Broadcasters accept 2009 digital deadline

Consumers that receive television programming via analog signal may have until 2009 to purchase a digital tuner or television. Analog channels are slated to go back to the government at end of next year,
provided that 85% of the market served by that channel can broadcast digital programming. It appears that the 2006 deadline is unlikely to be met by a number of broadcasters.

Much of the recent debate on the topic revolves around potential government subsidies to offset costs of digital converter boxes for the 15% of homes outside of a digital broadcasting area. These converters would allow digital programming to display on older analog television sets.

The slow take-up rate on digital signal reception has created a "chicken and egg" effect for a number of years. Content providers have slowly transitioned to digital productions due to low adoption of digital television consumer equpiment. In turn, consumers have held off on digital television equipment due to a lack of HD content. Deadlines such as the 2009 analog cutoff, in combination with HD console gaming and more HD content are finally impacting the adoption rate of digital television.