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DIGITAL TRANSITION has been postponed. The below is a message from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
The action taken by Congress on February 4, 2009, to postpone the conclusion of the digital television transition to June 12, 2009, means American consumers will have additional time to prepare for this historic switch. This piece of legislation, however, does not change the operation of the TV Converter Box Coupon Program at the current time.
The DTV Delay Act passed by Congress does not include funds for additional coupons. An additional $650 million is proposed for the Coupon Program the H.R. 1, the stimulus legislation, which must pass in order for NTIA
(National Telecommunications and Information Administration) to distribute additional coupons beyond what it can distribute with funds from expiring coupons. This legislation is also required for some of the provisions outlined in the DTV Delay Act to be enacted, including the ability of the Assistant Secretary to allow consumers whose coupons have expired to reapply for replacement coupons. At this time, a consumer who tries to reapply for a coupon that has expired, or was lost or stolen, will be denied.
Consumers who have not applied for a TV Converter Box Coupon may still do so, but they will be placed on a waiting list. Requests from eligible households continue to be filled as funds become available from expired and unredeemed coupons. NTIA's #1 priority is to eliminate the waiting list but it cannot do so until legislation providing additional funding is passed. If and when Congress authorizes additional funding, NTIA will alert our partner groups and provide you with information to share with your constituencies.
While June 12th is now the last date by which all full-power television stations in the country will be required to shut down analog broadcasts, some stations and entire markets may choose to switch between now and then. Consumers in over-the-air (OTA) households are strongly encouraged to act immediately to start receiving digital television broadcasts. Those who are ready are asked to help a friend or neighbor prepare as soon as possible.
Consumers can receive digital television today by purchasing a TV converter box (with or without a government coupon), buying a digital TV, or subscribing to cable, satellite or another pay service. Consumers who currently have coupons in hand should use them immediately. If they no longer need the coupon and it has not expired, they may give it to a friend, neighbor, or family member if they need a coupon. NTIA appreciates your contributions and looks forward to working with you to use these additional four months to ensure that no household loses television service.
NTIA is currently in the process of updating all Partner and Press materials on the TV Converter Box Coupon Program Web site www.DTV2009.gov.
The Federal Communications Commission has released a list of full-power TV broadcast stations terminating analog service on or before February 17, 2009. That list can be found: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-221A3.xls .
Frequently Asked Questions:
 Why is the FCC switching to digital TV (DTV)?
To improve public safety, and to deliver enhanced technology services to the public with greater efficiency.
If I am a cable TV customer, what do I need to do?
You may have to do little or nothing to enjoy your favorite programming after the switch to digital TV (DTV). Your cable provider will take care of the transition for you!
And, if you've signed up for Digital Cable, you're already enjoying all the benefits of digital TV, including more channel choices, and better quality picture and sound. And even better, if you have a high-definition TV (HDTV), you can ask to be connected to Digital Cable with HDTV. You'll get lots of national and local channels in crystal-clear, high-definition resolution.
If I have an analog TV connected to an antenna what do I need to do?
You have three basic options to allow your analog TV to receive digital programming.
The first two are to subscribe to a cable or satellite service, where they will take care of converting the digital signal to an analog one for your TV.
The third is a do-it-yourself method. Simply purchase a digital-to-analog converter to connect between your antenna and your TV. These converters will be available from retailers early in 2008, and the federal government wants to help you pay for them. You can apply for up to two vouchers that offer a significant discount off the price of the converters. For more information on the converter coupon program, go to www.DTV.gov, or call, toll-free, 1-888-DTV-2009.
How can I get in touch with someone at WYES about my DTV questions?
Fred Barrett, WYES' Chief Engineer, has set up an e-mail at dtv@wyes.org for all questions and concerns about the digital transition. If you do not have an e-mail address, call him during office hours at (504) 342-4684. He will try and answer any questions you may have.
Where can I find more answers to my DTV questions?
DTV Answers.com is an excellent resource for all your questions concerning: analog, digital (DTV), high defintion, converter box coupons and much more. DTV Answers is an initiative brought to you by the National Association of Broadcasters.
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