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Thread: The end of an era???

  1. #1
    My Man's Sportin' Wood
    Am I reading this right? Are the days of free network TV numbered? I don't get network or cable TV anyway, but I don't think everyone should have to pay for it, especially things like local news and weather, Jerry Springer and "friends" re-runs. Those should all be free.
    House Moves for All-Digital TV by 2009 Mon Dec 19,11:41 AM ET
    WASHINGTON - House lawmakers approved legislation early Monday that would complete the transition to all-digital television broadcasts by Feb. 17, 2009.
    The measure also would allocate up to $1.5 billion to help consumers with older, analog TV sets purchase converter boxes so they would continue to get service in the digital era.
    The date for all-digital and the subsidy were included in a broader deficit-cutting bill that the Senate could take up later Monday.
    The Feb. 17th deadline — the so-called "hard date" to end traditional analog transmissions — was a compromise between House and Senate legislation that called for different end dates.
    The House initially proposed ending analog transmissions on Dec. 31, 2008; the Senate had backed a hard date of April 7, 2009 — after the March Madness college basketball playoffs.
    The Senate had also proposed a much bigger converter box subsidy of $3 billion. The compromise figure of $1.5 billion is meant to help the 21 million households who rely on free, over-the-air television. Cable and satellite customers would not be affected by the switch to digital.
    The new House bill would initially provide up to $990 million for the converter box subsidy, including about $100 million for administrative costs. If more funds are needed, another $500 million would be made available.
    The move to all-digital will free valuable radio spectrum, some of which will be allocated to improve radio communications among fire and police departments and other first responders. The rest of the spectrum would be auctioned by the government for an estimated $10 billion, though private estimates put that number higher.
    The House bill also would set aside up to $1 billion for public safety agencies to upgrade their communications systems.
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  2. #2
    Ziggy
    Well if advertisers don't pay someone else will...one way or another.
    Don't you have Sat. Radio already? same difference.

  3. #3
    My Man's Sportin' Wood
    Yes, but there's still lots of free radio.

  4. #4
    SummitKarl
    The days of Broadcast analog TV are numbered (over the Air)

  5. #5
    beyondhelpin
    Guess everything does come full circle. I recieve my High Def over the airwaves also. What used to be the worst way (quality) to recieve a signal is now the way to recieve the best picture. :rollside:

  6. #6
    My Man's Sportin' Wood
    Interesting. Thanks for educating me on the subject. Glad to hear it will still be available to the poor. It was mainly the elderly I was concerned about. Is it a special antenna? or just the same kind that is on my very old house already?

  7. #7
    MagicMtnDan
    Here's a pic of SWBob putting up his antenna. Antenna?! I don't need no stinkin' antenna! (DirecTV rules!)
    http://www.lamar.k12.ga.us/royal/antenna4.jpg

  8. #8
    My Man's Sportin' Wood
    I saw that line, but I figured it was to get a converter box like the older TVs need to get cable. Between the way it was worded and my own ignorance when it comes to television technology, I thought it meant either you would have to pay for digital cable or not have television reception. Glad to hear that is not the case.

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