Hastening the long-delayed switch to digital television, broadcasters on Tuesday agreed to stop transmitting analog signals in 2009, potentially rendering millions of rabbit-eared sets obsolete.
The about-face by broadcasters -- who had long resisted a federal mandate to switch completely to digital -- clears the way for a change in television no less significant than the transition to color more than 40 years ago, advocates said.
"Broadcasters accept that Congress will implement a 2009 hard date for the end of analog broadcasts," said Edward O. Fritts, president of the National Assn. of Broadcasters. "And we're ready."
Digital technology delivers crisp pictures, vibrant colors and clear sound, and the end of analog TV will free billions of dollars' worth of crowded broadcast spectrum. But for couch potatoes, the transition may also mean junking outdated television sets and spending billions to upgrade.
That's because most current TV sets won't receive over-the-air digital signals without a special adapter, expected to cost $50 to $75. The next big debate: whether the government should subsidize that cost with the windfall it is expected to reap when it auctions off unused frequencies.
More than 1,500 stations today -- the vast majority of local broadcasters -- are transmitting programs in both digital and analog formats. At issue is when the stations would have to turn off their analog signals.
Most TV sets that take their signal from cable or satellite feeds won't be affected because cable and satellite providers can convert the transmissions for their subscribers.
Although the federal government in 1997 required television stations to switch to all-digital signals beginning in 2007, broadcasters dragged their feet. Television stations contended that it would cost too much to adapt their equipment and that they would lose viewers unable to afford new sets.
The broadcasters' reluctance delayed the adoption of digital television because confused consumers held off on purchases and consumer electronics manufacturers continued to produce the more popular analog sets.
But the National Assn. of Broadcasters dropped its opposition during testimony before the Senate Commerce Committee. That cleared the way for Congress to adopt a hard deadline this year.
TV manufacturers, which stand to benefit from higher sales of digital sets, applauded the association's reversal, saying the move would be good for consumers. By July 2007, all new TVs with 13-inch or larger screens must have a digital tuner.
