San Francisco and Seattle have been included in a list of seven urban centers with "at risk" communities for the February 2009 transition to digital television.
According to the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund and the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration, San Francisco/San Jose/Oakland and Seattle/Tacoma were included because they have relatively high numbers of residents who watch analog over-the-air television broadcasts and relatively low participation in the NTIA's TV Converter Box Coupon Program.
The other cities on the list are Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis-St. Paul, San Antonio and Portland, Oregon.
An LCCREF press release said that "families on fixed incomes, seniors, people with disabilities, people of color, and those who speak languages other than English" are most likely to be impacted on February 17, when all full-power analog transmitters are powered down and replaced with DTV signals. The organization is working with community organizations in the seven cities to increase awareness of the DTV transition and establish DTV Assistance Centers, where residents can purchase converter boxes, receive translated instructions, and see demonstrations of how to install and use them.
As of last week, the NTIA reported that 40 million converter box coupons had been requested, but only 16 million redeemed. Owners of older sets who want to watch over-the-air television will need converter boxes to display the DTV broadcasts. People who subscribe to cable or satellite TV, as well as owners of high-definition televisions and new sets that can receive digital signals will be able to watch DTV programming without any additional equipment.
The National Association of Broadcasters estimates that more than 34 million households will be affected by the DTV transition, which is less than one-third of all households in the United States.
See also: Over-the-air digital TV brings more channels, but beware the "cliff effect"
Sources cited, referenced, or consulted: Census.gov, ntia.doc.gov, Cnet.com, consumerreports.org, LCCREF press release, Massachusetts Broadcasters Association press release.
I would have to agree with the assessment that Seattle is at risk. But not from the lack of interest but the terain and the elevation of the primary station antenna. I am about 40 miles from Seattle and have had very good analog TV. Bought 2 high end UHF antennas and most mounted amplifier, neither will recieve with enough signal strength to lock into any of the major affiliates. I can recieve a good signal from all the minor broadcasters that have antennas much higher. I live on a relatively flat area but a path study was done for me by the local NBC affiliate and we live in a "hole" and the signal is being clipped by the 50' hill one mile from my home.
If I am in trouble with this minor hill, I feel sorry for the people that wait until the last minute and find out there TV is gone!!! I will most likely have to get into a Direct TV/Dish Network system in order to solve this. All it takes is more dollars out of my pocket....
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