We are fast approaching the time when local analog TV broadcasting, i.e. over-the-air (OTA) broadcast TV, is scheduled to be switched-off (Feb. 17, 2009) permanently!  Viewers who want to continue to receive the only free TV service thereafter, as some have done for over 50 years, will have to purchase a digital-capable TV set, or alternatively, a Federal government subsidized digital-to-analog converter box and affix it to their analog TV set.

The multi-billion dollar so called "DTV transition" has been an unmitigated business disaster with no one in overall charge and the FCC, Congress and the broadcasters all sharing the blame for its impending collapse. Certainly not the TV viewers! But let's go back to the beginning or thereabouts.

The last 50 years and more has seen the steady growth of cable and later satellite delivered TV service such that the number of homes that now rely on their local broadcast TV service has declined steadily to  little over 10% today! Most if not all TV broadcasters know that but have not come up with a response, even with their reported expenditure of some $12bn on their creation of an all-digital broadcasting service.

The rate of erosion of OTA-only homes has not declined at all in the last 10 years during which time the broadcasters' DTV service has been expanded nationwide! Something went wrong in the planning, or the lack thereof, of the service which is supported by the fact that the nation's TV set retailers have never demonstrated or promoted it and no concern has been voiced about that critical omission by the FCC, Congress or the broadcasters themselves!  

The only answer at this late stage is the creation of FreeDTVPlustm, a not-for-profit company whose sole mission would be the creation and growth of an economically viable local OTA TV broadcasting.

Contact me if you agree with my contention that the current broadcast DTV transition plan is irreparably flawed and want more information regarding its only salvation, FreeDTVPlus(tm).