I go back to my breakfast spot in Wilmington today, primarily to speak with the waitress who had not done anything to her over-the-air analog TV. In addition to following up, I get to have some delicious cheese scrambled eggs again.

The nice waitress that I encountered yesterday is at the restaurant. True to her word, she did turn on her TV set after the noon deadline and, although the screen did not turn to snow, she is now receiving the same message that was on the analog set at the press conference yesterday.

Cable TV is not available in her area and already, she has called about satellite TV. Given that she doesn’t watch TV very much, that’s not the right answer for her.

Also, she thinks it is expensive. She has decided to get a converter box and asks if I know where to get them. I do, but wonder why that type of information...Read More

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We are now post-switch in Wilmington, N.C. But what a morning it was.

Noon was the moment when it was declared, “First in flight. First in digital.” A large switch was symbolically moved from analog to digital at precisely 12:00 noon.

It was sheer excitement at City Hall today from 10:30 a.m. to noon as various dignitaries gave speeches and recounted how Wilmington “got smart” about the digital switch.

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin declared that the process was “already a success no matter what happens at noon.” The market in Wilmington was saturated with information, from booths at local festivals to firemen helping citizens fill out applications for getting coupon as well as aiding in the installation process.

The FCC and ...Read More

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Today is the trial switch in Wilmington, N,C. I am here (it's 7:30 a.m. local time) because I have written a book called Digital or Dark: How You and Your Analog TV Can Survive February 17, 2009.

I am quickly finding out that this is not about TVs going digital.  Talking about TVs with Americans, I find, turns out to be an explosive topic. 

It reminds me of the words of the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

Among these unalienable 'Rights' it appears, is free TV and the right not to talk about whether you watch it.  You don’t talk ab...Read More

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