FCC hands out fines for sales of analog-only TVs

The digital switchover is coming, and there's no more sure sign of it than fines being handed out by the FCC to retailers that continue to sell sets with only analog tuners. Any remaining inventory retailers have can be sold, but must be accompanied by signage "in close proximity" that explains the limitations of these devices in our coming digital airwaves. Fewer than one dozen violations were cited by the FCC's dragnet, which is pretty incredible. The small number of infractions is a credit to the teeth the FCC put into the regulation: an $8000 fine per model, per store. This kind of financial pressure was certainly a factor in Best Buy's recent removal of analog-only sets from their shelves entirely; one careless stocking error or misplaced sign could have proven very costly.