after February 18th households that may not have prepared their televisions to receive digital signals will see a “slide” on their screen—in both English and Spanish— informing them that the transition to digital has taken place, and providing a phone number for further information on how to arrange for their televisions to receive digital signals. More importantly, they will also receive emergency weather and public safety information that is broadcast over digital airwaves. The SAFER Act would ensure that this information was available for 30 days following the transition to all-digital broadcasting.

Consumers who currently receive their television signal through satellite or cable won’t notice the switch. The 17 million households who rely exclusively on over-the-air analog signals, however, will need to purchase a digital converter box, which will allow their television to receive digital signals. Congress earlier allotted up to $1.5 billion to provide discount coupons for the purchase of these converter boxes. The FCC, broadcasters and others have been engaged in a multi-million dollar campaign to inform consumers of the upcoming switch to digital.

Again, please visit www.dtv2009.gov for more information.