As exciting as the potential of digital television is, however, I was concerned at the rapid buildout schedule imposed by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. The problem with locking timetables into law is that the transition to digital is fraught with obstacles. Stations have to erect new antennas, and many will need new towers. In fact, there are only a handful of tower companies out there doing this kind of work, and there are real concerns about how quickly they can meet the demand. This is of particular concern to states like Montana which already face limited construction schedules because of weather conditions.
Tower siting delays because of zoning restrictions also pose serious problems.
Unfortunately, it now appears that the rapid buildout schedule was indeed unrealistic. Digital HDTV broadcasts are scheduled to begin in just a few months in some major markets and the sale of HDTV sets along with them. Several serious technical hurdles remain in ensuring that the sets, which will cost several thousand dollars, will actually be able to deliver high-definition programming, however. Two-thirds of the nation's viewers are cable subscribers. However, the first generation of digital receivers will not allow consumers to receive digital TV via cable because of a lack of standards.