Additional funding on the way for the digital TV switch?
by Richard Lawler 
posted Jan 15th 2009 at 6:09PM
Further clouding the digital TV transition picture, House of Representatives Democrats are pursuing $650 million to get the coupon program restarted. We'll have to see what the Senate agrees to, but it appears there will be some additional money heading to the transition program's way. Does that mean things will take place as scheduled February 17? We'll just have to wait and see, .pdf link to the proposal here.[Thanks, Stephan]
Filed under: Industry, Regulatory, OTA
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
clara @ Jan 15th 2009 6:20PM
Dumbass that I am, I ordered 2 coupons and let them expire. Will this extra funding come my way as another 2 coupons?
Alex @ Jan 15th 2009 7:22PM
there should be no additional funding...obviously they are dumbasses and will just misplace or lose the coupons - or let them expire :)
kevin @ Jan 15th 2009 8:43PM
Or maybe, just maybe, people who didn't need them in the first place ordered them (not realizing at the time that they were unnecessary), and depleted the supply for those who actually need them and are now on a waiting list...
Dejan @ Jan 15th 2009 10:11PM
What bothers me is that these cards had an expiration date in the first place. And another thing or two. 1. Why are the coupons limited to entry level converter boxes only and cannot be used on higher end models? 2. What genius decided that these coupons had to expire in the first place? As tax payers, we should DEMAND that our government provide us the 2 coupons promised per household PERIOD! After all, I don't recall the public being allowed to vote on whether digital television should be mandatory or not. If anything, it was a forced upon the public as a money grab for the government and the converter box manufacturers (if you ask me). So disappointing.
Tommy @ Jan 16th 2009 1:51AM
Dejan,
1. The coupons had expiration dates to keep people from waiting until the last minute to purchase the boxes, which would unfortunately cause a shortage of boxes in a possible worst case scenario.
2. your congressman (for better or worse) voted the bill into law so, they decided that there would be expiration dates on the coupons.
3. You do not get to choose whether or not this transition happens. You (may or may not have) voted for your representative so he/she makes legislative decisions for you. You, personally, do not have a choice.
4. Finally, of course somebody wants to make money on this.
mugatu @ Jan 16th 2009 1:37AM
Another round from the Nanny state, all your needs are paid for right up until they run out. And then they are magically paid for again. Have a job? Guess what, you paid for them. Quit your job, you'll get more magical gifts like these ... until everyone stops working.
minimalist @ Jan 16th 2009 9:53AM
Basic over the air television is a matter of public safety as its the medium that almost everyone in the country has access too.
Just wait until you go through a natural disaster and you are relying on whatever television or radio feeds you can get over the air to find out what's happening. NPR was my lifeline during Katrina.
The government needs to be able to communicate with its citizens during war, natural disaster or other major emergency. This has nothing to do with "the nanny state".
tom @ Jan 16th 2009 1:11PM
YOU had to purchase your television (Unless it was passed down to you or you pulled it out of the garbage). I may be wrong but the government did not supply a coupon for that. If you were slow to get a coupon that's too bad. Make the transition on the 17th and be done with it.
minimalist @ Jan 16th 2009 2:59PM
We allows broadcasters to have monopolies on on radio frequencies FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD. We allow broadcasters to operate if they agree to give back to the public when necessary. The airwaves belong to the public, not to the broadcasters.
There are a hell of a lot of people living below the poverty line that do not have the luxury of posting snarky comments on an internet discussion board about "the nanny state". They don;t have broadband. They don't have 300 channels of cable. All they have is a 15 year old hand me down TV and a set of rabbit ears and they rely on that lifeline in case of emergency. Since they government is making billions of dollars by leasing the PUBLIC OWNED airwaves the least they could do make sure they can be reached in case of national emergency.