More FCC Changes For Analog To Digital TV

Surprise! The FCC wants to make some changes to give smaller TV stations more time to switch over to digital signal. Seems that this is going to be an ongoing problem since the FCC keeps extending the timeframe for the change. The FCC states it is trying to protect the ’small power stations,’ which are described as:

Low-power stations provide service to rural areas and to specific communities in urban areas that are not targeted by big broadcasters. Such stations are much cheaper to build, and unlike full-power stations, broadcast almost exclusively to viewers who use antennas to pick up programming.

Translator stations rebroadcast the programming of full-power stations. They serve areas that are too far away from a full-power transmitter, or are cut off from a signal due to mountainous terrain.

So it appears that these stations may be given until 2012 to make the change according to this statement:

Martin would also set a deadline of 2012 for low-power stations to convert to digital broadcasting.

There is a simple solution. Stop all of the crapola talk and just extend the date until 2096!

The FCC seems more concerned about protecting the TV stations than in providing a digital signal to the consumer.

Comments welcome.