President Obama signs a bill to delay the transition to digital TV - Associated Press
After some stonewalling from the Republicans in Senate, President Obama managed to push through and sign a bill delaying the transition from analog to digital signals for television broadcast in the United States in order to give people more time to prepare for the irrevocable transition.
Despite concerted efforts from the US Government and the National Association of Broadcasters to create awareness about the need to acquire one of the digital converters that will provide television feeds to the home, there was a still a shortfall that incited the push to move the date back four months.
In the last year, the internet has seen a sharp rise in popularity as the new go-to for television events and reruns of both film and television. This may have had something to do with the lack of response from the public to the impending changeover. What is interesting, however, is that news of the transition was rarely seen online in terms of advertisement or otherwise.
Had the President not signed the bill, the switch over would have taken place next Tuesday, leaving anyone without the new digital converter without any television signal.
A similar transition is set to take place in Canada in 2011.
For information on how to get your own US government issued coupon for the new digital converter visit the official website at https://www.dtv2009.gov/
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