The biggest change to television broadcasting since the introduction of cable is coming Feb. 17, when 1,800 local stations turn off their analog transmissions and broadcast only in digital. The benefits include crisper pictures and more channels for the 17 million or so households that rely on rabbit ears or antennas. Of course, those benefits will flow only to viewers equipped for the switch, with either digital sets or converter boxes. And despite a decade of hype about digital TV, some advocacy groups for minorities and senior citizens warn that many people will be caught unprepared.
On Monday, broadcasters in Wilmington, N.C., gave the rest of the country a preview of the switch to digital. The five full-power local stations stopped airing programs on their analog channels at noon, prompting more than 1,000 residents to call for help from the stations or the Federal Communications Commission. Most of their problems were easy to solve, and only a handful hadn't heard about the switch. Yet their experience provides a warning to larger markets such as Los Angeles, with about 10 times as many viewers who rely on over-the-air TV as Wilmington has residents: Even an intense, four-month campaign won't be enough to prepare everyone.
