Why is this happening anyway? Who cares? Why the hell is govt. mandating a change and then spending tax dollars with these coupons to help people with the transition?
(tinfoil helmet on)
Control the transmitter, control the receiver, control the broadcaster, control the content. . . .
No common thread here.
(/tinfoil helmet off)
This is happening because you can broadcast 8 to 12 digital channels to what it takes to broadcast 1 anolog channel.
The change frees up part of the broadcast spectrum which the government is selling; the converter box coupons are funded by those spectrum sales.
“Why is this happening anyway? Who cares? Why the hell is govt. mandating a change and then spending tax dollars with these coupons to help people with the transition?”
Well so far the government has spent 1.2 billion on coupons. With maybe another 650 million on the way. From what I understand they are selling off the analog air waves for something like 4 billion. I guess they still come out ahead.