United States Government Accountability Office

GAO Testimony 

Before the Senate Special Committee on 

Aging

DIGITAL TELEVISION 

TRANSITION 

Preliminary Information on 

Initial Consumer Education 

Efforts 

Statement of Mark L. Goldstein, Director 

Physical Infrastructure Issues 

For Release on Delivery

Expected at 10:30 a.m. EDT 

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

 

GAO-07-1248T 
What GAO Found

United States Government Accountability Office

Why GAO Did This Study

Highlights

Accountability Integrity Reliability

September 19, 2007

DIGITAL TELEVISION TRANSITION 

Preliminary Information on Initial Consumer 

Education Efforts Highlights of GAO-07-1248T, a testimony 

before the Senate Special Committee on 

Aging 

On February 17, 2009, federal law 

requires all full-power television 

stations in the United States to 

cease analog broadcasting and

broadcast digital-only 

transmissions, often referred to as 

the digital television (DTV)

transition. Federal law also 

requires the National

Telecommunications and 

Information Administration (NTIA) 

to create a program that subsidizes 

consumers’ purchases of digital-toanalog converter boxes. After the 

transition, households with analog

sets that rely on over-the-air

broadcast signals must take action

or they will lose television service,

but some households might not be

aware of this potential disruption. 

This testimony provides

preliminary information on (1) the

consumer education efforts 

currently underway, (2) education 

efforts being planned, (3)

difficulties with the 

implementation of consumer 

education programs, and (4) 

ongoing GAO work on consumer

education and awareness regarding

the transition. GAO interviewed

officials with the Federal 

Communications Commission 

(FCC) and NTIA. Further, GAO met 

with a wide variety of industry and 

other stakeholders involved with

the transition, including members

of the DTV Transition Coalition—a 

group of public and private 

stakeholders, and experts on

strategic communications. GAO

discussed this testimony with FCC 

and NTIA officials and

incorporated their comments. 

A number of federal and private stakeholders have begun consumer 

education campaigns, with both independent and coordinated efforts 

underway. FCC has taken several steps to promote consumer awareness, 

such as launching a Web site, participating in events intended to educate the 

public, and requiring sellers of televisions to include consumer alerts on nondigital televisions. NTIA has created brochures in English and Spanish to 

provide the public information about its converter box subsidy program and 

is partnering with organizations to perform outreach to disadvantaged 

groups. Earlier this year, the DTV Transition Coalition was launched to help 

ensure that no consumer is left without broadcast television due to a lack of 

information. Over 160 private, public, and non-profit groups have joined the 

Coalition to coordinate consumer education efforts. 

While widespread and comprehensive consumer education efforts have yet 

to be implemented, various efforts are currently being planned. FCC, NTIA, 

and private sector stakeholders have plans to further educate consumers as

the DTV transition nears. For example, voluntary public service 

announcements to raise awareness of the transition are planned by industry 

groups and FCC is considering requiring broadcasters, manufacturers and 

cable and satellite providers to insert various messages and alerts in their 

products and programming. In addition, the converter box subsidy program 

will have a consumer education component. Because many education efforts 

are in the planning or early stages of implementation, it is too early to tell 

how effective these efforts will be. 

Various factors make consumer education difficult. While private sector 

stakeholders are participating in outreach efforts, these actions are 

voluntary and therefore the government cannot be assured of the extent of 

private sector efforts. Strategic communications experts from industry, 

government, and academia identified potential challenges to a consumer 

education campaign, including (1) prioritizing limited resources to target the 

right audience, (2) educating consumers to help protect them from making 

unnecessary purchases, (3) reaching underserved populations, and (4) 

aligning stakeholders to form a consistent, coordinated effort. 

GAO has work planned to assess the progress of consumer awareness. In 

particular, GAO plans to conduct a series of surveys to determine the 

population affected by the DTV transition, levels of awareness about the 

transition, and demographic information about the affected population. 

Throughout the transition, GAO will continue to monitor government and 

industry education efforts and analyze these efforts relative to best practices 

for consumer education campaigns. GAO plans to review the government’s

responsibility for consumer education, monitor the outcome of FCC’s 

rulemaking related to consumer education, and collect details of the 

consumer education component of the converter box subsidy program. 

www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-1248T.

To view the full product, click on the link 

above. For more information, contact Mark L. 

Goldstein, (202) 512-2834, or 

goldsteinm@gao.gov. 
Digital Television Transition

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee: 

I am pleased to be here today to report on our work for the House Energy 

and Commerce committee and this committee on the progress made in 

consumer education efforts for the digital television (DTV) transition. We 

are currently finalizing a report on initial public and private sector efforts 

underway to implement the transition; as such, the findings that I am 

reporting to the Committee today are preliminary in nature and principally

related to consumer education and outreach programs. 

A primary goal of the DTV transition is for the federal government to 

reclaim spectrum1

 that broadcasters currently use to provide analog 

television signals. The spectrum that the federal government will reclaim 

at the end of the transition is considered highly valuable because of its 

particular technical properties. In all, the DTV transition will free up 108 

megahertz (MHz) of spectrum. The Federal Communications Commission 

(FCC) has reallocated 24 MHz of the spectrum that will be recovered for 

public safety purposes, which became a higher priority following the 

terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. FCC will auction the remaining 

spectrum for commercial purposes, with the resulting proceeds allocated

for, among other things, reducing the federal deficit. 

The Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 mandates

the cessation of analog television broadcast signals on February 17, 2009.

After that date, households that had previously viewed television on 

analog sets solely through the reception of over-the-air signals must take 

action to ensure that they have the necessary equipment, such as a digitalto-analog converter box, or subscription video service to be able to view 

the digital broadcast signals. If they do not take such action, they will lose 

the ability to view the digital signals on their analog sets. The act also 

directed the National Telecommunications and Information 

Administration (NTIA) to establish a $1.5 billion program through which 

households can obtain coupons for the purchase of digital-to-analog 

converter boxes. NTIA issued a final rule that adopted regulations to 

implement the converter box subsidy program, and in August 2007, 

selected IBM Corporation (IBM) to administer the program. Beginning 

 1

The radiofrequency spectrum is the part of the natural spectrum of electromagnetic 

radiation lying below 300 gigahertz. It is the medium that makes possible wireless

communications, including cellular and paging services, radio and television broadcasting, 

radar, and satellite-based services. 

Page 1 GAO-07-1248T 
Digital Television Transition

January 1, 2008, households can request up to two $40 coupons toward the 

purchase of eligible2

 digital-to-analog converter boxes. 

Three private sector groups have asserted various estimates of the number 

of households that rely solely on over-the-air television. While one group

estimates that 11 percent of households rely on over-the-air broadcasts, 

another group’s estimate is 16 percent of households, and a third group’s 

estimate is 20 percent of households. Further, private sector estimates 

claim an additional 5 percent to 27 percent of households that subscribe to 

cable or satellite television have at least one television set that receives an

over-the-air signal. One group asserted that households that rely on overthe-air broadcasts are disproportionately comprised of older citizens than

other households. Although it is unclear what percentage of households 

that rely exclusively on over-the-air broadcasts use analog rather than 

digital television sets, millions of those households potentially stand to be

left without any television service unless they take action. To help the 

public understand the DTV transition and the various options they have, 

consumer education and awareness programs are underway and 

additional programs are being planned. 

While there are many steps necessary to successfully complete the DTV 

transition, my testimony today will focus on consumer education and 

awareness. In particular, I will discuss (1) consumer education efforts 

currently underway, (2) education efforts and programs being planned, (3) 

the difficulties that may arise in the implementation of such programs, and 

(4) ongoing work on DTV consumer education and awareness that we will 

undertake. 

To meet these objectives, we interviewed officials with FCC and NTIA, as

well as a wide variety of industry and other private stakeholders, such as 

broadcasters, manufacturers, retailers, and consumer advocacy groups. 

Further, we consulted strategic communications experts representing 

public, private, and academic organizations to identify potential challenges 

that might obstruct consumer education efforts. We performed our review 

from January 2007 through August 2007 in accordance with generally 

accepted government auditing standards. We discussed this testimony 

with FCC and NTIA officials to obtain their comments. FCC and NTIA 

provided additional information that we incorporated where appropriate.

 2

NTIA established technical and performance specifications that converter boxes must 

meet to be eligible for the coupon program. 

Page 2 GAO-07-1248T 
• Several federal and private stakeholders have begun consumer education 

campaigns, with both independent and coordinated efforts underway. FCC 

and NTIA have been involved in consumer education and awareness 

programs and some private sector organizations are voluntarily taking the 

lead on outreach efforts. For example, FCC has launched a Web site 

(DTV.gov) and NTIA has begun outreach efforts to groups most likely to 

lose all television service as a result of the transition—including at-risk 

groups such as the elderly—with “information sheets” and brochures. 

Private, public, and nonprofit groups have joined together to form the DTV 

Transition Coalition to coordinate on consumer education efforts and 

messages. 

In Summary: 

• Widespread and comprehensive consumer education efforts have yet to be 

implemented, but additional efforts are currently being planned both for

the general population and at-risk groups. FCC, NTIA, and private sector

stakeholders have plans to further educate consumers as the transition 

nears. FCC solicited comments on proposed consumer education 

programs, including potentially requiring television broadcasters to 

conduct on-air consumer education efforts. The proposals also include 

potential requirements for industry to report on the status of their specific 

consumer outreach efforts, including those efforts targeted to at-risk 

groups. Included in NTIA’s converter box subsidy program is a consumer 

education component—the details of which have not been made public. 

Some organizations, such as the DTV Transition Coalition and various 

industry trade associations, are planning information and education 

campaigns and some groups are planning to broadcast public service 

announcements. 

• Despite the efforts currently underway and those being planned, 

difficulties remain in the implementation of consumer education 

programs. While private sector organizations are conducting outreach 

efforts, these actions are voluntary and therefore the government cannot

be assured of the extent of private sector efforts. Strategic 

communications experts from industry, government, and academia 

identified potential challenges to a consumer education campaign, 

including (1) prioritizing limited resources to target the right audience for 

an adequate period of time, (2) educating consumers who do not 

necessarily need to take action, (3) reaching underserved populations, 

such as the elderly and disabled, and (4) aligning stakeholders to form a 

consistent, coordinated effort. 

• In our ongoing work for the House Energy and Commerce committee and 

this committee, we plan on reporting on the progress of consumer 

education and awareness about the DTV transition throughout the 

Page 3 GAO-07-1248T Digital Television Transition
Digital Television Transition

upcoming transition period. For example, we will continue to monitor 

consumer education programs and plan to conduct a series of consumer 

surveys throughout the year prior to the transition date. These surveys will 

be aimed at estimating the population that will be affected by the DTV 

transition and the public awareness of the transition. We will estimate the 

percent of the population relying on over-the-air broadcasts, as well as 

demographic characteristics of the affected population to determine what 

groups might be most disrupted by the transition. We will report on 

changes in consumer awareness over time based on surveys we plan to 

conduct throughout the transition process. In addition, throughout the 

transition process, we will continue to assess government and industry 

consumer education efforts and analyze the efforts compared with key 

practices for consumer outreach. 

The United States is currently undergoing a transition from analog to 

digital broadcast television, often referred to as the DTV transition. The 

transition will enable the government to allocate valuable spectrum from 

analog broadcast to public safety and other purposes. Further, digital 

transmission of television signals provides several advantages compared 

to analog transmission, such as enabling better quality picture and sound 

reception as well as using the radiofrequency spectrum more efficiently

than analog transmission. With traditional analog technology, pictures and 

sounds are converted into “waveform” electrical signals for transmission 

through the radiofrequency spectrum, while digital technology converts 

these pictures and sounds into a stream of digits consisting of zeros and 

ones for transmission. 

The Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 addresses

the responsibilities of two federal agencies—FCC and NTIA—related to 

the DTV transition. The act directs FCC to require full-power television 

stations to cease analog broadcasting and to broadcast solely digital 

transmissions after February 17, 2009. As we have previously reported, 

households with analog televisions that rely solely on over-the-air 

television signals received through a rooftop antenna or indoor antenna 

must take action to be able to view digital broadcast signals after the 

termination of analog broadcasts. Options available to these households 

include (1) purchasing a digital television set that includes a tuner capable

of receiving, processing, and displaying a digital signal; (2) purchasing a 

digital-to-analog converter box, which converts the digital broadcast 

signals to analog so they can be viewed on an existing analog set; or (3) 

subscribing to a cable, satellite, or other service to eliminate the need to 

acquire a digital-to-analog converter box. The act also directed NTIA to 

Background 

Page 4 GAO-07-1248T 
Digital Television Transition

establish a $1.5 billion subsidy program through which households can 

obtain coupons toward the purchase of digital-to-analog converter boxes. 

The last day for consumers to request coupons is March 31, 2009, and

coupons can be redeemed through July 9, 2009. As required by law, all 

coupons expire 90 days after issuance. Consumers can redeem their 

coupons at participating retailers (both “brick and mortar” and online) for 

eligible converter boxes.

To help inform consumers about the transition, eight private sector 

organizations launched the DTV Transition Coalition in February 2007. 

These eight organizations are the Association for Maximum Service 

Television, Association of Public Television Stations, Consumer 

Electronics Association, Consumer Electronic Retailers Coalition, 

Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, LG Electronics, National 

Association of Broadcasters, and the National Cable and 

Telecommunications Association. These founding organizations comprise 

the Coalition’s steering committee and make decisions on behalf of the 

Coalition. To better represent the interests of at-risk or underserved 

populations—such as the elderly—AARP later joined the steering 

committee. The Coalition’s mission is to ensure that no consumer is left 

without broadcast television due to a lack of information about the 

transition. Currently, the Coalition has over 160 member organizations 

comprised of business, trade and industry groups, as well as FCC.3

Recent surveys conducted by industry trade associations indicate that 

consumer awareness of the digital transition is low. The Association for 

Public Television Stations reported in January 2007 that 61 percent of 

participants surveyed had “no idea” that the transition was taking place. 

Another study conducted by the National Association of Broadcasters 

focused on households that primarily receive their television signals overthe-air—and will therefore be most affected by the transition—and 

reported that 57 percent of those surveyed were not aware of the 

transition. Both surveys found that most people with some awareness of 

the transition had limited awareness of the date the transition will take 

place. 

 3

While NTIA is not an official Coalition member, the agency has been participating in 

Coalition activities since its inception. The Coalition, as well as FCC and NTIA, have

created Web sites providing information on the DTV transition and converter box subsidy 

program. These Web sites are available for viewing at the following addresses:

www.dtvtransition.org, www.dtv.gov, www.ntia.doc.gov/dtvcoupon/index.html. 

Page 5 GAO-07-1248T 
Federal and private stakeholders are making progress in educating 

consumers about the DTV transition, with both independent and 

coordinated efforts underway. FCC and NTIA have been involved in 

consumer education and awareness programs and some private sector 

organizations are voluntarily taking the lead on outreach efforts. 

FCC has taken several steps toward educating consumers about the 

transition. For example, FCC has launched a Web site (DTV.gov), which,

among other things, provides background information on the DTV 

transition and answers common consumer questions. In addition, FCC has 

met with some industry groups, consumer groups, and other government 

agencies and participated in public events intended to educate audiences 

about the transition. Moreover, in April 2007, FCC adopted a rule requiring 

all sellers of television-receiving equipment that does not include a digital

tuner to prominently display a consumer alert that such devices will 

require a converter box to receive over-the-air broadcast television after

February 17, 2009. To ensure that retailers are in compliance, FCC staff 

have inspected over 1,000 retail stores and Web sites and issued over 250 

citations with potential fines exceeding $3 million. In addition, FCC has 

issued notices to television manufacturers with potential fines over $2.5 

million for importing televisions without digital tuners. In June 2007, FCC 

announced that it had re-chartered an intergovernmental advisory 

committee comprised of 15 representatives from local, state, and tribal 

governments to help it address, among other things, consumer education

about the DTV transition. Similarly, it re-chartered a consumer advisory 

committee that will also make recommendations to FCC about the 

transition on behalf of consumers, with specific representation for people 

with disabilities and other underserved or at-risk populations.

NTIA has also taken initial steps towards educating consumers about the 

transition. NTIA has statutory responsibility for the converter box subsidy 

program, for which Congress appropriated up to $5 million for education 

efforts. According to NTIA, its education efforts are focused on the 

subsidy program and more specifically on five groups most likely to lose 

all television service as a result of the transition: (1) senior citizens, (2) the 

economically disadvantaged, (3) rural residents, (4) people with 

disabilities, and (5) minorities. According to NTIA, it has begun outreach 

efforts to these groups through partnerships with private organizations as 

well as other federal agencies. Also, it has created “information sheets” for 

consumers, retailers, and manufacturers that outline the subsidy program 

and are available on its Web site. NTIA said it has provided informational 

brochures in English and Spanish to the public and provided a copy to 

every member of Congress and federal agencies that serve some of the 

Federal Government 

and Private 

Stakeholder 

Consumer Education 

Efforts Are Underway 

Page 6 GAO-07-1248T Digital Television Transition
Digital Television Transition

populations noted above. The agency also created a consumer hotline that 

provides information about the transition in English and Spanish, and TTY

numbers that provide information in English and Spanish to the hearing 

impaired. In addition, in August 2007, NTIA contracted with IBM to 

implement the broad consumer education component about the program. 

On a voluntary basis, some private stakeholders have begun implementing 

measures to inform consumers about the DTV transition. As previously 

mentioned, one such private-sector led effort is the DTV Transition 

Coalition, which has developed and consumer tested various messages 

about the transition, using surveys and focus groups of the affected 

consumers—the general population, senior citizens, minority groups, and 

over-the-air analog television households—to understand what messages 

are most effective in informing them about the transition. Subsequently,

the Coalition said it agreed upon one concise message that includes 

information about the transition itself, the rationale for the transition, and 

the ways consumers can effectively switch to DTV. In particular, the 

Coalition suggests consumers can prepare for the transition by purchasing 

a DTV converter box, purchasing a new television set with a built in digital

tuner, or subscribing to a pay television service such as cable, satellite, or

telephone company video service provider. The Coalition said its member 

organizations will distribute this information to their constituents, 

including senior citizens, the disabled, and minority groups. The Coalition 

message will also be delivered to media outlets. 

In addition to coordinated efforts within the Coalition, private sector 

organizations also have independent education efforts underway. For 

example, a number of industry associations host Web sites that inform 

consumers of, among other things, common consumer questions about the 

transition, how to check if the television they own is digital-ready, and 

how to dispose of analog television sets. One national retailer told us that 

it added a feature to its registers so that when a consumer purchases an 

analog television, a message about the transition is printed on the bottom 

of the receipt. 

Page 7 GAO-07-1248T 
Widespread and comprehensive consumer education efforts have yet to be 

implemented, but additional efforts are currently being planned. FCC, 

NTIA, and private sector stakeholders have plans to further educate 

consumers as the digital transition nears. The converter box subsidy 

program, to be administered by NTIA, will also have a consumer education 

component implemented by its contractor, IBM. Because many education 

efforts are in the planning or initial stages of implementation, it is too early 

to tell how effective these efforts will be. 

FCC has solicited input on proposed consumer education programs. In 

August 2007, in response to a letter containing proposals on advancing

consumer education submitted by members of Congress, FCC released a 

notice of proposed rulemaking soliciting public comments. These 

proposals include requiring television broadcasters to conduct on-air 

consumer education efforts and regularly report on the status of these 

efforts, requiring cable and satellite providers to insert periodic notices in

customers’ bills about the transition and their future viewing options, and 

requiring manufacturers to include information on the transition with any 

television set or related device they import or distribute in the United 

States. Each of the requirements mentions civil penalties for

noncompliance. Another proposal on which FCC sought comment would 

have FCC work with NTIA to require that retailers participating in the 

converter box subsidy program detail their employee training and 

consumer information plans, as well as have FCC staff spot check the

retailers for compliance. Also, FCC sought comments on a proposal 

requiring partners identified on FCC’s DTV.gov Web site to report their 

specific consumer outreach efforts. The comment period on the notice of

proposed rulemaking is scheduled to close on September 19, 2007; the 

period to file any rebuttal closes October 1, 2007.

NTIA also has not fully implemented education efforts about its subsidy 

program in large part because it is contracting out the consumer education 

component of its program. The contract was recently awarded in the 

middle of August 2007 to IBM and plans are in the development stage.

Many private sector consumer education efforts are in the planning stages 

and have yet to be fully implemented. Representatives from private sector

organizations told us there are several reasons why they are waiting to 

fully launch their consumer education campaigns. In particular, some said 

they are trying to time their education efforts for maximum effectiveness 

and that they do not want to start too early and possibly lose the attention 

of consumers later on. Another reason is that they are waiting for key 

events to occur, such as the availability of converter boxes in retail stores, 

Many Consumer 

Education Efforts Are 

Still in the Planning 

Stages and Have Not 

Been Widely 

Implemented 

Page 8 GAO-07-1248T Digital Television Transition
Digital Television Transition

so that education efforts can contain complete information. A number of 

nonprofit organizations told us that a lack of dedicated funding hampers 

their ability to educate and outreach to their constituents. Through its 

many member organizations, the DTV Transition Coalition intends to 

disseminate information about the transition in a variety of formats, 

including through presenting at conferences, creating media attention, and 

distributing informational materials to Congressional offices. The National 

Cable and Telecommunications Association has created public service 

announcements about the transition in both Spanish and English, which 

will be aired by cable operators and networks in markets throughout the 

country in the fall of 2007. The National Association of Broadcasters also 

has plans to launch a public service announcement campaign related to 

the transition by the end of 2007, which will air on its local television 

broadcasting affiliates, independent stations, and broadcast networks. 

Despite efforts currently underway and those being planned, difficulties 

remain in the implementation of consumer education programs. Private 

sector organizations are participating in outreach efforts, but these actions

are voluntary and therefore the government cannot be assured of the 

extent of private sector efforts. Moreover, given the different interests 

represented by industry stakeholders, messages directed at consumers 

vary and might lead to confusion. For example, in addition to providing 

information about why the transition is occurring, some industry 

stakeholders have incentives to provide consumers with information on a 

wide host of technology equipment or services that consumers could 

purchase, at varying costs. Advocates for the elderly, disabled, and nonEnglish speaking households told us that they are concerned that their 

members will become confused by the options and end up purchasing 

equipment they do not need or more expensive equipment than necessary 

to maintain their television viewing.

Further, we heard from strategic communication experts from industry, 

government, and academia that potential challenges might obstruct 

consumer education efforts. In particular, the experts and others 

highlighted several challenges: 

Difficulties Remain in 

the Implementation of 

Consumer Education 

Programs 

• Prioritizing limited resources. With limited time and financial resources, 

it is likely to be a challenge for stakeholders to determine how best to 

allocate those resources within the campaign—for example, whether to 

target a smaller audience over a set period of time, versus targeting a 

broader audience over a shorter period of time. This is applicable because, 

Page 9 GAO-07-1248T 
Digital Television Transition

according to industry stakeholders, there may be specific groups that are 

more vulnerable than others to losing television service. 

• Educating consumers who do not necessarily need to take action. Many 

of the outreach efforts will be focused on educating consumers on what to 

do to keep their television sets from going dark after the termination of 

analog broadcasts. However, a large proportion of U.S. households will 

not need to do anything—for example, because they have cable or satellite 

television service that will enable their analog set to continue to display 

programming. Because many messages focus on the actions that 

households that rely on over-the-air analog broadcasting need to take, 

consumers unaffected by the transition might become confused and 

purchase equipment they do not need. In our past work looking at a 

similar digital transition in Germany, we have described this potential 

confusion to cable and satellite households as a challenge of educating 

consumers about the transition. 

• Reaching underserved populations. Conveying the message to 

underserved populations, such as senior citizens, the disabled, those 

residing in rural areas, or non-English speaking households, will provide 

an added challenge. Many groups reaching out to consumers about the 

transition are doing so on Web sites, which may not be available to people 

who lack Internet access or are less technically savvy. Another challenge 

is providing information in a wide variety of formats, such as in different 

languages for non-English speaking consumers and in text, video, voice, 

and Braille for the disabled. Overall, a challenge of consumer education is 

that those households in need of taking action may be the least likely to be

aware of the transition. 

• Aligning stakeholders. Industry representatives also noted the challenge 

of aligning stakeholders—some of whom are natural competitors—to 

work together. In our past work, we have reported that federal agencies 

engaged in collaborative efforts—such as the transition—need to create

the means to monitor and evaluate their efforts to enable them to identify 

areas for improvement. Reporting on these activities can help key decision 

makers within the agencies, as well as clients and stakeholders, to obtain 

feedback for improving both policy and operational effectiveness. Some 

progress in aligning stakeholders, such as the formation of the DTV 

Transition Coalition, has been made, but some stakeholders may have 

competing interests. For example, recent announcements produced by the 

National Cable and Telecommunications Association invoke the DTV 

transition, but ultimately promote the role of cable television in the 

transition. 

Page 10 GAO-07-1248T 
Digital Television Transition

In our ongoing work for the House Energy and Commerce committee and 

this committee, we plan to assess the progress of consumer education and 

awareness about the DTV transition. We will continue to monitor 

consumer education programs and plan to conduct a series of consumer 

surveys throughout the year prior to the transition date. These surveys will 

be aimed at determining the population that will be affected by the DTV 

transition and the public awareness of the transition. In determining the 

affected population, we will look at the percent of the population relying 

on over-the-air broadcasts for their primary television, as well as the 

percent of the population with non-primary televisions being used to 

watch over-the-air television. Additionally, we will review the 

demographic characteristics of the affected population to determine what 

groups might be most disrupted by the transition. We will survey for public 

awareness of the DTV transition, and specific knowledge of the transition, 

such as when the transition will take place. We will seek to determine the 

level of public awareness of those who will be affected by the transition 

and awareness of the converter box subsidy program and other options for 

viewing digital signals after the transition. We plan to report on changes in

consumer awareness over time by conducting surveys throughout the 

transition process. 

Furthermore, we will continue to assess government and industry 

consumer education efforts and will analyze the efforts compared with key 

practices for consumer outreach. We will review the government’s 

responsibility for consumer education, monitor the outcome of FCC’s 

notices of proposed rulemaking regarding the transition, and collect 

details on IBM’s consumer education plan as they become available. 

Mr. Chairman, this concludes my prepared statement. I would be happy to

respond to any questions you or other Members of the Committee may 

have at this time. 

For questions regarding this testimony, please contact Mark L. Goldstein 

on (202) 512-2834 or goldsteinm@gao.gov. Individuals making key 

contributions to this testimony included Matthew Cail, Colin Fallon, Simon 

Galed, Bert Japikse, Crystal Jones, Sally Moino, Andrew Stavisky, and 

Margaret Vo. 

Our Future Work Will 

Focus on Consumer 

Awareness of the DTV 

Transition 

Contacts and 

Acknowledgements 

Page 11 GAO-07-1248T (543194) 
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