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1/27/2009
Unbelievable. Senate approves digital TV delay
My gosh. How long do some folks need?
The Senate voted on Monday to delay next month’s transition to digital television until June 12 because some viewers would not be ready for the switch. The voice vote followed a call by President Obama’s administration to postpone the Feb. 17 date for major TV stations to stop sending traditional analog signals. Similar legislation awaits action in the House on Tuesday.
Jo Egelhoff, FoxPolitics.net
COMMENTS
My son, Kevin, found television to be such an obvious evil. TV keeps people from getting out in their community and associating with one another. It focuses us 'watchers' on an electronic screen where we let others dictate what we watch, what we hear and then even tells us how to interpret what we've heard. That's a lotta bunk. TV has become such a bore. We're even told what programs represent 'reality' TV. Sorry, folks. I am insulted by that. Occasionally there is a worthwhile program, but for the most part, our lives wouldn't be harmed by not having a television set in the home. Indeed, we become richer when instead we read, we reach out, we associate with our neighbor and when we take up volunteer activities to make our communities a better place to work and live. Analog or digital...who gives a rat's butt? I don't need either. I have a better use for the TV...boat anchors, perhaps? Talk to you later. I've got a good book I'm reading. I think I'll pedal my stationary bike while I read. Let's see...where's my bi-focals?
Dick Kendall (Tue Jan 27 13:42:32 2009)
Dick,
The argument you use against TV, that it "keeps people from getting out in their community and associating with one another" can also be applied to reading. You risk sounding like an old fogy when you inconsistently apply an otherwise worthwhile principle.
Stephen Flynn (Tue Jan 27 14:54:03 2009)
NO, Steve, TV is NOT like reading at all! First, visual matter (TV) bypasses the thought-processing center in the brain. To read, by nature, you MUST be using your noggin.
Experiments were done on children who were watching TV, compared to control groiups who were not watching. There were noticeable differences:
1. The watchers had a much lowered reaction time to danger
2. The watchers were more aggressive after watching
3. They evidenced an altered level of brain activity, similar to shallow hypnosis.
There were other issues as well, but I forget what they were (I researched this over 20 years ago)
emily matthews (Tue Jan 27 15:44:14 2009)
Good morning, Steve Flynn. I won't take offense at you calling me an old fogy. I'm 58 years old and I guess I would qualify. I look at the bright side. At least you didn't call me an old 'foggy'. My mind is still pretty sharp, but one of these days, it'll probably get 'foggy.' Perhaps it's at that point that they'll prop me in front of the TV and torture me with the mindless programming offered by goofies at the major networks.
Dick Kendall (Wed Jan 28 10:40:35 2009)
Unbelievable Elitist Snobs
The story that no one has covered to any even small extent is that only full-powered broadcast stations are required to switch over to digital transmission. Only about half of 4700 translator stations will be making the dtv switch, leaving millions of people who might still want TV of some sort, but who are not able or willing to pay ever rising subscription rates for cable or satellite service, will be in the dark.
Digital signals bring a great picture but are seriously prone to interference from terrain, trees, and weather. A near unobstructed line of sight between transmitter and antennae is required for a reliable signal. With analog I get 5-6 stations. With digital I get 1 station that happens to have a translator tower within 20 miles of my location. I can do without TV, but to get digital reception in my rural area I would need to spend upwards of $1000 for a 40 foot tower and a new antennae (with no guarantee of success) or purchase a monthly satellite service, which I will not do. I refuse to pay for commercials. Subscribers will be pleased to know that they will be paying for an estimated 15% increase in info-mercial programs to replace otherwise creative or artistic programing due to a reduction of investment funds caused by the present economic circumstances we are in.
Parts of our public airwaves (bandwidth) were auctioned off for $20 billion and only $1.4 billion was re-invested in the dtv changeover programs and requirements for broadcasters to effectively get the dtv signals to reach everyone were never stipulated. Down-loadable maps at the FCC website showing coverage areas around the country (pick a city from the list) show how much rural area is not covered within the range of the digital signals.
The digital conversion scheme, appears to me to be nothing more than a pretext to require the remaining broadcast viewers to be forced into pay for viewing subscription service. Blaming people for being too, "stupid or lazy," to convert to dtv, only speaks to how uninformed so many people are about the full extent of the dtv problems yet unaddressed and likely to remain unaddressed.
DonF (Sat Jan 31 19:01:46 2009)
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