The Wall Street Journal reports today that the government is running out of the allotted money — provided to consumers via coupons — to subsidize the purchase of converter boxes.
The article cites an increase in demand. “Rattled by the recession,” Amy Schatz and Ben Charny write, “many consumers facing the upcoming switch to digital television are taking the cheap way out — buying inexpensive converter boxes instead of new digital TV sets.”
More from the Journal:
“As of Monday, consumers who request the $40 government coupons are being put on a waiting list, Commerce Department officials said. The coupons help pay for set-top digital converter boxes that allow older TVs to receive digital signals. The department is also warning consumers that some stores may not have enough converter boxes to meet demand. Consumers requested about 7.2 million coupons in December, far higher than the 4.3 million the administration had forecast.”
The DTV Transition takes place on February 17. If you still have questions, or are concerned about your preparedness, visit NPT’s DTV page at wnpt.net/dtv.
We’re also hosting a couple of DTV Brown Bag Lunch ‘n Learns here at the station on Friday, January 16, 2009 and Tuesday, January 27, 2009 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Bring your lunch and your questions; we’ll provide the beverages. There’s more info, and a link to RSVP, on the Wnpt.net/news page.
