NAB to Set Up National DTV Hotline

The toll-free number will offer information about the DTV transition and the Commerce Department's TV Converter Box Coupon Program as well as resources for pay television service subscribers and consumers with technical questions about converter boxes and installation.
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TVNewsCheck,

The National Association of Broadcasters today announced that it will create a national hotline to answer calls from consumers about the upcoming transition to digital television.

The toll-free national hotline will serve as a resource for viewers seeking general information about the DTV transition or the Commerce Department's TV Converter Box Coupon Program. It will also provide additional resources for pay television service subscribers and consumers with technical questions related to converter boxes and installation.

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Based on the results from the Sept. 8 analog shut-off experiment in Wilmington, N.C., and the analog shut-off tests already conducted by more than 400 television stations, NAB anticipates there will be approximately two million calls from viewers during the five days following Feb. 17, roughly half of which would occur on Feb. 18.

And with the recent passage of legislation to voluntarily extend analog broadcasting of DTV-related information for 30 days after Feb. 17 where technically feasible, NAB has proposed broadcasting a brief DTV educational video that can replay on television stations' analog broadcasts nationwide throughout the days after the transition. NAB will produce and distribute this program, which will address common questions received from viewers in the Wilmington experiment and other DTV readiness testing.

"Establishing a plan to respond to consumer questions about the DTV transition is another example of the broadcast industry's continuing leadership and unwavering commitment to help Americans prepare for the historic transition to digital television," said NAB President-CEO David K. Rehr. "Utilizing the airwaves, numerous grassroots and marketing initiatives and now a nationwide hotline, NAB and broadcasters are doing everything possible to ensure a smooth transition for all viewers across the nation."

The NAB hotline will supplement DTV hotlines sponsored by television stations, state broadcast associations, pay television service providers, the Commerce Department's coupon program and the FCC.

The instructional video that is being developed by NAB will attempt to answer frequently asked viewer questions on such topics as converter box installation, rescanning, antenna positioning and general DTV transition questions, among other issues. At the end, the video will promote the toll-free national hotline number and regional numbers where applicable. NAB outlined these commitments in a letter to President-elect Barack Obama's transition team, which can be viewed at www.dtvanswers.com/presskit.

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