City to host community forum on transition to digital television

For immediate release

The Austin Community Technology and Telecommunications Commission and the City of Austin's Office of Telecommunications and Regulatory Affairs will present a free community forum on "The Transition to Digital Television" Thursday, Sept. 18 from 6:30 to7:30 p.m. at the Dottie Jordan Recreation Center, 2803 Loyola Lane.

Members of the community forum and those affected by the technological advancement are invited to learn more about the digital TV transition. This transition affects viewers with televisions that operate with rooftop antennas or "rabbit ears."

Speakers will discuss the basics of DTV and what residents without cable or satellite television will need to do to continue to receive free over-the-air television programming.

Effective Feb. 17, 2009, U.S. Congress has mandated all full-power television stations to broadcast in digital only. The switch from analog to digital broadcast television is referred to as the digital TV (DTV) transition.

Owners of analog televisions will need a digital-to-analog converter box to continue to watch broadcast television on those sets. To help consumers with the DTV transition, the federal government has established the Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program that will be discussed at the community forum.

For more information, visit www.cityofaustin.org/telecom/dtv.htm or www.dtv2009.gov.

Contact:
Chip Rosenthal, Austin Community Technology & Telecommunications Commission, (512) 573-5174
Office of Telecommunications and Regulatory Affairs, (512) 974-2999