by KYW's David Madden
This week’s congressional vote postponing the national switch to digital television -- from February 17th to June 12th (see related story) -- could cause a good deal of confusion in many parts of the country.
The congressional action gives broadcasters an option -- to pull the plug on their analog transmissions before June 12th, as long as they ask the FCC.
And in this economy, hundreds of smaller stations are expected to ask for an earlier cut-off -- including perhaps several in this state, according to Richard Wyckoff, president of the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters:
"I’m seeing that in Erie, in Wilkes Barre-Scranton, and there are two stations in the Johnstown-Altoona market. A number of the public stations throughout the state have, indeed, indicated they’re going to turn off their analog on February 17th."
In our area, Channel 12 won’t make the call until Monday. The city’s commercial stations -- all but one owned by the Big 4 networks -- plan to wait till June, even though the number of viewers around here without access to digital is estimated at less than 18,000.
Officials from the New Jersey Network, a chain of public stations across the Garden State, said they will wait until June to turn off their analog transmitters.
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