The right to watch TV

Congress makes a law that broadcasters must start broadcasting in digital and stop broadcasting in analog. Millions of consumers see nothing wrong with their old analog sets - which in 2006 will become useless. Congress faces choices:

1. Re-evaluate the deadline, allowing stations to continue to broadcast in analog if a large portion of their audience watches TV that way.

2. Let people take care of things themselves - which would mean Congress would have to recognize that there is no right to watch TV.

3. Or spend money.

Hmmm. Tough one. I'm going to go with number three.

You mean I'm right?

The Senate's budget bill, which passed last week, contains a $3 billion subsidy for owners of televisions that are not ready to handle the eventual transition to digital television.

Both bills set a date when broadcasters must return their current licenses and instead broadcast a digital signal on a different part of the electronic spectrum.

The subsidy would go to pay for converter boxes, which would take the digital signal from the broadcasters and convert it so that it can be displayed by analog TVs.

These people are out of control.

Via Q and O.
- posted by total @ 11/16/2005 04:24:00 AM .