Posted on 12/23/2007 7:58:52 PM PST by Libloather
Border broadcasters fret over digital switch
Free stations in Mexico may mean many viewers won't convert sets
By SUZANNE GAMBOA
Associated Press
Dec. 21, 2007, 11:39PM
WASHINGTON — Broadcasters along the U.S.-Mexico border fear they will be at a competitive disadvantage when the U.S. switches to digital television in 2009 because residents can still pick up Mexican stations on old TVs.
On Feb. 18, 2009, tens of millions of televisions that are not equipped to receive digital signals will no longer be able to receive programming. People in the U.S. with old televisions will have to buy converter boxes or subscribe to cable or a satellite service to get programming.
But along the U.S.-Mexico border, Americans with old sets still can get free Mexican stations, and U.S. broadcasters fear they will choose not to convert to digital sets, costing them viewers.
"The U.S. is cutting off all analog broadcasting. Mexico is not," said Barry Friedman, a lobbyist who represents the Spanish-language broadcasters in South and West Texas. "Mexico will continue to transmit an analog signal receivable by everyone who hasn't got rid of their old analog set. That will provide a competitive advantage to the Mexican stations."
Like their Mexican counterparts, U.S. Spanish-language stations offer news in Spanish that usually includes more coverage of Spanish-speaking countries than regular stations. They also offer Spanish-language soap operas known as telenovelas, soccer games and comedies.
Last August, the Nielsen Co. announced it would measure viewership of Hispanic networks as it does for non-Hispanic networks.
Nielsen said Hispanic viewers in the U.S. have risen from 22.2 million, or 9 percent, of the U.S. population in 1992-1993 to 38.9 million, or 14 percent, of the population in 2005-2006.
Advertising spending on Spanish-language television had grown from $1.8 billion in 2001 to nearly $3.1 billion in 2006, Nielsen said.
Along the border, Mexican viewers also receive U.S. stations. But Mexico has no plans to switch to digital, so those viewers will be unable to get the U.S. stations following the digital transition.
Border broadcasters are hoping for relief through legislation filed by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, and Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., on Friday.
The legislation allows stations serving communities within 50 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border to continue broadcasting an analog signal for five years if given permission by the FCC. That would affect companies with stations in Laredo, McAllen and El Paso, and those in the broadcasting region between Yuma, Ariz., and El Centro, Calif.
Freedom of choice - no?
Sure they’ll watch Mexican stations, but all they’ll see is Chespirito and Sabado Gigante.
TFB.
***TFB.***
Agreed
And mexican soap operas LOL!
That’s as good as anything on now.
See? Another humanitarian reason for illegals to have to come here because if they don’t they won’t be able to watch TV and, if they can’t watch TV, how will they know who to vote for?
Might lose this household anyway..
There is no broadcasting region between Yuma and El Centro. There's a station in El Centro, and two or more in Yuma, but no licensed stations between those two cities. They're all located on Black Mountain, which is 20 miles north of the border.
Several of San Diego's Digital Stations will be located on Mt. Miguel, which is about 10 miles north of the border, so why they're left out of the proposal is mystifying.
Actually, I'll take a Univision beauty pageant over anything on English-speaking TV. ;-)
How many people is that, 15 or 20? Seriously.
This might sounds non-PC, but exactly how many families in that part of the world do NOT have cable or dish?
I know that here in the Midwest, a person is not truly poor until they lack at least basic cable, which happens sometime after they start skipping meals.
ROFLMAO
They have a lot prettier...I better shut-up before I get into trouble.
I still don’t have cable tv. Rabbit ears only.
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