Spring Break
Keeping up with your TV
Issue date: 2/17/09 Section: Forum
Attention all you TV-loving, homework-procrastinating, money-saving college students. Although it seems like it has been in the works for years, the analog to digital television conversion may actually start affecting you - get this - today.
Are you ready? Or more importantly, are you confused?
Because we're a little confused.
If you've been watching the news, you may remember that the switch to DTV was supposed to happen today; it had been planned for several years. On the dawn of this DTV apocalypse, if you had an analog television and hadn't yet bought a DTV converter, you were expected to be essentially screwed over. No TV for you.
But President Obama got the smart idea that there are a lot more important things to worry about in the world right now other than saving broadcasters money. Maybe, he thought he should focus on the wars across the globe, the economy, the lost jobs, the genocides, the starving children in Africa… you get the point.
So, Obama and Congress signed legislation pushing back the switch to DTV until June 12, 2009. Yes we can!
Problem solved, right? Now you don't have to worry about investing in that new converter for another couple of months, so you can spend your hard earned cash on more important things - like heading to the bars on Friday night.
Wrong.
The delayed switch is not as simple as you might think. According to The Associated Press, the mandatory switch over has been delayed by several months, but broadcasters still have the option of switching over today if they feel like it. This means that many stations have indeed decided to stick with their original plan and broadcast only in digital - starting today.
According to KGW news in Portland, all but one Portland station will make the changeover today. Many Oregonians will be left unprepared.
As new media students, we at The Daily Barometer understand that the switch over is probably more beneficial to the broadcasters than it is to us, the viewers. We don't really get much of an improvement in quality or quantity - but the broadcasters get open airwaves (that were once full of analog signals) and are now available to be used in new ways to make more money. Sure, we as viewers might get a few extra channels out of the deal, but don't we have enough already?
Students, staff and families of the community, if you want to keep getting your news from your television, you will need to go out and buy a DTV converter if you are still using an analog television.
Otherwise, you'll be stuck learning about the world in something as old-fashioned as a newspaper. Fancy that.
Editorials serve as a means for Barometer editors to offer commentary and opinions on issues both global and local, grand in scale or diminutive. The views expressed here are a reflection of the editorial board's majority.
Are you ready? Or more importantly, are you confused?
Because we're a little confused.
If you've been watching the news, you may remember that the switch to DTV was supposed to happen today; it had been planned for several years. On the dawn of this DTV apocalypse, if you had an analog television and hadn't yet bought a DTV converter, you were expected to be essentially screwed over. No TV for you.
But President Obama got the smart idea that there are a lot more important things to worry about in the world right now other than saving broadcasters money. Maybe, he thought he should focus on the wars across the globe, the economy, the lost jobs, the genocides, the starving children in Africa… you get the point.
So, Obama and Congress signed legislation pushing back the switch to DTV until June 12, 2009. Yes we can!
Problem solved, right? Now you don't have to worry about investing in that new converter for another couple of months, so you can spend your hard earned cash on more important things - like heading to the bars on Friday night.
Wrong.
The delayed switch is not as simple as you might think. According to The Associated Press, the mandatory switch over has been delayed by several months, but broadcasters still have the option of switching over today if they feel like it. This means that many stations have indeed decided to stick with their original plan and broadcast only in digital - starting today.
According to KGW news in Portland, all but one Portland station will make the changeover today. Many Oregonians will be left unprepared.
As new media students, we at The Daily Barometer understand that the switch over is probably more beneficial to the broadcasters than it is to us, the viewers. We don't really get much of an improvement in quality or quantity - but the broadcasters get open airwaves (that were once full of analog signals) and are now available to be used in new ways to make more money. Sure, we as viewers might get a few extra channels out of the deal, but don't we have enough already?
Students, staff and families of the community, if you want to keep getting your news from your television, you will need to go out and buy a DTV converter if you are still using an analog television.
Otherwise, you'll be stuck learning about the world in something as old-fashioned as a newspaper. Fancy that.
Editorials serve as a means for Barometer editors to offer commentary and opinions on issues both global and local, grand in scale or diminutive. The views expressed here are a reflection of the editorial board's majority.
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