The Obama administration’s push to delay the national switch to digital broadcasting from analog succeeded this week when the House of Representatives voted for the delay.
The House on Wednesday voted 264-158 to postpone the shutdown of analog TV signals to June 12, to address concerns made by the president and others that too many Americans won’t be ready in time for the February 17 deadline Congress had set three years ago. The Senate had passed the measure unanimously last week. The bill now heads to Obama’s desk for signature.
When television broadcasts switch from analog to digital, untold new opportunities for digital and mobile marketing will be available, because the Federal Communications Commission in November voted to make the unused TV spectrum, commonly referred to as “white spaces,” available to the public.
Telecom giants Verizon and AT&T spent a combined $15.5 billion for access to the valuable airwaves when they free up.
