Washington, D.C. (January 9, 2009) -- President-elect Barack Obama this week has joined the growing chorus of people who have concluded that the nation is not ready for next month's Digital TV transition.
In a letter to key lawmakers urging that the February 17 switch to digital be delayed, Obama's transition chief cited a litany of issues including the fact that federal funds for digital converter coupons have run out.
While Obama's transition team is correct to point out that the digital transition could force millions of people to lose their TV signals, the President-elect is woefully late to address this problem. By calling for a delay now, Obama is like the captain of the Titanic calling for his deck commander to make a left turn before hitting the iceberg.
Mr. President-elect, where were you last year when some of these problems started to surface? Why didn't you speak out then when it could have had an impact on how government and industry officials handled the transition process?
Yes, I know you were busy, but don't tell me this issue wasn't important enough to address. It seems to be important enough now to call for a delay.
And don't tell me that you weren't aware of the problem -- because you were asked about the transition in June in an interview with Broadcasting & Cable. After reading your remarks, below is a commentary I wrote last June urging you to get involved in this issue
In a letter to key lawmakers urging that the February 17 switch to digital be delayed, Obama's transition chief cited a litany of issues including the fact that federal funds for digital converter coupons have run out.
While Obama's transition team is correct to point out that the digital transition could force millions of people to lose their TV signals, the President-elect is woefully late to address this problem. By calling for a delay now, Obama is like the captain of the Titanic calling for his deck commander to make a left turn before hitting the iceberg.
Mr. President-elect, where were you last year when some of these problems started to surface? Why didn't you speak out then when it could have had an impact on how government and industry officials handled the transition process?
Yes, I know you were busy, but don't tell me this issue wasn't important enough to address. It seems to be important enough now to call for a delay.
And don't tell me that you weren't aware of the problem -- because you were asked about the transition in June in an interview with Broadcasting & Cable. After reading your remarks, below is a commentary I wrote last June urging you to get involved in this issue
Obama Is Fuzzy On Digital TV Switch
The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee apparently has no clue that the transition is in trouble.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (June 17, 2008) -- Sen. Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, was asked this week by Broadcasting and Cable Magazine for his views on the nation's switch to Digital TV, scheduled on February 17, 2009.
His response: Nothing.
Well, okay, not literally nothing, but it might as well have been.
In an e-mail response to B&C, Obama jotted down the usual spin about the importance of educating consumers -- and ensuring that the neediest people get those $40 federal coupons that can be used to buy digital converter boxes.
(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 continuing watching television.)
"I am committed to working with the Senate and House Commerce Committees and the appropriate agencies to ensure that this transition happens without significant disruption and inconvenience," wrote Obama, or more likely, some Obama staffer.
Obama: Spin, but no substance, on Digital TV.
But in recent weeks, countless studies and numerous witnesses before congressional committees have testified that the transition is on wobbly ground. For instance:
* The government says it may run out money to mail converter box coupons to consumers who want them -- and it says it has no plans to request more money for that effort;
* Hundreds of thousands of converter coupons are scheduled to expire soon -- and the government currently has no plan to allow consumers to reapply for them;
* Consumers are having trouble finding the converters in stores with retailers adding that they have no idea when more converters will be available;
* Millions of consumers say they have no plans to prepare for the switch;
* Millions more who don't need to do anything for the switch are planning to get converter boxes anyway, leaving fewer available for those who do need them;
* Millions of homes may lose some local stations even if they get converter boxes, which will likely cause widespread anger and confusion.
And so on...and so on...
But in Obama's comments, the senator offers no indication that the Digital TV switch could become the technological equivalent of Katrina -- with millions of people losing their TV signals overnight. He also expresses no indication that the transition is even in trouble, despite the piling evidence.
The transition is now just seven months away, but the Illinois senator seems like he isn't even paying attention.
"The transition will continue to require public-private cooperation and targeted outreach to seniors and lower-income communities. We have made coupons available for converter boxes, and we need to ensure that the neediest individuals are receiving them," Obama stated.
Blah, blah, blah.
Before you accuse me of political bias, let me say that Sen. John McCain, the presumptive GOP nominee, is no better. The Arizona senator has issued the same robotic responses to questions about the transition, suggesting that consumer education is needed and the government must work with the private sector. (President Bush has also all but ignored the problem; the National Association of Broadcasters has even publicly urged the president to get more involved.)
But everyone knows that. What we don't know is what our so-called leaders are going to do about ensuring that this sinking ship is righted before it's too late. The transition is scheduled for February 17, 2009 -- less than one month after the next president takes office.
Whoever that might be, he better wake up and start paying attention to what could be the first major disaster in his administration.
His response: Nothing.
Well, okay, not literally nothing, but it might as well have been.
In an e-mail response to B&C, Obama jotted down the usual spin about the importance of educating consumers -- and ensuring that the neediest people get those $40 federal coupons that can be used to buy digital converter boxes.
(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 continuing watching television.)
"I am committed to working with the Senate and House Commerce Committees and the appropriate agencies to ensure that this transition happens without significant disruption and inconvenience," wrote Obama, or more likely, some Obama staffer.
Obama: Spin, but no substance, on Digital TV.
But in recent weeks, countless studies and numerous witnesses before congressional committees have testified that the transition is on wobbly ground. For instance:
* The government says it may run out money to mail converter box coupons to consumers who want them -- and it says it has no plans to request more money for that effort;
* Hundreds of thousands of converter coupons are scheduled to expire soon -- and the government currently has no plan to allow consumers to reapply for them;
* Consumers are having trouble finding the converters in stores with retailers adding that they have no idea when more converters will be available;
* Millions of consumers say they have no plans to prepare for the switch;
* Millions more who don't need to do anything for the switch are planning to get converter boxes anyway, leaving fewer available for those who do need them;
* Millions of homes may lose some local stations even if they get converter boxes, which will likely cause widespread anger and confusion.
And so on...and so on...
But in Obama's comments, the senator offers no indication that the Digital TV switch could become the technological equivalent of Katrina -- with millions of people losing their TV signals overnight. He also expresses no indication that the transition is even in trouble, despite the piling evidence.
The transition is now just seven months away, but the Illinois senator seems like he isn't even paying attention.
"The transition will continue to require public-private cooperation and targeted outreach to seniors and lower-income communities. We have made coupons available for converter boxes, and we need to ensure that the neediest individuals are receiving them," Obama stated.
Blah, blah, blah.
Before you accuse me of political bias, let me say that Sen. John McCain, the presumptive GOP nominee, is no better. The Arizona senator has issued the same robotic responses to questions about the transition, suggesting that consumer education is needed and the government must work with the private sector. (President Bush has also all but ignored the problem; the National Association of Broadcasters has even publicly urged the president to get more involved.)
But everyone knows that. What we don't know is what our so-called leaders are going to do about ensuring that this sinking ship is righted before it's too late. The transition is scheduled for February 17, 2009 -- less than one month after the next president takes office.
Whoever that might be, he better wake up and start paying attention to what could be the first major disaster in his administration.
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Phillip Swann is
president and publisher of TVPredictions.com. He has been quoted in
dozens of publications and broadcast outlets, including CNN, Fox
News, Inside Edition, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The
Chicago Tribune, The Financial Times, The Associated Press and The
Hollywood Reporter. He can be reached at swann@tvpredictions.com
or at 703-505-3064.
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