U.S. Senate Approves Four-Month Delay for DTV; Tentative New Deadline is June 12

    Those of you wanting or needing more time to get ready for the switch to digital television are getting your wish.

    The U. S. Senate has voted to give you an extra four months, and similar action by the U.S. House of Representatives is expected within the week.

    February 17 was when News Channel 7 and other stations were mandated to stop broadcasting analog signals and go to digital only.

    Today’s Senate vote delays the official switch to June 12.

    Lawmakers are concerned that as many as 20-million households may not have the equipment they need.

    Now you get nearly four months more to buy a converter box, or sign up for cable or satellite, or buy a television set that has a digital tuner built in.

    A big concern to many of you is whether you can still get a DTV coupon that saves you 40 dollars on a converter box (the box that converts digital signals to analog so older-style televisions can still work and you won’t need to buy a new television).  The program ran out of money earlier this month, and millions of American are on a waiting list.

    If you have a coupon but it expired, or the coupon you ordered never arrived, the Senate measure lets you apply for a new coupon.

    Plus the Senate and House are expected to vote this week to put more money into the coupon program.

    Again, the House hasn’t voted on the DTV delay yet, but leaders there are expected to model their legislation after the Senate version.

    President Barack Obama called for the four-month delay.

    It was also favored by Michael Copps, the Spartanburg native who is now the acting chairman of the Federal Communications Commission.

    Stations may have the option of going ahead with the digital transition prior to June 12.

    News Channel 7 General Manager Phil Lane tells me our station will wait to see what’s in the final bill from Congress and decide what action to take from there.

    I’ve spoken to more than 30 community groups over the past year about the DTV transition.

    As the year went by, a higher percentage of people in those groups has been prepared for the transition.

    But we’re still getting calls from viewers needing help.

    It appears they’ll have an extra four months of breathing room.

    News Channel 7 will continue following the developments for you and bring you the latest on-air and on-line.