[opendtv] Re: Mews: TV are viewers unprepared for switch, coupons are running short

  • From: "Adam Goldberg" <adam_g@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2008 18:36:26 -0400

Uh huh.  But you must certainly understand why there's expiration dates (and
why they aren't Feb 17, '09).  The NTIA was only given a certain amount of
money.  There will be a certain number of people who requests coupons but
don't use them all (for whatever reason).  It's important to be able to
'recover' that money, to send coupons to others who will use them.  If they
all had long expiration dates, there would be appropriated, unspent money
which could have helped someone who asked for coupons late.

-----Original Message-----
From: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Manfredi, Albert E
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 6:15 PM
To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [opendtv] Re: Mews: TV are viewers unprepared for switch, coupons
are running short

Not having enough money for stamps is one thing. The expiration is
another.

Seems to me that changing the expiration date should be a simple matter
of the NTIA declaring it changed. I don't think anyone will be struck
down with a zap from Thor, nor will the coupon vanish in a puff of
smoke. The expiration date should be no sooner than 2/18/2009, for all
coupons. Maybe later than that, for stragglers. All it takes is a simple
announcement from the DOC.

"The GAO report found that about 84 percent of consumers were aware of
the transition but that many do not know what to do."

From what I've witnessed, this is indeed the case. Mostly, it's because
the vast majority of people are natural-born procrastinators who expect
to be spoon-fed, eventually, even if they do nothing. All the more
reason for broadcasters (assuming they care) to put just a little more
info in their PSAs about this transition.

A short series of PSAs, explaining, for example:

Who might need a coupon, and here's how you order a coupon

Here's how you connect the STB to your old set

Here's some pointers on OTA antennas, which could be adjusted for
different markets. Might be good to show how bad the analog picture can
be and still expect digital reception. Just so the consumer knows what
to expect when he first tries digital.

Here is a list of retailers that install outdoor antennas, if you are
having reception problems

I'll bet 30 seconds per spot would be enough. Carousel style.

Bert
 
 
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