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12/17: Digital conversion won’t affect many Atlantans
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Civil rights groups in town are worried that “at risk” groups will be affected by the digital conversion. And they very well may be. But in terms of total numbers, Atlanta is not as bad off as the rest of the nation.
Among the top 56 markets, Atlanta is No. 2 in terms of preparation behind only Hartford/New Haven.
Nielsen, which measures TV viewership, says only 2.66 percent of metro Atlantans did not have a TV that could handle the digital conversion in February as of November. That’s fewer than 120,000 people out of 4.5 million. WIth all the publicity in the next few weeks, a good number of those will get things fixed before the deadline. And naturally, given people’s affinity to TV, for those who only see fuzz come mid-February, they’ll find a solution pronto.
The least prepared? Houston. Nearly 15 percent of its households are not ready. That’s a huge difference compared to Atlanta. (Hispanics are less prepared than any other racial breakdown, according to Nielsen.) “The biggest indicator is markets which have traditionally strong cable/satellite penetration,” said Nielsen spokeswoman Anne Elliot.
Atlanta is also much more a satellite town than the typical city.
About 58 percent of Atlantans subscribe to some level of cable (compared to 60.9% nationally). Another 36 percent get satellite TV (vs. 28.4 percent nationally). This leaves just 6 percent of Atlantans using over-the-air broadcast signals. But more than half of those have TVs that automatically handle digital or have already gotten conversion boxes. Thus, the 2.6 percent figure.
As of November, 7.4 percent of the U.S. population is not ready for the conversion. “It’s been a pretty steady move” downward from 10 percent in February, Elliot said.
And nationally, slightly more than 10 percent of households lack any subscription-based service vs. 6 percent in Atlanta.
What’s interesting is 10 years ago, only 77 percent of metro Atlantans had cable or satellite. The penetration of cable has dropped from 69 to 58 percent while satellite has leapt from 8 percent to 36 percent. Back in November 1998, satellite companies were able to air local broadcast networks, which made it a much easier sell and helped them steal away customers from the likes of Comcast.
Top 10 most prepared out of the top 58 markets: Hartford/New Haven, Atlanta, West Palm Beaach, New York, Ft. Myers/Naples, Providence, Boston, Philadelphia, Orlando, Pittsburgh. The 10 least prepared: Houston, Tulsa, Albuquerque, Salt Lake City, Memphis, Portland, Or., Austin, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Phoenix.
This civil rights coalition group. notes that even if you have a digital conversion box and rely on rabbit ears, some stations that were fuzzy before may not come through at all.
Comments
By Nick Wright
December 17, 2008 9:58 PM | Link to this
The curmudgeon in me would like to posit that the only thing these groups are “at risk” for is having to get a book from the library.
The pragmatist in me knows that without broadcast television signals there would be a lot more outdoor loitering and consequently more crime. This makes me thankful we’re prepared.
By cableguy
December 17, 2008 10:23 PM | Link to this
It is interesting to note that if severe weather has knocked out your power, you will not be able to access any television since portable battery operated tv’s will not work since there is no power to power the converter. So, there will be no local radar pictures on TV to watch severe weather headed your way.
By Amanda's mom
December 18, 2008 6:36 AM | Link to this
Even though we subscribe to a service, I went ahead and got the converter box for our TV in the guest room. The government gives a coupon for $40 off the price. That money comes from our tax dollars. The price of a box is about $49.99. With the coupon, it’s $10.00. Most folks can afford the ten bucks. If they can’t, I suppose they can save for one like we used to do in the old days before credit was given out like candy.
By Martin Luther King Jr
December 18, 2008 7:16 AM | Link to this
I never knew that TV was a civil right. It looks like I was fighting for the wrong things back in the 1960s.
By Jim Littlefield
December 18, 2008 8:14 AM | Link to this
It will also be interesting to see how many people cut-off their subscription broadcast and go back to using over-the-air broadcasts. That’s what we did.
By Russ
December 18, 2008 8:20 AM | Link to this
Things must be pretty quiet for the “civil rights” groups right now. The are obviously looking for something that has “dis-infranchised” someone. If this is all they can, find things must going pretty well. Merry Christmas to all.
By Clyde
December 18, 2008 8:26 AM | Link to this
I don’t know that I’m going to convert.I currently have a set of rabbit ears that picks up a PBS station that is the only tv we receive.There is no guarantee that a converter box will work,and there is no guarantee that rabbit ear antennas will work on an hdtv,so I think I’ll wait.My PBS station is converting in January so tv will disappear here earlier than in most places.
By Get Real
December 18, 2008 8:49 AM | Link to this
Why the heck should “civil rights groups” get involved? The MAJORITY of people have proper t.v.s, and there is always going to be someone that isn’t happy. We can’t change things to appease a few thousand. This has NOTHING to do with civil rights. I guess now that you have your black president, you can’t gripe about blacks being held back, so you gripe about t.v.s.
By RabbitEars&HareLips
December 18, 2008 9:24 AM | Link to this
Reminds me of that satirical “headline”: WORLD ENDS TOMORROW: WOMEN, MINORITIES WILL BE HARDEST HIT
By joey
December 18, 2008 12:45 PM | Link to this
The gubment should bail out these non-converter people. Why not? There is talk in congress about the local Girl Scout troop that couldn’t sell cookies getting a few billion dollars to keep selling cookies that nobody wants.
By War Eagle
December 19, 2008 2:22 PM | Link to this
Civil rights? Right-how about UN Civil behavior group? tired of the BS from those groups that don’t think it fair unless THEY are in control. Deal with it.
By Lance George
January 6, 2009 10:43 AM | Link to this
The DTV coupons are free. Take advantage of them