It took staunch anti-Communist Dick Nixon to forge a relationship with Communist China and anti-interventionist George W. Bush to engineer the biggest experiment in nation building of this century.
So maybe it will take a Democratic president to let the free market handle America's switch to digital TV.
Most of the time, when new consumer technology takes over the nation, we hardly notice. As the iPod made record stores irrelevant, the DVR phases out VCR tapes and the remote control slowly crumbles the dominance of broadcast TV networks, we grumble a bit about the vanishing culture, open our wallets and jump into the next new thing.
That's why I always wondered about the rushed transition to digital TV. Under a government dominated by GOP lawmakers who supposedly valued the free market system above all, Congress drafted a plan to force consumers into using digital TV technology by making broadcast stations use it exclusively after Feb. 17, 2009.
The pot of gold at the end of this rainbow was the millions in revenue expected when the government auctioned off use of the old analog spectrum to private business. In the process, the entire TV-watching nation was nudged by a looming deadline to one of three choices: buy a digital TV-capable television set, get cable or satellite TV service or pony up cash for a converter to display images from a digital frequency on an analog set.
Isn't this the same party that opposed government aid to power companies rebuilding after the disaster of Hurricane Katrina? So why was the government forcing the TV industry to rush into a new broadcast technology, regardless of whether the market was ready or willing?
Barack Obama's request to delay this wrenching change -- a possibly destabilizing event that the already shaky broadcast television industry surely does not need now -- may give legislators enough breathing room to decide whether government needs to force this issue at all.
Especially since TV stations have already spent millions to broadcast digital signals and no new analog TVs are being sold, consumers will transition to the technology on their own in a few more years and broadcasters can decide for themselves when to stop broadcasting an analog signal for the lone holdouts.
If Obama does suggest this path, there shouldn't be many Republicans opposing him. In fact, they probably should have thought of it first.
In addition, we personally have a battery operated TV for the times that we lose power. That happens frequently here, because of snow and other weather events. It is a small, cheap little thing, but we get the local stations, and during prolonged problems, we still have communication. I just realized that we would need a box for that. But, I wonder if you have to have electricty to operate the box? If you do, we are SOL. Anyone know?
Who would trust a group who has done their best to destroy the Bill of Rights? Who would volunteer to be subject to further propaganda by Government TV?? GW must've got this idea from his buddy in Red China.
I did order the "coupon". The coupon turned out to be a card that was thick and expensive to make. The more I considered it came to me that perhaps it is time to get off the tube altogether. It seems Americans under television have been dulled of their ability to think for themselves as it is.
Read Stephen King's: The Cell.
Those who want to stick with the same old 50+ year old technology bother me. The light bulb, the internal combustion engine, gas powered lawnmowers, analog TV -- they all got to go! However, on the other side, some technology pushed on us turns around too fast -- DVDs are becoming obsolete, CDs... it's nice to have some continuity. All in moderation I suppose.
If the format change didn't force us to upconvert, the same old cheap, massive and mercury-laden CRTs would still be sold, and people would cling to the old format indefinitely. Change is good.
I am unemployed, struggling on unemployment, wondering how I will be able to afford my prescriptions for next month, taking care of my sister who is terminally ill, and so on, and so on . . . Even with the $40 coupon, I cannot afford a converter box.
There is no way in hell we should be forced into this sham.
You missed the point.
The government coupons are worth $40, and you can get two of 'em. . .
Sounds like a push to me (plus or minus
Obama wants to delay the transition. That is good because this was poorly handled. A four month delay coupled with a more robust subsidy program will do the trick.
Spend a couple of bucks to upgrade to an equivalent new antenna, use RG-6 (low-loss) cable, and chances are you'll have a perfect picture.
This transition is a clock that has been ticking for SIX YEARS now. Some stations in larger markets have had a digital signal on the air since 1998.
Digital TV is the future!!! Let's get on with it!!
YES WE CAN!!!!!!
An easy YouTube video describing how to make a fantastic portable HDTV antenna with wire hangers, some 2x4, and assorted parts.
I built one … cost maybe 10 bucks, worked like a charm.
Plus, it's kinda cool looking.
I consider the free coupon simply another industry bailout, or at least a dip into the public fund bucket. What a waste of money. TV is becoming less and less important. The people left who have not made some sort of switch are "at the margins", or sticks-in-the-mud, like me. To the industry, we (me and my margin pals) are nothing. So, "Let Them Eat Cake", or better yet, not watch TV. Read, visit, talk, go places.
Throw the switch as planned, and better yet........ Kill Your TV.
And it isn't just private industry. A significant part of the new bandwidth is for a new generation of law enforcement communications devices.
Where ?
The USA has not had and FREE MARKETS since J.F.Kennedy !
The oil companys bought up refinerys and shut them down to control prices while we were in Vietnam.
All kinds of laws passed that protect old established business and prevent competition.
FREE MARKETS ARE OPEN TO COMPETITION ON THE SAME LEVEL NO FIXES FOR THE OLD BOYS!!!!!!