[Grovenet] Get cher coupons here!! Big black market sure todevelope!! Act now!!

Wed Jan 2 08:37:12 PST 2008

You didn't realize that television was essential to the success of the US
Government? 

Of course the American people deserve coupons, at the very least! 

TVs in every household is essential to pursue America's plan! TV is the most
effective way to deliver the messages to people that they must go out and
use their credit cards to buy things they don't need so  they will be part
of the "in" crowd and keep the American economy strong. 

How else would all of those people who never learned to create a personal
budget have been told to go buy a house with a loan that required them to
triple their incomes in two years, or in past years to buy a top-heavy
dangerous gas-guzzling SUV because it was "safer", or buy a thousand other
idiotic things. 

Without TV, people might not go buy the meaningless nonsense stuff to put
under a Christmas tree. They even might question whether it was necessary
to spend a lot of money on a dying tree to prop up in their living rooms!  

TV is essential to convey to the American people what they must do for their
country today. We can't afford to have them out of touch. 

Ron D'Eau Claire 

-----Original Message-----
From: grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com [mailto:grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com] On
Behalf Of Bob Browning
Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 7:11 AM
To: Grovenet
Subject: [Grovenet] Get cher coupons here!! Big black market sure
todevelope!! Act now!!

Here you go!! Do your part to make room for the next big spectrum auction so
we can keep paying for the Iraq War off books!!

bob "oh, how much fun!!" browning

PS: Happy New Year!!

Feds share coupons to help TV transition (AP)

*	Posted on Tue Jan 1, 2008 12:34PM EST 

WASHINGTON - Millions of $40 government coupons become available Tuesday to
help low-tech television owners buy special converter boxes for older TVs
that might not work after the switch to digital broadcasting.

Beginning Feb. 18, 2009, anyone who does not own a digital set and still
gets their programming via over-the-air antennas will no longer receive a
picture.

That's the day the television industry completes its transition from
old-style analog broadcasting to digital.

The converter boxes are expected to cost between $50 and $70 and will be
available at most major electronics retail stores. Starting Tuesday, the
National Telecommunications and Information Administration will begin
accepting requests for two $40 coupons per household to be used toward the
purchase of the boxes.

Viewers who have satellite or cable service will not need a box.

To request a coupon, consumers can apply online at
<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/ap/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/storytext/digital_tv/
25738908/SIG=10odl73d3;_ylt=AtQzvZL6DwIiZy..bBOJzp37L5A5/*http://www.dtv2009
.gov> http://www.dtv2009.gov starting Tuesday. The government also has set
up a 24-hour hotline to take requests, 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009).

Congress, in ordering the transition to digital broadcasting, set aside $1.5
billion for the coupon program, which will fund 33.5 million coupons and
other costs.

The giveaway basically works under the honor system.

The first 22 million coupons will go to all households that request them.
That includes a residence that gets cable service for one television but has
a spare TV that still uses an antenna, for example.

The rest of the coupons, however, are meant only for those who do not
subscribe to a pay-television service.

The Nielsen Co. estimates that 14.3 million households, or about 13 percent
of the 112.8 million total television households in the nation, rely on
over-the-air television broadcasts for programming.

Tony Wilhelm, director of consumer education for NTIA, said the agency
expects to have enough coupons to satisfy demand. "We think the high number
will be 26 million," he said. "Low end is 10 million."

Members of Congress have criticized both the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration and the Federal Communications Commission for
their work on the transition to digital television.

In November, the Government Accountability Office, Congress' investigative
arm, released a report that concluded there is "no comprehensive plan" for
the transition.

Most of the concern rests with public education campaigns. While Congress
allocated $1.5 billion for the coupon program, only $5 million was for
education. The Association for Public Television Stations reported in
September that 51 percent of participants surveyed were unaware that the
transition was taking place.

Since then, the broadcast industry has announced a voluntary public
education campaign. The FCC is circulating a plan among commissioners that
would make public education efforts by broadcasters mandatory.

Congress ordered the transition to digital broadcasting to make more
efficient use of the publicly owned airwaves.

On Jan. 24, the FCC will auction off the spectrum currently used for analog
television. That portion of the airwaves will be sold to wireless providers
and is expected to bring in as much as $15 billion. A portion of the
spectrum will also be dedicated for use by emergency responders. 

___ 

On the Web: 

FCC information:
<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/ap/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/storytext/digital_tv/
25738908/SIG=10l5q2n80;_ylt=Ajcc9DKTFGD.CCm8Q3tac8n7L5A5/*http://www.dtv.gov
/> http://www.dtv.gov/