Oh joy. Moving the transition date gets closer
Jan 22, 2009 21:23:13 GMT -6
Post by CAwasinNJ on Jan 22, 2009 21:23:13 GMT -6
It's looking very likely that the transition date to move all full power TV stations to digital is going to move. There will be an official vote next week.
I agree that not everyone is ready. Moving the date isn't the answer. Moving the date is an incredibly stupid move for a lot of reasons. For one thing, people that have no pressing reason to bother getting ready are just going to put it off until they have to regardless of the date that is. It's human nature. For another, people who haven't switched are going to get a false sense of security when nothing happens in February. They'll figure they aren't affected for some reason and then won't get prepared. This leads to point three which is that there will be considerable expense in trying to reeducate everyone on what the new date will be. Stations just don't have ad inventory to throw around on a whim when we're already in a recession and ad rates are falling. That's not to mention the added expense of keeping analog transmitters on air that you hadn't budgeted for.
There is one saving grace in all this. This change is apparently going to include language that says that stations can switch early at the discretion with no penalty. I hope most stations just go forward as planned on Feb 18. There will be some discomfort but it will pass quickly. Delaying the changeover just delays when the discomfort will be.
I agree that not everyone is ready. Moving the date isn't the answer. Moving the date is an incredibly stupid move for a lot of reasons. For one thing, people that have no pressing reason to bother getting ready are just going to put it off until they have to regardless of the date that is. It's human nature. For another, people who haven't switched are going to get a false sense of security when nothing happens in February. They'll figure they aren't affected for some reason and then won't get prepared. This leads to point three which is that there will be considerable expense in trying to reeducate everyone on what the new date will be. Stations just don't have ad inventory to throw around on a whim when we're already in a recession and ad rates are falling. That's not to mention the added expense of keeping analog transmitters on air that you hadn't budgeted for.
There is one saving grace in all this. This change is apparently going to include language that says that stations can switch early at the discretion with no penalty. I hope most stations just go forward as planned on Feb 18. There will be some discomfort but it will pass quickly. Delaying the changeover just delays when the discomfort will be.
