Saturday, October 22, 2005

Get With the (Digital) Program!: $3 Billion for HDTV converter boxes

The government was to spend $3 billion on digital converter boxes for April 7, 2009, the date that has been set for the cessation of analog television broadcasts. These boxes are designed to allow obselete TV's to receive digital broadcasts.

If somebody cannot afford that converter box, expected to be priced under $70, they are spending too much time watching television. The average American spends 28 hours a week watching TV. Give up some TV and take up a part time job, and you should be able to afford by the deadline.

Seriously, I can't even believe that anyone outside of the entertainment and eletronics industries are in favor of this. Are people marching through downtown DC chanting "Passive Entertainment Is A Right!" or "We Really Have Nothing Better To Do!"?

I'm asking Congress right now to refrain from just giving away the converter boxes. Make people ask for them. Make them demand it. Make them form a couch potato lobbying group.

That I would find entertaining.

1 comment:

  1. Good point Robert!

    It is absurd that the government would pay for something like this.

    ReplyDelete