07/23/08 - League of Rural Voters Joins Digital Television Campaign
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Emily Gaumer, Media Director
(612) 879-7576 (Direct) (952) 994-0019 (Cell)
emily@leagueofruralvoters.org
League of Rural Voters Joins Digital Television Campaign
(07/23/08) MINNEAPOLIS - The League of Rural Voters (LRV) has joined with national grassroots and civil rights organizations in a campaign to help consumers with the upcoming national transition to digital over-the-air television broadcasts. Television stations are required by law to switch to digital transmission by February 17, 2009.
It is estimated that as many as 25 million homes, many of them in rural communities, will have at least one television that will stop functioning after the switch. Most of them are older, analog televisions that are not connected to cable or satellite service.
"Rural communities have growing populations of seniors and new immigrants, two groups that will be most affected by the change," Niel Ritchie, Executive Director, League of Rural Voters, said. "Our goal is to reach as many of these folks as possible with the information they need to reduce the impact of the switch."
League of Rural Voters' staff will be working throughout the summer and fall to spread the word in Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin, working with local media, offering informational meetings to community groups and distributing fact sheets at public events such as county fairs and farm shows. "Ready or not the digital transition is happening next February," Ritchie added. "It is important that we all pitch in to help our friends and neighbors to make the changes needed to stay connected."
Those who own a digital television or subscribe to cable, satellite or other pay service will likely continue to receive programs as usual after the transition. But those with older analog television without cable or satellite will need to purchase a converter box in order to continue receiving the new digital signal through their antenna. These converter boxes are available for purchase and the federal government is offering $40 coupons to help offset the cost, but the supply is limited. For information on ways you can help, contact the League of Rural Voters at (612) 879-7578 or visit our website.
To learn more about the transition or to request coupons from the federal government call 1-888-388-2009 or visit www.dtv2009.gov
The League of Rural Voters was founded in 1985 as a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing the representation of rural people in the public policy making process. The League seeks to build awareness of the economic challenges facing rural communities while advocating for federal and state policies that focus resources on education, health care and local and regional economic development.
DTVrelease7_23_08.pdf
