Younger generation unfazed by television going digital

Televisions equipped with bunny ears across the nation will soon fall silent as the digital television transition, known as the DTV switch, goes into effect. Though this movement will involve many consumers around the nation, it will not effect GCSU students or Milledgeville residents.

“The switch will affect people who live close to a T.V. signal,” broadcast teacher Angela Criscoe said. “In terms of GCSU, we will not be affected.”

The government initiated DTV switch, will go into effect on Feb. 17. Many television stations in the United States broadcast on analog airwaves picked up for free by consumers using an antenna. Though most Americans use digital services, such as cable and satellite, those still using analog television will soon be unable to receive signal.

Many Americans still question the idea of switching all stations to digital.

“I do not think that is the government’s job,” student Brooke Woodward said in response to the legislature making the switch mandatory. “They’re definitely overstepping their bounds of power, but the switch doesn’t bother me; I’m on cable.”

Others seem less concerned with the government and more concerned with the transition’s impact on families. According to Nielsen Media Research, the transition effects 7.8 million households across the nation.

“It will definitely affect the older generation and probably the lower income families,” junior Taquita Miles said. “I do not think it will affect me or my generation.”

Most students feel that transition will not affect them or their families, but thanks to advertising campaigns by the government, students seem familiar with the issue.

“My family does not have to convert or anything,” freshman Ellie Ebert said. “But if low income Americans cannot afford the switch, they will lose out on valuable news.”

The government recently ran out of coupons, which were provided through its Web site www.dtv.gov.

President Barack Obama and his advisers recently expressed concern about the digital switch. John Podesta, co-chair of the Obama transition team, urged Federal Communications Commission to consider pushing back the cutoff date. The Bush administration, after investing much time and money in the switch, opposed postponing the cutoff.

Students appear unconcerned about the effect on GCSU’s on campus television.

“The college would take care of anything,” freshmen Rebecca Jenkins said. “But I do not think we are on analog.”

The college does not receive analog signal and Bobcat Media Production does not broadcast in analog.

“We are set, we are on cable,” said Stacey Lumley, video production specialist at GCSU. “We are good to go.”

The FCC already succeeded in transitioning Wilmington, N.C., to a digital town in September 2008. With that success, the FCC plans to impliment the transition nationwide.

The transition will not affect rural areas such as Milledgeville, which receives poor signal far away from the urban areas close to television stations. The transition will likely effect residents of larger cities like Macon or Atlanta.

Though the transition will not affect GCSU, students interested in the national event can visit the FCC Web site or e-mail questions to dtvinfo@fcc.gov.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Jan 30 2009. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry