GPB Ends Analog Television on Tuesday

The national transition from analog to digital television has been delayed from February 17th to June 12th. The FCC is allowing stations under certain circumstances to transition earlier.

Georgia Public Broadcasting's nine transmitters serving the State of Georgia, will end analog operations as originally scheduled on February 17th due to aging analog equipment and budget considerations. GPB's new digital transmitters will go on the air at higher power shortly after midnight on Wednesday, February 18th.

Pelham, WABW, in Southwest Georgia will be delayed in going to full digital power for six weeks due to re-channelization. GPB is making every effort to expedite this work and reduce the delay associated with this station.

Viewers of GPB who are not cable or satellite subscribers, who watch over the air, can receive us on a digital set or an older analog television with a digital to analog converter box.

The boxes are available at retail stores which carry electronic equipment. for more informaiton about receiving digital television service, go to GPB's website at www.gpb.org.

Consumer Groups Pressure To Delay Move to Digital Television

The House of Representatives vote tomorrow on a bill to postpone until June the move from analog to digital television... and consumer advocacy groups and civil rights organizations in support of the legislation are applying the pressure.

These groups claim that without the delay, millions of Americans could lose a television signal.

Joel Kelsey is an analyst for Consumer's Union, which publishes Consumer Reports.

"There is a way to do this responsibility and there is a way not to. Delaying the transition to make sure they get the assistance that they need and the time they need to have the necessary equipment to keep a picture on their television set is the responsible way to go forward."

Kelsey says that 3.2 million people are on a waiting list for a coupon from the government to help them buy a TV converter box.

But many companies and television stations say consumers have had two years to prepare. They say that postponing the transition could cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars because they will have to keep analog signals running.