As someone with a insiders view , the problem with delaying the Feb switchover is that:
1. A lot of broadcasters will have tower leases for their analog antenna that end on or around the Febuary cutoff date
2. A lot of broadcasters have tower crews scheduled to complete antenna change outs and or removal of analog antennas (for maximizing of the digital signal) over the next few weeks leading up to the planned febuary cutoff date. It would be hard to reschedule the limited number of these crews available.
3. Most stations are running 2 transmitter plants (one analog, one digital) with huge electric bills, it is a finacial strain they are looking forward to ending.
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You just know they'll come out of this looking awful. They don't have the budget to support two broadcast frequencies (to the tune of the thousands of dollars per month) for another 4 months. The revised bill allows them to voluntarily shut off their analog towers, and most of them will do so to save money. People in affected areas will look for someone to blame, will discover the government allowed the delay but the stations switched anyway, and they will blame the 'evil businesses.'
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croodJan 30, 2009, 10:27 AM
If they do shut off analog, they're likely to hear it from their advertisers, because commercials are reaching fewer viewers.
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If I were a broadcaster I would charger higher rates if I kept the analog up. Gotta pay for that $3-10K/month extra to dual broadcast somehow.
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Which is funny...because the people wanting a delay because they haven't received their converter box coupon yet most likely isn't paying anything for TV service anyway.
Then the people who are paying for TV and/or are all prepared for the transition are going to get screwed because they are going to be the people who get screwed.
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The people who pay for TV will not be affected as they receive their signal through cable or satellite. Only those receiving over the air transmissions will be affected.
I think it's ludicrous that people still haven't taken the appropriate measures, it's only been announced for two years on practically every commercial break. Procrastination doesn't pay, and these people shouldn't be rewarded for it.
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hears an idea, maybe these people should go out and find jobs instead of complain they cant sit at home and watch the Steve Wilkos show all day!
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XXXJan 30, 2009, 5:12 PM
That's the most offensive statement I have ever read. Don't you know these people are all watching Maury Povich( you are NOT the father waaaaaaaaaaaah!) Give them a free DNA test if they'll go get their freaking converters already. Geez
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your right, i guess if these people didn't watch daytime TV Maury would have retired 15years ago...
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In all reality who cares who they blame, they're too cheap or too lazy to get the proper equipment that has been spoken about for well over a year. I doubt if they are a major source of revenue for the advertisers.
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