Is Your TV Going to Work after June 12?

To prevent more than 6 million U.S. households from having their television service cut off on February 17th, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation today to extend the nationwide digital television (DTV) transition to June 12, 2009.
“Without this extension, close to 40,000 Tennessee households would not been able to watch TV after February 17th,” said Congressman Bart Gordon. “While most people won’t be affected by the DTV transition, the 115-day extension will give people who have rabbit ears on their TV sets time to get converter coupons and purchase equipment they need to ensure their TV continues to work.”
Television stations were scheduled stop broadcasting analog signals and exclusively broadcast in digital on February 17, 2009. After that date, analog televisions that rely on antennas would have gone black unless they were connected to a digital-to-analog converter box.
“It is important for everyone to figure out if they are going to be affected by the transition,” said Gordon. “If you have already made the transition, this delay will not affect you at all. Also, if you have a digital television or a television connected to cable, satellite, or other pay TV service, you do not need to do anything.”
For viewers who are using an antenna and have an analog TV they purchased before 2004, you will need a digital-to-analog converter box to continue to watch broadcast television on that set after June 12th. If you have not gotten a converter box yet or applied for a converter box coupon, call 1-888-388-2009 or go online to www.dtv2009.gov.
Currently, there is a waiting list of over 3 million households nationwide for converter box coupons from the federal government, which includes 39,593 Tennessee households according to the Department of Commerce. In addition, there is converter box shortage of at least 2 million units. For these reasons, the transition deadline was extended to June 12th.
For people who are on the waiting list, you should receive a coupon soon. The Economic Recovery bill currently being debated includes provisions that will increase the number of coupons the federal government is able to give to consumers. Converter boxes cost $40-70, and the government is offering two $40 coupons per household to purchase boxes.
The House-passed bill, which the Senate approved last week, now goes to the President, who is expected to sign it into law. For more information about the DTV transition, go to www.bart.house.gov/dtv.