Re: Obama Calls for a Delay to the Digital Switch
Wow - are we so blind (and spoiled) by technology that we don't realize that everyone doesn't have access to or can afford some of the basic things you take for granted? According to last statistics, out of the over 112 million TV households, only 58% of them are cable subscribers and less that those are digital (unless you're Comcast, who is trying to force users to go to digital cable).
There is a well-documented and significant ($15K/year) income gap between cable and non-cable households. Folks are still on analog terrestrial TV for a variety of reasons, but I would probably not be out of a limb by saying the biggest reason is cost. "Free tv" isn't free if you have to drop in a $80 converter to equipment you've already paid for to get it.
In some cases, broadcasters are adding to the confusion by talking about the digital cable migration and the analog over-the-air conversion in the same breath. They also waited until way too late (most broadcast networks and providers didn't start airing substantial info about the switch until November 2008) to provide detailed info to the public in terms an average person could understand.
Americas cry about the unfairness of "unfunded mandates" all of the time - why is this one any different?
Congress also screwed themselves over by how they set up the program - instead of funding folks to be mailed coupons, send the actual coupons to retailers selling converter boxes.
You get the discounted value when you buy the unit. When the coupons are gone, they're gone. No ordering coupons "just in case" - you got to spend $ to get the rebate.