Washington, D.C. (June 24, 2008) --
Pop quiz: Who is Meredith Attwell Baker?
a. The grand dame of this Saturday's high society debutante ball?
b. A character played by Margaret Dumont in a Marx Brothers movie?
c. The federal official in charge of the campaign to switch the nation's TV signals from analog to digital?
My guess is that if you posed this question to 1,000 Americans, less than 10 percent would choose the correct answer, which is C.
But Meredith Attwell Baker is the acting head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the U.S. Commerce Department unit responsible for overseeing next year's transition to digital signals.
Would Americans listen to Cosby talk about Digital TV?
Ms. Baker is the acting head because the previous official who headed the NTIA, John Kneuer, resigned last year "to pursue new opportunities."
Baker has said she wants to resign, too, but her replacement, Neil Patel, has yet to be confirmed by the Senate. The industry publication Radio Business Report writes that the Senate hasn't even scheduled a hearing yet on Patel's nomination. (Patel is an aide to Vice President Dick Cheney, which might be delaying the process, considering that the Democrats control the Senate and they are not fond of the veep.)
So, eight months from the transition date -- February 17, 2009 -- the federal government's effort is being led by an unknown acting agency head who wants to leave her job as soon as possible.
Is there any wonder that many industry analysts believe the Digital TV transition is doomed?
On February 17, 2009, all full-powered local stations must switch their analog signals to digital which means viewers will need a Digital TV, a digital converter box or a pay TV subscription to watch television.
But surveys indicate that many consumers, particularly minorities and the elderly, are confused over how to prepare for the switch. If they don't act by the transition day, they will lose their TV signals.
Ms. Baker's anonymity -- and apparent reluctance to stay on the job -- is far from the chief reason for the confusion. The industry, from cable operators to local TV stations to CE companies, has done a horrible job of educating consumers. Slickly produced Digital TV public service announcements, which feature flashy graphics over basic information, have only added to the confusion.
But the government's lack of a well-known person to lead the transition effort has been a problem. In past educational campaigns run by the government, high-profile officials such as Dr. C. Everett Koop (health issues) and Tom Ridge (terrorism) have served on point to address the public's concerns. While their effectiveness can be debated, at least you knew who you could turn to.
But I doubt that many Americans are calling Ms. Baker with their questions about digital converter boxes.
The federal government needs a high-profile person to head the educational aspects of this program, someone who can communicate how to prepare for the switch in simple terms. And someone who will instantly command respect from minorities and older residents -- the groups that surveys indicate are most clueless about the switch.
While many people would fit the bill, one name jumps out at me:
Bill Cosby.
The 70-year-old comedian is African-American and, yes, elderly, but he's more than that. Cosby has a gift of explaining things in simple and humorous terms. He would be a hit in federal PSAs, Town Hall meetings and media interviews. Suddenly, millions of Americans who are now tuning out those Digital TV spots would start paying attention.
While it's late in the game, the government needs to do something dramatic to ensure that the transition goes smoothly. Hiring Bill Cosby to head the educational effort would be a good start.
Comment on this article!
a. The grand dame of this Saturday's high society debutante ball?
b. A character played by Margaret Dumont in a Marx Brothers movie?
c. The federal official in charge of the campaign to switch the nation's TV signals from analog to digital?
My guess is that if you posed this question to 1,000 Americans, less than 10 percent would choose the correct answer, which is C.
But Meredith Attwell Baker is the acting head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the U.S. Commerce Department unit responsible for overseeing next year's transition to digital signals.
Would Americans listen to Cosby talk about Digital TV?
Ms. Baker is the acting head because the previous official who headed the NTIA, John Kneuer, resigned last year "to pursue new opportunities."
Baker has said she wants to resign, too, but her replacement, Neil Patel, has yet to be confirmed by the Senate. The industry publication Radio Business Report writes that the Senate hasn't even scheduled a hearing yet on Patel's nomination. (Patel is an aide to Vice President Dick Cheney, which might be delaying the process, considering that the Democrats control the Senate and they are not fond of the veep.)
So, eight months from the transition date -- February 17, 2009 -- the federal government's effort is being led by an unknown acting agency head who wants to leave her job as soon as possible.
Is there any wonder that many industry analysts believe the Digital TV transition is doomed?
On February 17, 2009, all full-powered local stations must switch their analog signals to digital which means viewers will need a Digital TV, a digital converter box or a pay TV subscription to watch television.
But surveys indicate that many consumers, particularly minorities and the elderly, are confused over how to prepare for the switch. If they don't act by the transition day, they will lose their TV signals.
Ms. Baker's anonymity -- and apparent reluctance to stay on the job -- is far from the chief reason for the confusion. The industry, from cable operators to local TV stations to CE companies, has done a horrible job of educating consumers. Slickly produced Digital TV public service announcements, which feature flashy graphics over basic information, have only added to the confusion.
But the government's lack of a well-known person to lead the transition effort has been a problem. In past educational campaigns run by the government, high-profile officials such as Dr. C. Everett Koop (health issues) and Tom Ridge (terrorism) have served on point to address the public's concerns. While their effectiveness can be debated, at least you knew who you could turn to.
But I doubt that many Americans are calling Ms. Baker with their questions about digital converter boxes.
The federal government needs a high-profile person to head the educational aspects of this program, someone who can communicate how to prepare for the switch in simple terms. And someone who will instantly command respect from minorities and older residents -- the groups that surveys indicate are most clueless about the switch.
While many people would fit the bill, one name jumps out at me:
Bill Cosby.
The 70-year-old comedian is African-American and, yes, elderly, but he's more than that. Cosby has a gift of explaining things in simple and humorous terms. He would be a hit in federal PSAs, Town Hall meetings and media interviews. Suddenly, millions of Americans who are now tuning out those Digital TV spots would start paying attention.
While it's late in the game, the government needs to do something dramatic to ensure that the transition goes smoothly. Hiring Bill Cosby to head the educational effort would be a good start.
Comment on this article!
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