Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

In 2005, Congress passed a law that directed over-the-air full-power television broadcasts—which are currently provided by television stations in both analog and digital formats—to become digital only on February 17, 2009.  The move would have required TV watchers to purchase new digital TVs, or to buy a box to convert the analog format to digital. 

To assist the millions of vulnerable Americans for the transition from analog to digital, Congress established a digital-to-analog converter box program, administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) of the Department of Commerce, that will partially subsidize consumer purchases of converter boxes.  Unfortunately, the coupons used to help defray the cost of purchasing the converter box ran out, leaving many Americans without the means to buy the technology. 

The Obama Administration asked Congress to give Americans more time to make the switch.  Congress complied, pushing the date for digital-only transition back to June 12, 2009.  Additionally, Congress included funding in the recently passed economic recovery package that will fund additional coupons. 

While most stations will not be exclusively broadcast in digital until June, some television stations will be adhering to the initial February 17 deadline to transition to digital format.  The following stations broadcast to New Mexico audiences and will be digital-only after Tuesday, February 17:

• KENW in Portales;
• KNMD-TV in Santa Fe;
• KRPV in Roswell;
• KTEL-TV in Carlsbad;
• KUPT in Hobbs; and,
• KVIH in Clovis.

This assumes that all other television stations broadcasting to New Mexico audiences will transition to digital-only on June 12, 2009.

Useful Information

Consumers may apply to NTIA for up to two converter box coupons (over the Internet or by calling 1-888-388-2009 [toll-free]).

The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) DTV website provides basic information on the coupon program, converter boxes, troubleshooting, and other relevant topics.

The FCC also released a Public Notice on stations terminating analog service on February 17.

Several organizations are offering assistance to the elderly, the deaf and hard-of-hearing, and Spanish-speakers.