Congress Bungles Digital Switchover

It seems that instead of everyone switching over to digital Feb. 17 we will end up with a piecemeal transition over the next few months.

When Congress postponed the mandatory transition to digital TV until June, it also gave stations the option to stick to the originally scheduled date of Feb. 17.

That means the shutdown of analog signals, which broadcasters had hoped would happen at nearly the same time nationwide, could now unfold in a confusing patchwork of different schedules.

Instead of sticking with the date that has been in the works for what seems like years we will push things back 4 months pretty much for no reason at all. So instead consumers will get just certain channels with only some being blacked out on Feb. 17. There will now be no rhyme or reason to what channels will be okay and what channels will be blacked out. And people wonder why Congress has such low approval ratings.