In February 2009, analog TV broadcast will end and TV sets that are not able to display digital only television signals will cease to operate.  This is for people who don’t receive television signals from cable, satellite or other pay television service.  It is estimated that only 15 million households in the United States have digital televisions and its difficult to imagine that many seniors have updated their televisions sets and bought big flat panel plasma/LCD television over the last few years (unless they’re sports junkies).  The FCC is in discussions with television station operators to run public service announcement to remind people of the coming deadline.  The government is providing $40 coupons to help pay for converter boxes to ease the pain of getting a box.  Many seniors are still living in the past and don’t receive and possibly cannot afford the cable television or satellite television services. 

For the coupon, order them online at www.dtv2009.org and visit the article on AARP’s website at http://www.aarp.org/money/wise_consumer/telephones/digital_tv.html