Upcoming Events
These are the events scheduled for the next week. Please contact us for more detailed information or to schedule an event in your area.
| Date | Organization | City | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 21 | Special Olympics | Kansas | |
| Nov 21 | Roswell Adult and Senior Center | Roswell | New Mexico |
| Nov 21 | Foter Grandparent Program | Chippewa Falls | Wisconsin |
| Nov 21 | Winnebago Foster Grandparent Program | Winnebago | Wisconsin |
| Nov 22 | Firestone Park Library | Akron | Ohio |
| Nov 24 | WGBO Converter Box Demo | Illinois | |
| Nov 24 | Venedocia Lions Club | Venedocia | Ohio |
| Nov 25 | Jewish Family Center of LA Valley | North Hollywood | California |
| Nov 25 | Spanish Action League | Syracuse | New York |
| Nov 26 | Concordia Branch of Trails library | Concordia | Missouri |
Recent Press Clippings
Digital TV meeting set for tonight
August 20, 2008 - Baltimore Sun
Consumers can learn more about next year's digital television transition and sign up for a $40 coupon for a converter box at the Baltimore State Office Center tonight. The state Department of General Services will host experts from the Federal Communications Commission, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the National Association of Broadcasters.
Congressman to host DTV seminar in Clemson
August 6, 2008 - The Greenville News
Congressman Gresham Barrett will be at the Clemson branch of the Pickens County Library System from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. today to offer a presentation on the upcoming transition to digital television.
Along with representatives from WYFF-TV, Barrett will demonstrate the DTV transition, which will occur Feb. 17, 2009 and will provide better TV sound and picture quality.
Digital television conversion deadline still raising questions
August 6, 2008 - Independent Mail
It's a question on a lot of lips: Why are TV signals switching to digital? "Really because we need to catch up with the rest of the world," said Rep. Gresham Barrett, R-S.C., at a meeting Wednesday at the Central branch of Pickens County Library. "The U.S. is one of the last countries in the world to do this."
Wilmington Readies for Early DTV Switch
July 17, 2008 - TV Newsday
Each Tuesday morning at 8:30, representatives of all the commercial TV stations in Wilmington, N.C., get together on a conference call with NAB and FCC officials to plan for what will be one of the biggest events in the market's TV history.
At noon on Sept. 8, the stations in DMA 135 will become the first in the nation to switch to digital-only broadcasting — five months before their peers in the other 209 TV markets.
Tennessee: Hitch in digital switch
July 9, 2008 - Times Free Press
The year the first baby boomer was born marked a big one for television. It was 1946, and Americans watched their first soap operas in full color using antennas they called rabbit ears.
Today, 62 years later, as the country moves into the digital age, rabbit ears are quickly becoming a thing of the past.
Kentuckians conversant with change to digital TV
July 3, 2008 - Courrier-Journal.com
More than nine in 10 Kentuckians know about a nationwide switch to digital television that will take place next year, according to a poll released by the National Association of Broadcasters.
The survey conducted March 29-May 23 showed that 92 percent of Kentucky households were aware of the planned Feb. 17 transition, when full-power television stations will switch to an all-digital format. Homes that use an antenna to receive TV signals will need a late-model, digital-ready set or a converter box.
More Alabamians Are Aware Of The DTV Transition
July 2, 2008 - NBC13
The National Association of Broadcasters today released a new poll that shows most Alabamians know about the nationwide switch to digital television in 2009. The survey, conducted in March, shows 88% of Alabama households were aware that analog signals from full-power TV stations are going away February 17, 2009.
HDTV viewers to see 'a big difference'
June 30, 2008 - Courrier-Journal.com
You'll be able to see a lot more of WAVE-TV's newscasts starting at 5 p.m. today if you have a high-definition set. WAVE will become the first TV station in the Louisville area to telecast regular local programming in the widescreen format. Most of the prime-time network programming on local network affiliates is already in HD, but this is the first local use of the format for daily newscasts. NBC, WAVE's network affiliate, also telecasts newscasts in HD.
A new day for television
June 26, 2008 - The Chronicle
Push is on to inform locals about impending death of analog sets. In less than a year, analog television will be a thing of the past.
Clearing up questions about digital TV conversion
June 2, 2008 - VolunteerTV.com
You've seen the TV announcements -- digital television is coming, but it's not going to cost you an arm and a leg to make sure your TV works after the switch.
The deadline for conversion is Feb. 17, but we thought it might not be a bad idea to simplify the process for you.
Senior Citizens Get Ready For Switch To Digital TV
May 28, 2008 - NBC 4
Senior citizens packed a meeting room at the Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday to learn about the switch to digital television coming in February 2009. The town hall meeting was held at the request of D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton and aimed to ease seniors' fears about the changeover.
Steps To Set Up Digital TV
May 17, 2008 - WEEK News 25
Nine months from now WEEK and other television stations around the country will be turning off their analog signal. After February 17, 2009, you will only be able to receive our digital signal over the air.
Podcast of DTV Discussion
February 8, 2008 - AM 910 Tri-Cities Talk Radio (TN)
Jack Dempsey from WJHL NewsChannel 11 discusses the DTV transition on AM 910 Tri-Cities Talk Radio.
Download Now
Digital Truth Webcast
March 27, 2008 - WCVB Boston
DTV resources and video webcast provided by WCVB broadcast station in Boston, MA.
View Now
Digital broadcasting in television's future
March 24, 2008 - Sulphur Southwest Daily News
February 17th, 2009 may come as a shock to some people who watch local television. That is the day the federal government requires all broadcast to switch from analog to a digital format. John Weir of KPLC hopes to keep that shock level as low as possible. He spoke to the West Calcasieu Association of Commerce about KPLC's "The Big Switch" public awareness campaign and about the options that television consumers have.
Test Market Desired for DTV Transition
March 15, 2008 - DSL Reports
Despite the fact that the digital TV transition is being advertised all over the place and numerous citizens have requested their $40 converter box coupons, there are still some fears that folks are not going to know what hit them after they lose their television signals next February. Cliff Stearns, one of the ranking members of the House Telecommunications and Internet Subcommittee, is pushing the idea that it's necessary to have a test market for the transition.
Digital TV switch aid clears Assembly
March 14, 2008 - Gloucester County Times
Legislation designed to educate consumers on the upcoming television broadcast switch from analog to digital cleared the Assembly on Thursday. As per a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruling, all full-powered television stations must switch to digital-only broadcasts by Feb. 17, 2009. The measure calls on government, industry, public and private schools to work together to develop a plan to educate consumers on what they need to know to get ready for the switch.
Digital signals to control airwaves
March 12, 2008 - LSU Daily Reveille
The days of adjusting rabbit ears to receive a clear signal on TVs are rapidly coming to a close. Analog television broadcasts end at midnight Feb. 17, 2009. People without cable, satellite or new digital televisions will be without a working TV unless they choose to update their current systems. According to the Web site DTV2009.gov, the reason behind the switch is "to provide a clearer picture and more programming options and will free up airwaves for use by emergency responders."
Seminar introduces seniors to digital TV
March 10, 2008 - The Detroit News
WARREN -- The nationwide conversion to all-digital TV is coming just under a year from now, but the process is a complete mystery to Marie Ulbrich. "I don't understand what that's all about," said Ulbrich, 92. "We have four TVs in our house, and they're all the old kind. "Are we going to have to throw them all away? And if we do, where would they go? Wouldn't that be an environmental hazard?" Many seniors are also in the dark about the conversion -- which, experts say, makes them ripe for scam artists because they don't understand what they need to convert their sets.
This TV will self-destruct in 10...9...8....
March 9, 2008 - Times-Picayune
The clock is ticking on your old rabbit-ears TV. Literally. The Web sites www.dtv.gov and www.dtvtransition.org are just two of several that feature countdown clocks to Feb. 17, 2009, the government-ordered date by which TV stations must conclude the decade-plus conversion to digital broadcasting. Meaning: Less than a year from now, the analog TV signals that have delivered pictures and sound for more than a half-century from WWL-Channel 4, WDSU-Channel 6, WYES-Channel 12 and other stations to New Orleans viewers will go dark.
Digital television deadline getting closer
March 8, 2008 - Business Record
TV times are changing. Back in the day, 1961 to be exact, NBC and the Walt Disney Co. used a cartoon duck with a supercharged mouth to explain color television to the masses. Ludwig Von Drake used a musical prop, "The Spectrum Song," to illustrate his point. And the neat thing was that you could watch the show in color, if you were fortunate enough to have one of the half-million color television sets in use at the time, or in black and white, if you were not.
Digital TV switch aid clears Assembly
March 8, 2008 - Free Press
I asked for it. In a column earlier this week about the Feb. 17, 2009, transition to digital TV, I invited readers to send me their questions. More than 100 of you did. To help clear up the confusion, I asked experts from the cable and electronics industry, government telecommunications agencies and local broadcasters to help.
Don't wait till screen is black; switch to digital TV now
March 3, 2008 - The Tennessean
The transition to digital television is coming – and many viewers will not be prepared. On Feb. 17 2009, Tennessee's free, over-the-air television licensees will make the federally mandated switch from analog to digital broadcasting. It will be the biggest revolution in broadcast TV since the advent of color television in the 1950s. More than 20 million households and 70 million television sets will be affected nationwide, with 309,740 of those analog-only households based right here in Tennessee.
Thousands in Miss. may need converter
March 2, 2008 - The Clarion-Ledger
About 250,000 Mississippians get their television broadcasts through antennas or rabbit ears and need to act before stations cut their analog broadcasts and go all digital in less than a year. Some will buy new digital sets and scrap their old televisions. Some will buy converter boxes. Others will sign up for cable or satellite systems.
"They're going to have to do something, or else they'll wake up on that morning, turn on the TV and get snow," said Stuart Kellogg, head of the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters' digital television committee.
Broadcasters to Speak to Local Communities about DTV Transition Preparedness
February 7, 2008 - Dawson Times
The nation's largest speakers bureau of television station representatives, coordinated by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), is conducting a nationwide speaking blitz to mark the one-year countdown to the digital television (DTV) transition, which will be completed on February 17, 2009. Beginning Monday, February 11, broadcasters will speak to local communities at planned engagements in all 50 states over a five-day period and will answer questions from consumers about the DTV transition.
Learn about digital TV transition Jan. 22
January 9, 2008 - Quad-Cities Online
The Davenport community will hear from Dr. Ken Colwell, Professor of Communication at St. Ambrose University and representative of KALA TV, about the February 2009 Digital Television Transition.
Dr. Colwell is part of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Digital TV (DTV) Speakers Bureau, a nationwide public education campaign which aims to ensure that all television viewers will be prepared for the February 2009 transition.
Federal HDTV aid bypasses nursing homes
January 9, 2008 - The News & Observer
Millions of older and disabled Americans in nursing and adult-care homes are excluded from a government program that helps people convert their TV sets to receive a new digital signal next year.
The reason? A federal program that pays for digital converter boxes for older televisions -- necessary when all TV broadcasting goes digital early next year -- specifically requires recipients to live in a "household" as recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau. Adult-care and nursing homes are considered "group quarters" instead of households by the census bureau, a spokesman for the bureau said.
Cable Dropouts Have Their Day at CES
January 8, 2008 - Dow Jones
LAS VEGAS -(Dow Jones)- Doug Byles has had it with his cable-television bill. The 44-year-old Walnut Creek, Calif.-based home builder is paying more than $130 a month for basic service with two premium and eight high-definition channels.
"All I really watch are the HD channels, so I'm paying $130 for eight channels?" he said. "That's crazy. I'm going to drop my cable."
Broadcasters Prepare for DTV Transition
January 7, 2008 - TWICE
The transition from analog to digital television (DTV) represents the most significant advancement of television technology since color TV was introduced.
But many Americans remain completely unaware of the federally-mandated DTV transition, which will be completed on Feb.17, 2009, when all full-power television stations go completely digital.
Campaigns Aim to Shine Bright Light on TV's Digital Transition
December 25, 2007 - The Patriot News
WASHINGTON - On Feb. 17, 2009, millions of analog, over-the-air TVs, the old-school technology that brought you Ed Sullivan and Edward R. Murrow, Archie Bunker, Apollo liftoffs and Mr. T, will go dark by government decree. That much is certain. What happens next is a big unknown, and the uncertainty has nervous lawmakers, broadcast executives and regulators scrambling to make sure the intense bonds between TVs and their owners are not broken.
Media Contacts
Rob Volmer
P: (202) 232-6572 – F: (202) 232-6535
Crosby~Volmer International Communications
1025 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Suite 401
Washington, DC 20036
Speaker/Station Testimonials
"Being a part of the DTV Speakers Bureau has been a great experience. I really enjoy getting out and sharing information about the DTV transition with people throughout our viewing area. People have so many questions about this issue, and it's great to try to help people understand what this is all about."
— Dave Madsen, KTIV, Sioux City, Iowa
"It was a hoot! They loevd the talk and were very grateful. I got a good free lunch and a mug. Onward and upward!"
— Ray Maselli, President/GM WUPW, Toledo, Ohio
"I've seen how DTV will change just about everything in television and I can't wait to explain all its benefits along with separating fact from fiction!"
— Bob Cervera, Reporter KQ2M, Saint Joseph, Missouri
"My speech went very well. The Kiwanis members had a lot of good questions and were really listening. Many were previously unaware that the transition is even occurring."
— Jim Stunek, Director of Operations WOIO, Cleveland, Ohio
"I spoke to a group of seniors at a retirement home. I was very well received, and I think it's going to be very important to get the message out, to seniors in particular."
— Franz Joachim, Production Manager KNME, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Organization/Audience Testimonials
"It was a total hit with our audience! Steve [Ellis, with WPLG] is not only knowledgeable, he is extremely personable. He made the presentation time fly by. Many, many of the audience had questions, so he stayed after the meeting to answer questions. Thank you for putting this together for us."
— Bonnie Blaire, Rotary Club of Coral Gables, Coral Gables, Florida
"The speaker was a great resource for information about the DTV transition. Our residents really enjoyed the presentation!"
— Nancy Davis, Activities Director Village Oaks at Chandler, Chandler, Arizona
"I am a novice to DTV and Dave's [Madsen with KTIV] presentation was very information and instructive. And, Dave's style of presenting is always dynamic and engaging!"
— Linda Kalin, Sioux City Downtown Rotary Club, Sioux City, Iowa
"Dave Madsen with KTIV enlightened the members of our Awareness Committee and Advisory Board with an in-depth power point presentation on the changes being made to television. There were many questions for Dave and he did an excellent job presenting the information. His presentation was very informative and cleared up many misconceptions about what was going to happen in 2009."
— Linda Phillips, Siouxland CARES, Siouxland, Iowa
Benchmarks
Speakers Bureau Snapshot
Registered Speakers: 1,124Participating Stations: 696
Average Audience Size: 136
Engagements Scheduled: 4,011
Quarterly Goal: 3,900
Project Goal: 8,000
Audience Attendance
The estimated total attendance for Speakers Bureau events is 286,720. This attendance total is based on feedback forms indicating audience size. The average audience size for engagements is 136 attendees. We are surpassing our goal of outreach to audiences with 125 attendee average.
Speaker Recruitment
Engagement Booking
The DTV Speakers Bureau has booked 4,011 speaking engagements to date.
Webinar Attendance
Approximately 95% of registered speakers have viewed at least one Webinar training session to date.
* The number of registered speakers who have attended a Webinar session is somewhat higher due to the fact that some stations participate in the Webinars as a group using only one log-in password.
