Open Mind, Insert Thought

Today, on their second try, the House voted for a four-month (voluntary) delay in the switch-over to digital TV. My inclination was to react snarkily (is that a word?) to this. This switch-over has been coming for a long time, good riddance to the old airwaves, hello brave new world, why are you needlessly slowing progress, etc., etc., etc.

But then, I started reading an article that stated that the delay was a victory for the new administration. What? Reading further, I learned that the organization responsible for handing out the coupons for the digital converter boxes had run out of money. The Obama Administration asked Congress to delay in hopes that funds from a stimulus package would flow to that initiative. Apparently 3.3 Million American households are on a waiting list for these coupons. Further, the organizations that purchased the soon-to-be-available frequencies said that the one-time delay will not hurt their plans. And, lastly, the delay is voluntary, and many broadcasters plan to go ahead with the switch-off as planned.

Reading that, I felt informed. I also, surprisingly, thought that a rational decision had been made. That backed me all the way off the cliff, from snarky to merely shruggy (meh, I say).

Nice job to the new administration. It’s been so rare in the past eight years that I’ve actually felt better after learning more about legislation.