Show Turmoil over TV switch Grows Kim Hart The Washington Post Plans to become a digital nation are in disarray just five weeks before television stations arc supposed to shut off analog broadcasts Consumers do not have quick access to coupons to purchase converter boxes Congress is toying with postponing the switch and now a possible way to distribute more coupons may no longer be plausible A proposal to allow a government program to distribute more converter box co coupons pons to help consumers prepare for the switch could be shelved by House Democrats according to two House aides The measure has run into opposition because it would probably come too toolate toolate late to ensure that consumers receive coupons before the Feb 17 transition Some members of Congress are now shifting their efforts They're drafting legislation to provide additional funding for the coupon program or delay the transition by byas byas byas as much as three months or both But House Republicans in a letter President President- being sent to elect Barack this week say they oppose a adelay adelay adelay delay and are working on bipartisan legislation to allow more coupons to be issued to consumers On Feb 17 al all full- full powered television stations are planning to shut off their analog signals and move to digital all-digital broadcasts That means older analog TV sets will need a converter box which costs 50 to 80 to receive the over-the-air signals Consumers with digital TV sets or subscriptions to cable or satellite service will not lose programming A billion federal program to distribute 40 coupons to offset the cost of the converter boxes has reached its funding limit and officials say the 17 million people on the waiting list may not receive the coupons by the transition date The coupon program started placing consumers on a waiting list Jan 4 Due to a rule set by Congress the agency cannot distribute new coupons until already- already issued vouchers expire The coupons are valid for 90 days A delay could cause headaches for broadcasters that pay tens of thousands of dollars a month to operate both analog and digital signals and it could interfere with the efforts of the wireless companies to use the airwaves to build faster networks Keeping analog signals on the air could double double j broadcasters' broadcasters energy bills and some stations cannot annot air a power full-power digital signal until another stations station's analog signal goes goes' off the air q 1 |