IV 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 339 
Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the necessity to improve public 
awareness in the United States among older individuals and their families 
and caregivers about the impending Digital Television Transition through 
the establishment of a Federal interagency taskforce between the Federal 
Communications Commission, the Administration on Aging, the National 
Telecommunications and Information Administration, and the outside 
advice of appropriate members of the aging network and industry groups. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 1, 2008 
Mr. BUTTERFIELD submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the necessity 
to improve public awareness in the United States among 
older individuals and their families and caregivers about 
the impending Digital Television Transition through the 
establishment of a Federal interagency taskforce between 
the Federal Communications Commission, the Adminis-
tration on Aging, the National Telecommunications and 
Information Administration, and the outside advice of 
appropriate members of the aging network and industry 
groups. 
Whereas, on February 17, 2009, television stations will cease 
broadcasting analog signals and traditional analog tele-
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•HCON 339 IH 
visions will stop working unless they are connected to a 
digital-to-analog converter box, cable, or satellite; 
Whereas a study conducted by the National Association of 
Broadcasters revealed that over half of the respondents 
had ‘‘seen, read, or heard nothing’’ about the transition 
to digital television, and only 10 percent were able to 
guess that the transition would occur in 2009; 
Whereas people over the age of 65 are more likely to be 
found in over-the-air households and are, therefore, a 
much more vulnerable group with respect to maintaining 
television service as the digital transition is completed; 
Whereas, as a group, are less likely to have purchased a new 
television in the past 3 years, are less likely to have 
HDTV capabilities in their households, and are less likely 
to own a digital television will not have the same expo-
sure to digital television transition messages from elec-
tronic retailers as will younger members of the popu-
lation, and will need special focus in efforts to educate 
the public with respect to the transition from analog to 
digital television; 
Whereas according to a Nielsen Media Research report, ap-
proximately 20,000,000 households rely exclusively on 
analog or free over-the-air broadcasts; 
Whereas of these 20,000,000 households, approximately 
8,000,000 include at least 1 person over the age of 50, 
according to the Nielsen Media Research TV Household 
Estimates; 
Whereas according to the General Accountability Office, 
about 48 percent of over-the-air households have incomes 
under $30,000; 
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•HCON 339 IH 
Whereas frail, homebound, rural, minority, disabled, limited 
English proficient, and low-income older individuals will 
need specific guidance and assistance in order to pur-
chase and properly install a digital-to-analog converter 
box; 
Whereas without a targeted outreach program, residents in 
nursing homes and assisted living facilities represent a 
segment of the population at risk for losing television 
service as a result of the digital transition; 
Whereas failure to seamlessly transition from analog to dig-
ital television will restrict or eliminate the access of older 
individuals to essential preparedness and safety informa-
tion in the event of an emergency or disaster, as such in-
dividuals will be unable to receive national and local 
alerts aired over television; 
Whereas it is now 6 years after the communication failures 
of September 11, 2001, which spurred Federal Govern-
ment adoption of a firm digital television transition date; 
and 
Whereas unfortunately the Department of Commerce and the 
Federal Communications Commission have not ade-
quately assured Congress that vulnerable households will 
be properly educated and prepared for such transition, 
and older individuals, their families, caregivers, and aging 
support networks will need targeted outreach to inform 
them of steps to take in order to ensure uninterrupted 
television service and to help mitigate potential digital 
television transition scams that may target the elderly: 
Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that the 
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•HCON 339 IH 
Chairman and Commissioners of the Federal Communica-
tions Commission shall enter into a partnership with the 
Administration on Aging and the National Telecommuni-
cations and Information Administration, to create a com-
prehensive public education campaign that provides infor-
mation and assistance to older individuals, their families, 
caregivers, and aging support networks about measures 
that may be taken— 
(1) to ensure that such older individuals receive 
uninterrupted television service during the transition 
from analog to digital television that is to occur on 
February 17, 2009; and 
(2) to mitigate the likelihood of success of 
fraudulent schemes relating to such transition that 
may target such older individuals. 
Æ 
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