Washington, D.C. (January 22, 2009) -- When was it that America became the can't do nation? I pondered this question over and over the past few days while I was in Paris and read the news articles about the impending delay of the digital transition until June 2009. When one visits the beaches in Normandy and walks through the streets of Paris, one can't help but recall the days when America was capable of whatever it put its mind to, from D- Day to the Marshall Plan and the space program.

Let me make this very clear, I am completely against delaying the digital transition any further. The transition has been delayed long enough. It is hard to believe that the first digital broadcasts went live in the top 10 TV markets in November 1998. That is now over ten years of DTV, albeit not across the entire country. The digital transition was initially scheduled for 2006 but was delayed three years until February 2009. It was delayed because the TV stations claimed that they didn't have the money and the public was not ready. 

After three years, the stations are now ready but the public isn't? 

Come on now. It is now time for the government to lead as it once used to. Keep the transition date as scheduled. It is now up to the people to adapt. If they want their TV, they have very clear choices, get a cable, DBS or telco provider or a converter box.

I can understand that a given consumer may not want to spend for cable but $40 for a converter box? Even if the money for the coupons has run out, why not get one box and wait until the coupons are ready for the other TV's in your home. For those households with available cash, there is no excuse not to get the boxes you need. Allowing a delay due to political pressure for a small percentage of the population will only result in even further delays down the line, as the same concerns that would result in a delay today will still be present in

Three months, 6 months, a year and more. The only way to get the transition over and get everyone on board is to go through with it NOW. There is no time like the present. It seems that all we do collectively as a nation is want to procrastinate.  

Rather than bitch and moan and drag our feet, how about adopting a can do attitude and move forward with the digital transition without any further delay. Perhaps we can learn from this experience and use that same can do attitude on much more important issues than TV reception! All it takes is some leadership!

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