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Digital Television (DTV) Transition Overview

Digital Television (DTV) Transition Overview. Michael DiSerio , Director of Public Affairs and Marketing, DTV Transition, National Association of Broadcasters February 27, 2009. Digital Television (DTV) Transition Overview. DTV Awareness. General awareness rises to 97% in January.

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Digital Television (DTV) Transition Overview

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  1. Digital Television (DTV) Transition Overview Michael DiSerio, Director of Public Affairs and Marketing, DTV Transition, National Association of Broadcasters February 27, 2009

  2. Digital Television (DTV) Transition Overview

  3. DTV Awareness General awareness rises to 97% in January Source: NAB surveys, Aug. 05, Jan. 07, Sept.07, Jan. 08, May 08, Oct. 08, Jan. 09

  4. DTV Transition DTV Transition Basics • Upside: Viewers Benefit • Crystal clear pictures and sound • More channels through multicasting • Free High-Definition (HD) broadcasting for viewers with HD sets • Downside: Upgrade requires action • Affected viewers must take action to upgrade, or will lose reception

  5. DTV Transition Who’s affected? • Broadcast Households • 17% (19.6m) of American households are exclusively OTA • 31% (34.5m) of American households have at least some OTA • 69 million analog TV sets affected • Disproportionately Affected Groups • Seniors • Minorities • Low Income • Rural Areas

  6. DTV Transition • Consumer Options • Purchase a new TV set with a digital tuner • All new TV sets have digital “ATSC” tuners • Cost: $99-up (some DTV sets are not HD or flat screen) • Purchase a digital-analog converter box • Cost: $50-70 • Available in 20,000+ retailers nationwide • Federal government providing $40 coupons • Subscribe to a pay service • Cable, satellite or telephone company TV service • Antennas will maximize reception

  7. DTV Transition DTV Delay Act Moved mandate of analog shutoff to June 12 36% of stations have already transitioned 421 switched off analog on February 17 220 switched off analog before February 17 Remaining stations will go all-digital between April 16 and June 12 Stations that want to transition before June 12 must apply to FCC

  8. DTV Transition • Federal Stimulus - DTV • $650 million approved for converter box coupon program (NTIA) • $90 million for consumer education • Funds not received yet; OMB approval soon • 4.3 million application backlog • 2-3 weeks to process after stimulus money received • May prioritize to analog-only HHs to speed up processing

  9. Digital Television (DTV) Transition Overview

  10. Challenge: Antennas Antennas maximize reception… But in some cases, are necessary to upgrade Problem: 1295 stations relocating to a channel different than their NTSC channel; many across bands UHF antennas can’t pick up low VHF, and vice versa Stations moving from UHF to VHF, or from VHF to UHF, need to talk about antennas Problem: “Digital cliff” effect

  11. Challenge: Re-Scanning Re-scanning channels is crucial Some channels will move around the airwaves Stations can maintain branding for their channels because of PSIP (Program and System Informational Protocol), but… Viewers will need to re-scan if channels that were previously received disappear and after 2/17/09 when the channel relocations must be completed

  12. Challenge: “Cliff Effect” Contour Changes • FCC Contour Change Report • Issued by FCC on December 23, 2008 • 1553 stations will experience a net viewer gain • 196 stations will experience a net viewer loss • 319 stations will see 2% or more of their current analog viewers unable to view digital • Maps of predicted coverage may not match actual coverage in all cases

  13. DTV Transition Important Notes • Digital is available NOW • 93% of stations broadcasting in digital • No reason to wait • Newer TVs have both analog & digital tuners • Some viewers may be watching in analog • ATSC Tuner: Channel 4, for example, would come up as either 4.1 or 4-1 • HD is the highest level of digital programming • Need a HD set to view HD programming

  14. Digital Television (DTV) Transition Overview

  15. DTV Transition Call Center: 888-CALL-FCC Integrated Government/Industry hotline Viewers will get info from nightlight video How to install converter boxes How to re-scan How to position antennas Automated System Identifies viewers by zipcode, type of reception Answer basic questions Direct viewers to live operators or NTIA coupon center

  16. DTV Transition Call Center: 888-CALL-FCC Integrated Government/Industry hotline Live “trusted advisor” operators Staffed by industry, FCC Neutral-outcome scripts Answer more complex, nationally-answerable questions Local Help Desks For local reception issues State broadcasters DMA lines Stations

  17. DTV Transition Campaign Changes Revamped DTVAnswers.com and marketing materials Updating graphics New Q&A sheet Eventually completely updated New 30-minute educational program Currently in production Distribution by end of March “Analog Nightlight” program Promotes no specific transition date Website version also created for stations to post

  18. DTV Transition “Nightlight” Video www.ncoa.org/dtv

  19. Antennaweb.org Website to help consumers select an appropriate over-the-air antenna Increased popularity as DTV transition moves forward NAB partnering with CEA to update and co-sponsor the Web site

  20. DTV Transition Station Activities • News coverage • Station web sites • DTV Countdown Clocks • Answering phone calls • Volunteers • Walk-in centers • Possible need for volunteers • “Help Your Neighbor” • Home visits

  21. DTV Transition Countdown to June 12: 105 Days Left

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