Agency to help seniors with transition to digital television

For seniors worried about the upcoming national transition to digital television, fear not. Help is on the way and it is being well funded.


The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) received an award of $2.7 million to help senior citizens with the transition through the TV Converter Box Coupon Program.


After February 17th, 2009, all analog broadcasts will end and switch to digital, per the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005.


The program is meant to help seniors who still rely on free, over-the-air broadcasting they get through their rabbit-ear antennas.

Thanks to the award, the n4a can assist people with obtaining a converter box and hooking it up to their TVs through April of next year.


To buy a converter box will cost between $40 and $80. The government backed coupon, distributed through n4a, offers a $40 credit toward the box.


Those who do not make the transition will see their televisions go dark in February.


Earlier this year, Variety reported the major television networks (ABC, NBC, Fox) saw their median age rise to 50 years old, suggesting that more older people are watching TV.


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