Retailers to Customers: What DTV Transition?

Fri Feb 15, 2008 10:58AM EST

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Too many salespeople at electronics stores don't have a clue when it comes to the looming transition to digital TV, a new survey says.

Non-profit research group U.S. PIRG sent out a team of "secret shoppers" to 132 retail outlets in 10 states, according to Ars Technica. The goal: to find out if store employees knew the facts, figures and dates surrounding the February 17, 2009 switch from analog to digital TV broadcasting. (About 22 million analog TVs with over-the-air antennas will go dark after the transition, unless they're equipped with analog-to-digital converter boxes; those who use cable or satellite will be fine for now, even if they're still using analog sets.)

The results? Not good. Turns out 81 percent of employees either didn't know about DTV converter boxes at all, or coughed up inaccurate information. Also, about 78 percent of store staffers weren't clear on the FCC's coupon program for the converter boxes, and 41 percent got the DTV transition date wrong. Finally, 20 percent of sales clerks tried to upsell customers to pricey HDTVs or "upscale" coverter boxes. (Most DTV converter boxes cost about $50, and government-issued coupons will cover $40 of the price tag.)

Meanwhile, federal regulators and lawmakers are growing visibly nervous. Ars Technica reports that FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein has warned of a "state of mass confusion" unless government agencies step up their efforts to educate the public. "Communication is the FCC's middle name, but we haven't lived up to it," Adelstein said. No kidding.

Of course, as I've said before, broadcasters could certainly do their part to get the word out. Since the last time I posted about DTV, I've seen a couple PSAs about the DTV transition, but the commercials ran on cable-only networks like MSNBC and CNN, which over-the-air analog TV viewers—the very ones who need to learn about the change—can't watch. Brilliant.

Check out Robin's overview on the DTV transition, and click here for more info on the FCC's coupon program for analog-to-digital converter boxes.

Related:
Clueless retailers lead to calls for oversight on DTV switch [Ars Technica]

Comments on Retailers to Customers: What DTV Transition?

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  • 1 Posted by matt_archbold2002 on Fri Feb 15, 2008 1:47PM EST Report Abuse

    I feel that if they really wanted people to understand what was going to happen, they would have a commercial made that was easy to understand and that was forced to be shown on every channel (at diffrent times of the day) (even more so for the Over the air channels). That is the only way that you will get people to see it.

  • 2 Posted by rapillard@sbcglobal.net on Fri Feb 15, 2008 10:15PM EST Report Abuse

    I've seen several commercials on pbs and on a local station (not a major affiliate). And... I haven't heard anything since requesting a coupon.

  • 3 Posted by mfvarallo@sbcglobal.net on Sat Feb 16, 2008 5:48PM EST Report Abuse

    There's always a bozo. The vast majority of people in this country have cable, Dish, Direct or some form of master antenna system. Then there are those who live in caves..and make a bunch of noise because of their resistance to progress. I bet you guys were stuffed in lockers and picked last in school too. So typical.

  • 4 Posted by ben_suki on Sat Feb 16, 2008 6:39PM EST Report Abuse

    @rapillard@sbcglobal.net: Ah -- good news. Glad to see that someone else is seeing these ads, and not just on basic cable. Now all we need are some PSAs on the major networks during prime time.

  • 5 Posted by majjrmajjr on Mon Feb 18, 2008 10:17AM EST Report Abuse

    Not very interested in HD, but AM interested in having TV in March 2009. We MUST have satellite or no TV at all. The normal info out there is ambiguous about what satellite companies will do, so I spent an hour checking the Dish network website. NADA. So I e-mailed them and actually got a reply!!! We can, and will, ignore the whole thing, as our old set will just keep on working on Dish network.

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