Channel 8 Complying with Digital Transition Delay

[Havs]

Just saw a promo on Channel 8 with Kevin Cooney talking about low income families, minorities, etc., claiming they "Care about the community," and that's the reason they are complying with the digital transition delay. Channel 13 is still on track to becoming completely digital on February 16, regardless of congress's delay of this.

 

[dosry5]

God bless you, Channel 8.

 

[Broodwich]

They care about the procrastinators and the lazy.

 

[jdoggivjc]

I call "BS" about the caring for the community part.

In the grand scheme of things, what is delaying the digital transition a few months going to do for overal DTV preparedness? Does the government actually believe that more than 1% more of the population will be ready for the switch after delaying it a few more months? It's not as if the general population hasn't known for about 5 years that this day was coming.

Want people to get ready for the switch? Make it tomorrow. I guarantee more people that haven't gotten themselves "ready" for the switch that are desperate enough to watch TV will make the switch much quicker than will by just continuously extending the switch date.

 

[mj4cy]

ahhh so its not everyone, just channel 8.

i have cable, i dont really care i guess.

 

[NobodyBeatsCy]

I smell another promo that Fales may be working on -

"Congratulations Channel 8 for the area's only archaic analog signal - "Hyper-Super-Doppler-Crap-O-Vision. Channel 13 may have the wife of the Iowa Democratic Chairman as one of their anchors, but Channel 8 is the only station that cares enough for the little people to warn them about the tornado that is headed toward their double-wide on the only TV they can afford!

 

[kingcy]

So 2 years of warning isnt enough? Giving out free conversion boxes isnt cheap enough for some?

 

[BryceC]

So 2 years of warning isnt enough? Giving out free conversion boxes isnt cheap enough for some?

I couldn't find a conversion box that was as cheap as the voucher, so it wasn't free.

 

[jdoggivjc]

So 2 years of warning isnt enough? Giving out free conversion boxes isnt cheap enough for some?

Trust me, it's been much longer than 2, probably longer than 3. I bought a 23-inch TV 2.5 years ago (2006) knowing full well that it by itself was not going to be compliant with the DTV switch coming in 2009...

 

[Iastfan112]

I couldn't find a conversion box that was as cheap as the voucher, so it wasn't free.

They are out there, not very nice ones, but they exist. My grandma got a nicer one with 1 TV and the one she doesn't use often just has one bought for the price of the voucher.

 

[Landshark]

Who wants to make bets the deadline goes into next year?

 

[CyinCo]

First, I think it is stupid the Govt has to spring for vouchers.

Second, people have known about this for seemingly forever. I you aren't ready now, you won't be.

 

[Ms3r4ISU]

ahhh so its not everyone, just channel 8.

WHO and KDSM are the local stations staying with the original Feb. 17 change.
Local Business Watch: WHO to end analog broadcasts Feb. 17 | DesMoinesRegister.com | The Des Moines Register

 

[NobodyBeatsCy]

WHO and KDSM are the local stations staying with the original Feb. 17 change.
Local Business Watch: WHO to end analog broadcasts Feb. 17 | DesMoinesRegister.com | The Des Moines Register

And WOI said, "Huh? What change? Who is Annie Log?"

 

[BigBake]

I laughed at how they worded it..."we're complying with the updated regulations".

All the govt did recently was allow stations to not convert over to all digital if they wanted to wait. They saying "complying" like they are following orders.

 

[Clone96]

Who wants to make bets the deadline goes into next year?

I seriously doubt it with 40% of sations going with the original deadline.

 

[Cyclone90]

Postponing the deadline likely delayed a mini-stimulus as well. If you're wanted people to spend money, this would have been one way to nudge them along. I imagine electronics retailers would have seen at least a little spike in sales.

 

[Clonefan94]

TV is about ads. Believe it or not, there are people out there that still don't get the TV conversion. My mother-in-law still can't run the VCR. Thing is, these are also the majority people that call in and buy stuff from the informercials and are most affected by the Pharmaceutical commercials. It's not about people feeling sorry for someone or caring weather or not they get to catch their re-runs of Golden Girls. It's people making sure their ad dollars are going some where.

Also, sometimes it's not about being lazy or stupid. Some people just don't care. I don't. Really I don't. If my TV stopped working tomorrow (It would kill my wife) but it wouldn't really bother me at all. I can usually watch what I need to on the internet, if it's sports, I'd go to a bar. Which is where I usually have to go any ways to see the games I want to watch.

Believe me, the only reason for the delay is they are afraid of losing ad revenue. Which is in tight demand right now.

 

[TxCycloneFan]

I smell another promo that Fales may be working on -

"Congratulations Channel 8 for the area's only archaic analog signal - "Hyper-Super-Doppler-Crap-O-Vision. Channel 13 may have the wife of the Iowa Democratic Chairman as one of their anchors, but Channel 8 is the only station that cares enough for the little people to warn them about the tornado that is headed toward their double-wide on the only 65" Rear Projection TV they can afford!