Reporting from Washington and Los Angeles — Congress on Thursday granted a four-month reprieve to the millions of consumers who risk losing access to television signals during the nation's switch from over-the-air television to digital.
Although broadcasters say they were ready for the Feb. 17 transition, requiring them to keep broadcasting in analog until June 12 gives more time for consumers to prepare their TV sets. It also lets the federal government revamp its converter-box subsidy program, which had run out of money, and issue coupons to the millions of people on a waiting list.
The House approved the bill, 264 to 158, a week after the Senate did the same. President Obama has promised to sign the legislation.
Consumer advocates say as many as 10 million viewers currently get their programming solely from over-the-air broadcasts and are unprepared for the digital transition. They need either a digital TV, a cable or satellite box or a digital-to-analog converter.
"Consumers are confused about where to buy their converter box, about which box to buy, how to hook up their box, what to do if they lose a channel they once got and whether they need a new antenna," said Joel Kelsey, a policy analyst with Consumers Union. "Changing the date allows them more time to grapple with those questions."
Advocates who argued against a delay, including the Consumer Electronics Assn., said the new date could make the transition even more perplexing for some viewers.
TV stations will be allowed to seek a federal waiver to turn off their analog signals before the new deadline. So instead of nearly all broadcasters making the switch Feb. 17, stations now may do so at different times over the next four months.
It's unclear how many stations will seek early conversion.
"It's pretty wide open now," said Stan Statham, president of the California Broadcasters Assn., which represents 144 TV stations in the state.
Several broadcasters have already stated their intention to make the switch Feb. 17, regardless of whether Congress moves the date. Among them is Sinclair Broadcasting Group Inc., which owns 39 TV stations across the country.
Broadcasters saying they will wait until June include News Corp., which owns 27 Fox stations in 18 markets, including Los Angeles and Chicago.
