Hawai`i Braces for Switch to Digital TV

Congress has mandated that all TV broadcasters in the nation switch to digital broadcast in February. But in an effort to help test the switch for the rest of the country, Hawai‘i is making the transition a month earlier on Jan. 15.

“The problem facing the federal government is that many of our residents still don’t know about the transition or they haven’t yet taken action to prepare for the switch to digital TV,” Lt. Governor Aiona told reporters during the news conference at the State Capitol. “Even though the transition has been mandated by the federal government, we all have a role to play in preparing for the switch to digital television.”

Once the switch happens, old TV sets that rely on over-the-air analog TV signals will no longer work.

These are TV sets that use antennas to receive free TV signals. The transition is expected to affect roughly 20,000 households in Hawai‘i that rely on free TV broadcasts.

In his remarks at the news conference, Jonathan Adelstein, commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission, said Hawai‘i will be the first state to convert to digital TV. “We will be watching closely and applying the lessons of Hawai‘i to the rest of the nation,” Adelstein said.

The switch will bring many benefits, including clearer pictures and sound.

Still, the real challenge for FCC officials and local broadcasters is educating people about whether they need the converter boxes and how to use them, said Chris Leonard, president of the Hawai‘i Association of Broadcasters.

As of Dec. 7, about 39,566 coupons for converter boxes have been requested in Hawai‘i. But only 9,185 have been redeemed.

For more information, please contact your local broadcaster or the FCC in Honolulu at 541-2388 or 541-2389.

More information can be found online at www.HawaiiGoesDigital.com.