The first market in the U.S. is making the change to digital-only broadcasting today.  Now don’t be fooled by the cheesy seven-foot switch that FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin and Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo toggled up. The switch was symbolic only and not actually connected to anything. Wilmington is the nation’s 135th-largest market and the five commercial stations in the region made the switch at noon EDT today.

Oh so corny

Oh so corny

Wilmington is intended to act as a guinea pig for the upcoming digital transition in February of 2009. This switch is estimated to affect 13 million households and only 8% of the population of Wilmington. If those people haven’t been paying attention, or watching TV at all recently, they will see the following message across their screen: “If you are viewing this message, this television set has not yet been upgraded to digital.” Hopefully though the last four months have reached everyone in the region and this first in the nation switch can go off without a hitch.

If you are one of those 13 million affected you can go here to get your $40 coupon for a converter box. Or,  upgrade to cable, I’m sure Comcast won’t complain.


Permalink  Trackback