SWOPblogger

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Nielsen's study on household readiness for the Digital TV Transition, scheduled for February 18, 2009, puts NM at the wrong end of another list.

19% of Albuquerque and Santa Fe households are currently unprepared for the transition, which ranks 52 out of 56 local markets studied. (What does that mean for rural NM?)

17% of Latinos are completely unready, and 26% have one or more unready sets in their home.

From the Nielsen study: The government-mandated transition will leave analog (over-the-air) broadcast TV viewers without a television signal unless they purchase digital sets, subscribe to cable or satellite, or purchase a converter box.

Adults over 55 are better prepared than younger households, and Whites and Asians are more ready than Blacks; also, more Hispanic households still rely on analog broadcast television than non-Hispanics, Nielsen said.

Of course, cable and satellite companies are set to benefit.

...The market for the converter boxes is likely to be about $1.4 billion, and for new TVs about $1.7 billion, for a total of $3.1 billion — still a relatively tiny part of the $150 billion U.S. consumer electronics market.

A government program has sent out coupons worth $40 each to any U.S. household that requests them to subsidize buying a box. Each household is entitled to two coupons for the boxes, which are in stores now, start at $40 or $50, making this option easy and practically free. The government says it has funds for 33 million coupons. To get one, go to http://www.dtv2009.gov. or call 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009).

Karlos Gauna Schmieder is SWOP's former communications organizer. He currently works as a media strategist at Center for Media Justice, based in Oakland, California.

Labels: Digital Transition, DTV, Media, Media Bias