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Will the digital changeover make people put away the rabbit ears? Probably not

Anyone still watching TV solely via OTA broadcasts is probably not going to stop just because of the oncoming digital transition, at least according to new survey results. The Association of Public Television Stations surveyed 1,153 households and figures only 12% would switch to cable or satellite service, with about half purchasing a converter box or new digital TV to keep getting free TV. That makes sense, since anyone who hasn't gotten cable or satellite yet is probably not moved by the channels available, and with upgraded digital sound and picture quality, there's even less reason to switch. Still, we're not sold on the APTS president's statement that rabbit ears are poised for a big comeback as "wireless TV", new name or not, most viewers will go where the content is.