Comments for Introducing The Most Accurate Press Release Ever Published

Introducing The Most Accurate Press Release Ever Published

2008-02-02T23:30:29Z

The Senate Commerce Committee issued a bold press release aggressively backing FCC Commissioner Michael Copps' contention that the nation is woefully unprepared for the pending transition to digital television. The release is a stunning rebuke to the FCC and the Commerce Department, which have dickered over responsibility for the ongoing transition. The Committee plans to hold a hearing on February 14 to find out just what content should, under ideal circumstances, go here. Full release, after the jump.

]]> Digital TV Transition (Press Release) [Senate Commerce Committee]

Comment from ranwhenparked on 2008-02-08

2008-02-08T23:56:29Z

Seeing as how over 89% of households already have either cable or satellite TV service, does anyone else think all this hand wringing over terrestrial digital is just a tad overblown? I mean, the last few holdouts against pay TV obviously don't place much importance on television and probably won't notice or care when the signal stops.

It just seems like politicians and regulators are spending a disproportionate amount of time worrying about what amounts to <11% of the population.

Comment from RandoX on 2008-02-04

2008-02-04T17:54:09Z

The content is already there, you just need a converter box to see it.

Comment from dvdchris on 2008-02-04

2008-02-04T08:55:28Z

Bobert is right. Most electronics are designed with crappy remotes that are horribly laid out. I can operate most of my remotes in the dark, but remotes with 50 identical buttons laid out in 10 rows of 5 with tiny print that is not colored to contrast the grey or black remote is poor design and is not easily operated by anyone.

Comment from jerseyjeff on 2008-02-04

2008-02-04T07:54:59Z

What coupons?

Comment from Hans_Auff on 2008-02-03

2008-02-03T20:23:48Z

But if they turn the TV's off, how will we know what Britany does? How would we elect a President? And how would we pick the next victim to invade and occupy? We've just got to get this organized.

Comment from Buran on 2008-02-03

2008-02-03T14:21:11Z

@darkclawsofchaos: There's no sense crying over every mistake - you just keep on trying til you run out of cake.

Comment from darkclawsofchaos on 2008-02-03

2008-02-03T14:01:01Z

They could had said there was gonna be cake, but they didn't go there

Comment from triangleofdeath on 2008-02-03

2008-02-03T06:49:02Z

and this matters because? it may be a good way to solve the EFP (excess fat problem) in the US- fewer people can watch TV, ergo they'll have to do something else.

Comment from Slack on 2008-02-03

2008-02-03T06:45:26Z

@bobert
"But I still barely know how to use my TV remote. I've got a life, and I don't want to waste it figuring out what all 200 buttons do when I know darn well they're there because some manufacturer was too lazy or cheap to design an easier, more elegant way to do things."

So why did you buy it? Perhaps you were too lazy to figure out which manufacturer(s) might have gotten it right. Pony up the dough for some designed in usability, or stop complaining about how the crap you buy is beyond your 'technical chops'.

Comment from DangerousLiberal on 2008-02-03

2008-02-03T06:19:47Z

This is not a mistake; it's a metaphor for television. Except that HD tv equals HD crap. Except for football. Ahh, football....

Comment from dummyvision on 2008-02-02

2008-02-03T02:40:27Z

Is that when we get our rebate checks- Feb 2009?

Is that just a coinci-dense..

Comment from Grrrrrrr, portrait of a chickenwolfmoosepig. on 2008-02-02

2008-02-03T02:32:14Z

Finally, truth in journalism!

Comment from liquiddaddy on 2008-02-02

2008-02-03T02:13:27Z

Crisp, muscular, they got the 'who, 'what', 'when, 'where. Why they are virtual journalists!?

Comment from Elijah-M on 2008-02-02

2008-02-03T02:01:32Z

@nequam: Apparently, people who make TV remotes think we need a lot more, hence the 200 buttons.

Comment from nequam on 2008-02-02

2008-02-03T01:48:11Z

@bobert: Power on/off, channel up/down, volume up/down. What else could a person need? : P

Comment from Seanibus on 2008-02-02

2008-02-03T01:22:05Z

Funny and insightful comment goes here.

Comment from bobert on 2008-02-02

2008-02-03T01:17:36Z

@swalve & nequam: "There are the 10% of us who take the time to figure out how stuff works, and the 90% who spend their time complaining about how complicated it all is." I have degrees in theoretical mathematics and organic chemistry, and have been programming professionally for over 20 years on Mac, WIndows, and Unix/Linux. Right now, I'm writing custom X extensions for nonstandard graphics hardware for embedded Linux. And I've spent a huge chunk of my programming career figuring out how to make software easy on end-users. So I think I've got some technical chops. But I still barely know how to use my TV remote. I've got a life, and I don't want to waste it figuring out what all 200 buttons do when I know darn well they're there because some manufacturer was too lazy or cheap to design an easier, more elegant way to do things.

Comment from Buran on 2008-02-02

2008-02-03T01:01:21Z

@nequam: There needs to be info about how those who do know can help those who don't. My parents semi-understand, know that their old TVs won't work but don't know all the technica ldetails. I told them about the coupon program, summarized the reason for the switch, and ordered their coupons for them and will probably have to help them hook everything up. I think TV sellers need to set up simple pamphlets to distribute and offer to have their installers set up the converter boxes.

Comment from nequam on 2008-02-02

2008-02-03T00:45:47Z

@swalve: Sadly, the people unable to figure out their TVs likely are also not going to be too good with the interwebs, so even the most informative online press release won't do them any good.

Comment from Gregory_of_Nazianzus on 2008-02-02

2008-02-03T00:25:07Z

@ecwis: The presence of "content" would appear to be a lie here..

Comment from swalve on 2008-02-02

2008-02-03T00:15:21Z

To be fair to the gubmint, when have old people ever understood TVs? There are the 10% of us who take the time to figure out how stuff works, and the 90% who spend their time complaining about how complicated it all is.

Comment from formatc on 2008-02-02

2008-02-03T00:08:17Z

@ecwis: I would withhold any assertion of no lies until we see said content added in the appropriate place.

Comment from n/a on 2008-02-02

2008-02-02T23:56:16Z

at least no html errors.

Comment from ecwis on 2008-02-02

2008-02-02T23:39:06Z

At least it's very straightforward. It's better than that fake FEMA press conference. No lies in this press release.