Much-Delayed DTV Transition Hits Friday

The much-ballyhooed, oft-delayed transition from analog to digital transmission of television signals is finally happening this Friday, June 12th, though the move may still leave millions without broadcast television.

The DTV transition was originally set for February 17th, but was delayed by Congressional vote to allow more time for individuals to receive the digital converter boxes needed to keep receiving over-the-air television programming. According to a Nielsen survey from late May, as many as 3.3 million households may not yet be ready for the switch.

If there was any doubt that the transition date would be moved again, U.S. President Barack Obama laid those concerns to rest. “The number of households unprepared for digital television has been cut in half,” Obama said in a statement. “Still, some people are not ready. I want to be clear: there will not be another delay.”

Though no comprehensive study has been done, there is much anecdotal evidence that an increased flow of televisions have been coming into recycling programs and solid waste collection depots around the country. Nearly half of the country’s almost 1,800 full-power TV stations have already made the switch and turned off their analog signals.

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