Digital dilemma for low-power TV stations
WASHINGTON (AP) - January 8, 2008 It's all because of a little-noticed exemption in the
congressionally ordered, nationwide migration of the television
industry to digital broadcasting.
On Feb. 17, 2009, owners of full-power television stations will
turn off their old-technology analog signals and broadcast in
digital only. Viewers who receive their signals through an antenna
who don't have a digital-ready TV will have to buy a converter box.
But here's the wrinkle: the mandate to go digital applies only
to the roughly 1,760 "full-power" stations in the U.S. There are
more than 2,900 low-power television stations and about 4,400
signal-relay stations known as "translators" that will not be
required to go digital by the deadline.
Those low-power stations provide service to rural areas and to
specific communities in urban areas that are not targeted by big
broadcasters. Such stations are much cheaper to build, and unlike
full-power stations, broadcast almost exclusively to viewers who
use antennas to pick up programming.
Translator stations rebroadcast the programming of full-power
stations. They serve areas that are too far away from a full-power
transmitter, or are cut off from a signal due to mountainous
terrain.
So what's the problem?
The government is encouraging over-the-air television viewers to
buy a converter box before the digital transition date, and is
subsidizing the cost with two $40 coupons per household. The boxes
"down-convert" a digital signal to analog, thus allowing older
televisions to pick up programming.
If a viewer who watches programming broadcast on a low-power or
translator station buys the wrong box, he may be in for a
frustrating experience.
Signals from full-power stations will come in fine. But most of
the boxes that have been certified for sale will block the
low-power signal if it is being broadcast in an analog format.
The situation would become even more frustrating if a set
receives signals from both low-power and full-power stations.
Digital channels would work with the box, but not without it.
Analog channels would work without the box, but not with it.
It is tough to say exactly how many viewers will be affected.
Most of the low-power stations are too small or too remote to
subscribe to audience rating services like Nielsen. In addition,
some low-power stations have already converted to digital
broadcasting on their own.
But Amy Brown, executive director of the Community Broadcasters
Association, says there are "tens of thousands" of viewers in
"every major TV market" who will be affected.
For viewers who want to receive both digital and analog
channels, the solution is a converter box that includes a
"pass-through" feature. Such a box would convert the digital
signal and allow the analog signal to "pass through" to the set
unmodified.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration,
which is administering the coupon program, has approved three boxes
that will pass through analog signals: the Philco TB150HH9, the
Philco TB100HH9 and the ECHOSTAR TR-40.
Brown's organization, which represents low-power television
stations, asked the Federal Communications Commission to outlaw
boxes that don't have the pass-through feature. Barring that, they
are asking for labels to be placed on the converter boxes.
The group has also criticized the NTIA for not requiring
electronics makers to include the pass-through feature on their
boxes. They are also upset that the NTIA and the FCC have been
incorrectly telling the public that all broadcasters will turn off
their analog signals in February of 2009.
The NTIA, for example, on its digital transition brochure notes
that "after Feb. 17, 2009 all television broadcasts will be
digital."
The NTIA says requiring the pass-through feature in all boxes
would have pushed up the cost for those who wouldn't need it. They
also were concerned about reports of the feature causing
interference on digital channels.
For the owners of low-power stations, the problem raises
concerns over public safety, potentially depriving viewers in
remote areas of an important information lifeline.
And they say it will affect their bottom line. "If we are cut
off from any more of the audience, we're going to go out of
business," said Greg Herman, vice president of technology for the
CBA.
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On the Web:
FCC fact sheet on low-power stations:
www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/DTVandLPTV.html
Community Broadcasters Association: www.dtvnow.org
National Translators Association:
http://www.tvfmtranslators.com/
To apply for a coupon for a converter:https://www.dtv2009.gov/