Comments on: Obama: Pushing Back the Digital Television Change to Line the Pockets of Contributors

By: BlueLandRed

BlueLandRed — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:28:12 +0000

but in theory, the cost of the converter boxes is supposed to be paid out of the licensing fees for the bandwidth that the move to digital freed up – which was something like 20 billion – the government is still making money on this whole thing.

Of course, I’m still not sure why local TV stations have been getting free bandwidth (first analog and now digital) all these years, but telecom providers have to pay. Maybe we’d get better TV if local stations had to pay for their new spot on the spectrum. Or at least there be a little more revenue to cover some small part of “O’s” grandiose plans.

By: USNJIMRET

USNJIMRET — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:19:46 +0000

(Because there is no edit function…)
650 million more for the converter boxes.
Assuming 30% for administrative costs associated with the coupons, something like 11.375 million coupons. Current limit is two per address, so something slightly over 5 million households need these things?
Households that don’t have a DTV ready unit? Households which don’t have INTERNET, else they would have heard about this before and gotten the coupons earlier? Households which apparently don’t watch TV, because the notifications have been on newscasts, sports shows and other shows for months and months?I bought my first and, so far, only DTV unit at Walmart a couple of weeks ago. Comes with a built in Digital tuner, but is only a 720p set, not the 1080p unit. Cost 200 bucks. And doesn’t need a converter box for over the air Digital broadcast. (And I have to admit that HD broadcasts do indeed look a heck of a lot better even in only 720p)
Anyway, does anyone think that the delay will be for anything less then 6 months at least? (Which will cost commercial broadcasters lots more money, keeping two separate systems running.)
And that the 650 million will be enough?

By: USNJIMRET

USNJIMRET — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:04:22 +0000

The delay is necessary because the Government of George Bush ignored the poor and elderly and every other victim group by not making the whole process easier!
Poor people without INTERNET access, a problem which Mr Obama’s Nationwide Broadband plan will eliminate, are unable to comply with this arbitrary and unfair time line.
(Never mind that the process has been ongoing for years. With lots and lots and LOTS of notification in every media imaginable.)
And…
Oh to heck with it, I can’t continue to do a liberal excuse rant on this subject.
I knew when the news first was reported that the Transition team had sent a letter requesting a delay, that the delay would occur.
The fact that someone in the Transition Team is going to personally, financially benefit from a delay, not any kind of a surprise.
I suspect that in very short order, the term “Culture of Corruption” is going to have a whole new definition.

By: Praying

Praying — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 20:58:05 +0000

Just like the Staples stamp, that didn’t take long, did it! The guys not even in the white house yet, and he’s already brought Chicago-style democrat corruption back to the white house. Change you can live with?

By: DefendUSA

DefendUSA — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 20:05:05 +0000

THe spending he is doing for the Digital crap is nothing if it is not giving to line his friends pockets. I ranted on my own blog about the trillion he wants to waste. My comment is in parenthesis.

“-$650 million to continue the coupon program to enable American households to convert from analog television transmission to digital transmission.
(Nope, sorry. Anyone that owns a cell phone or a computer should have been paying attention. You don’t give something to people who don’t have it in the first place. Another tax for another entitlement and TV is not a right, it’s a privilege.)

By: docdaneeka

docdaneeka — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 20:03:34 +0000

It seems really dirty, but so does a lot of stuff posted on here, and it seems like nothing ever happens.