Retailers to Customers: What DTV Transition?

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]