The Federal Communications Commission issued a Consumer
Advisory on the problems with display of closed captioning and
digital television, especially HD, on June 6, 2007. They make
recommendations on dealing with the transition and ask for complaints to be filed online.
FCC Consumer Advisory at
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-273678A1.doc
Captioning complaints can be filed using FCC online Form 475 at
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/complaints_general.html<
The FCC has also sent Citations to all the major
department stores about selling analog TV sets without the required
"no DTV tuner inside" notice on them. KMart, Sears, Best Buy,
Circuit City, CompUSA, Radio Shack, Target, and Amazon have all been cited by the FCC's Enforcement Bureau, with more to follow. Most TV stations will switch to digital only TV
transmission on February 17, 2009. Most consumers report lack of
awareness of the pending transition and the implications for their
TV viewing.
The FCC action appears to be the result of a Congressional letter sent
to the FCC Commissioners 5/24/07 demanding a consumer education
campaign. The Congressional letter expressly said that the FCC Disability Rights Office should conduct consumer education directed toward people with
disabilities. Letter at
http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_110/ FCC.052407.Martin.ltr.DTV.pdf
QILC is monitoring the analog to digital TV transition to
ensure efforts are made to assist consumers with disabilities
as well as others who may be users of "rabbit ear" antennas, on steps to take to avoid having their TV screens "go blank" in Februar