Digital Television Transition in The United States

Digital Television Transition In The United States

The DTV (an abbreviation of digital television, also called digital broadcast) transition in the United States was the switchover from analog (the traditional method of transmitting television signals) to exclusively digital broadcasting of free over-the-air television programming. The transition from analog to digital television has been described by David Rehr, president and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters, as representing "the most significant advancement of television technology since color TV was introduced." For full-power TV stations, the transition went into effect on Friday June 12, 2009, with stations ending regular programming on their analog signals no later than 11:59 pm local time that day.

Under the Digital Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005, full-power broadcasting of analog television in the United States would have ceased after Tuesday February 17, 2009. To help U.S. consumers through the conversion, the Act also established a federally sponsored DTV Converter Box Coupon Program.

The DTV Delay Act changed the mandatory analog cutoff date to June 12, although stations were permitted to cease analog transmissions before the new mandatory cutoff date. The legislation was enacted on February 4, 2009, and on February 11, 2009, President Barack Obama signed it into law. The purpose of the extension was to help the millions of households who had not been able to get their coupons for converters because demand for coupons exceeded the funding provided for in the initial bill, leaving millions on a waiting list to receive coupons. Funding for extra coupons was provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. By midnight on the original cut-off date of February 17, 2009, 641 stations representing 36 percent of U.S. full-power broadcasters were transmitting exclusively in digital.

Analog broadcasting did not cease entirely following the June 12 deadline: under the provisions of the Short-term Analog Flash and Emergency Readiness Act, approximately 120 full-power stations briefly maintained analog "nightlight" service, ending no later than July 12. In a separate category, low power television stations will be permitted to continue analog broadcasts for several more years. In September 2010, the FCC announced a proposal to set a hard deadline of 2012 for low power stations to broadcast in digital. On July 15, 2011, the FCC posted the required transition deadlines for low power television. Stations broadcasting on channels 52 to 69 were required to vacate those channels by December 31, 2011. By order of the United States government, all analog television transmitters must shut down by September 1, 2015.