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Monday, February 16, 2009

life without TV???

It's been a while since I've written about politics. I guess it's partly because the radio in my car hasn't worked since I put a new battery in it and I can't get my usual dose of NPR in the mornings. But I did come across something that got my feathers ruffled and I'll try to put this nicely.

It's about the switch from analog to digital TV. This quick video explains it pretty well. The government has already spent $1.5 BILLION on making the switch (advertising, education, and coupons for free digital converters). Well, it seems that's just not enough because I guess there are some people out there who haven't been paying attention and aren't ready to make the switch.

So now the government is delaying the switch and is asking for $650 MILLION to make the switch. WHAT??? Just so people can have a prettier picture to look at? Can't those who aren't ready to make the switch just live without TV for a little while? How sad of a statement about our culture is that? A large school district in our area is planning 700 job cuts next year and some law makers want to spend $650 MILLION to make sure people can have access to TV, which will expose them to endless hours of advertising, which will make them want more of what they don't have because they don't have a job and can't afford it, so they'll put it on credit cards and end up foreclosing on their houses.

I read a quote by a politician recently that said something like this: If someone out there doesn't know that there is a switch from analog to digital, then they're probably not watching television.

And even if they are, let their boob tube go blank and then they'll figure it out. Sorry, I try not to rant, but if you know us, you know that our family is one of those weird ones that watches television for about a total of 3 hours/week. I'm done now.

2 comments:

Craig said...

Can't disagree with most of your post. But I don't think there's any way it's $650 Billion. The whole stimulus package isn't much more than that. :)

Peter Davis said...

true Craig, I went back and watched the video again and made the change to my post. I guess 650 million is better than billion (don't know where my head was on that one), but it's still too much. Thanks for keeping me straight!