$3 B in subsidies planned for TV watchers

[Larrison]

Ran across this in the news this morning.. and I have to make some comments on this..

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9762325/

"Senate panel sets end to analog TV - TV stations given until 2009 to switch entirely to digital broadcasts"

WASHINGTON - A U.S. Senate panel Thursday set an April 7, 2009 deadline for television stations to switch entirely to digital broadcasts, the latest effort to provide certainty to the transition that will free airwaves for wireless companies and emergency responders.

The legislation approved by the Senate Commerce Committee would require stations to end their analog broadcasts and return those airwaves to the government, some of which would be sold in an auction that could bring in $10 billion or more.

The bill also earmarks up to $3 billion to subsidize some of the cost for Americans to buy devices that would convert digital signals so existing analog television sets could still work. The cost of the boxes is expected to be about $50.

OK -- I understand the right to legislate the airwaves, and that changing over to digital format for signals makes sense.

But.... $3 B in subsidies for set top boxes? First, I'm rather against the idea of a subsidy for the set top boxes.. I watch maybe 1-2 hours of television a week (usually closer to 1 hour). Why am I being taxed to subsidize what is a non-essential for someone? Let me keep the money and decide if I even want to watch TV... don't take me to pay so someone else can watch "I want to be a Millionaire"...

Secondly $ 3 Billion??!! a little bit of math shows that would pay 100% of the cost for 60 MILLION boxes. The US Census Bureau estimates there are about 111 total US households as of 2003. So the Feds are going to give away the tax payers money to essentially pay for 1/2 of the households in the US to get set top boxes? That's just stupid..

-- Owning a TV is not a right: a TV is a piece of entertainment equipment... If you want to claim its needed for "emergeny use" I'd rather the Feds hand out $10 radios that can be battery powered. Heck, for $40 I bought an emergency radio at Radioshack that can be operated by a hand crank. That would be a much better use of $3 BILLION dollars.

-- I really don't like the idea of the Feds starting to pay for entertainment equipment out of my tax money particularly spending BILLIONS so people can watch TV

-- If you're in business and own something like a hotel, and need to change from Analog to Digital for the TVs (and there are very few hotels which don't have cable or satllite), then getting the digital boxes is a business expense. Don't subsidize them either..

I'm sorry -- I understand how some people may have financial problems and not be able to easily afford $50 to get a digital converter box when the signals change. But I don't see taxing everyone so people can just watch TV. The amount of subsidy here is just absurd...

Sorry to flame folks.. but geeze! This pushed my button this morning..

[jeff]

I'm with you, Larrison. While I support governmental support for healthcare, I draw the line waaaay before the idea of subsidies for everyone's TV set. My quick take on this is that this really a sop to the broadcasters rather than the consumer, since they won't go to digital till the audience is there, and the audience won't go there till the broadcasters are there unless it's free.

Side note: when HDTV is everywhere, we'll get to see all the TV personalities facial features in much better definition than today - and they are already getting a little panicky of every line, zit or mole being obvious. Very few people on-screen have such good complexion that they won't look pretty funky viewed with a gazillion pixels!

[Inquartata]

Another nod of the head. Gad, what next?

Frankly, those who cannot afford to switch to HD sets are probably going to be better off than those who can. Think of it, they'll have time to read a book or talk to their families or walk in the park or something. Horrors...

[gojujay]

Ran across this in the news this morning.. and I have to make some comments on this..

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9762325/

"Senate panel sets end to analog TV - TV stations given until 2009 to switch entirely to digital broadcasts"

WASHINGTON - A U.S. Senate panel Thursday set an April 7, 2009 deadline for television stations to switch entirely to digital broadcasts, the latest effort to provide certainty to the transition that will free airwaves for wireless companies and emergency responders.

The legislation approved by the Senate Commerce Committee would require stations to end their analog broadcasts and return those airwaves to the government, some of which would be sold in an auction that could bring in $10 billion or more.

The bill also earmarks up to $3 billion to subsidize some of the cost for Americans to buy devices that would convert digital signals so existing analog television sets could still work. The cost of the boxes is expected to be about $50.

OK -- I understand the right to legislate the airwaves, and that changing over to digital format for signals makes sense.

But.... $3 B in subsidies for set top boxes? First, I'm rather against the idea of a subsidy for the set top boxes.. I watch maybe 1-2 hours of television a week (usually closer to 1 hour). Why am I being taxed to subsidize what is a non-essential for someone? Let me keep the money and decide if I even want to watch TV... don't take me to pay so someone else can watch "I want to be a Millionaire"...

Secondly $ 3 Billion??!! a little bit of math shows that would pay 100% of the cost for 60 MILLION boxes. The US Census Bureau estimates there are about 111 total US households as of 2003. So the Feds are going to give away the tax payers money to essentially pay for 1/2 of the households in the US to get set top boxes? That's just stupid..

-- Owning a TV is not a right: a TV is a piece of entertainment equipment... If you want to claim its needed for "emergeny use" I'd rather the Feds hand out $10 radios that can be battery powered. Heck, for $40 I bought an emergency radio at Radioshack that can be operated by a hand crank. That would be a much better use of $3 BILLION dollars.

-- I really don't like the idea of the Feds starting to pay for entertainment equipment out of my tax money particularly spending BILLIONS so people can watch TV

-- If you're in business and own something like a hotel, and need to change from Analog to Digital for the TVs (and there are very few hotels which don't have cable or satllite), then getting the digital boxes is a business expense. Don't subsidize them either..

I'm sorry -- I understand how some people may have financial problems and not be able to easily afford $50 to get a digital converter box when the signals change. But I don't see taxing everyone so people can just watch TV. The amount of subsidy here is just absurd...

Sorry to flame folks.. but geeze! This pushed my button this morning..

I'm with you.

[Slim]

It's "earmarked" for all legal fees and the free boxes they will have to give away once the first few "disenfranchisment" lawsuits are won and the floodgates for free conversion boxes are opened.

Actually, I believe it's an FCC/public safety thing about emergency information channels. But, I agree, it's insane. Give away hand cranked radios instead.