INFORMEDdebate
YES
om members:
Tyler Ellis
Reno, NV
If consumers had
elected to switch I’d
say no. But the gov-
ernment made this
decision without
considering individual financial
ablility, so it should pay.
Tami Quiros
Chicago, IL
Because most people
are informed about
laws, bills and other
relevant topics through
programs on television,
I feel the government should
help fund the switch.
Avo C. Kubar
Brick, NJ
If the government is going
to set a date at which
analog TV will be obsolete,
they should absolutely
help consumers convert.
fr
PHOTODISC
Should the government
help people upgrade
their TVs to receive
digital signals?
fr
In February 2009, U.S. television stations are scheduled to begin
broadcasting in digital format (DTV) instead of the analog signal they
have used for 60 years. With this change, viewers without cable or
satellite TV service will no longer be able to receive local programming
without special conversion boxes. Embedded in the legislation to final-
ize the switch to DTV is a $1.5 billion fund to subsidize the purchase of
these devices. Opponents of the subsidy feel that taxpayers should not
pay for consumers’ entertainment and that the free market will
respond by providing inexpensive conversion boxes. Proponents
counter that the cost will not fall on taxpayers because the money
needed will be raised by the sale of the analog frequencies to groups
and agencies for communication purposes. What do you think?
Find out more about this topic on the Web:
www.heritage.org/Research/Regulation/wm884.cfm
www.benton.org/index.php?q=node/430
www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=1314449
NO
om members:
Barbara Blakeley
Soldotna, AK
We have much better
things to spend our
money on. If people want
to watch television, they
should be willing to pay.
Chris Bertnick
Rohnert Park, CA
If you want to watch TV,
pay for it. If you can’t afford
the necessary components
for digital TV, as unfortunate
as that is, buy a good book.
James L. Nowa
Sandy, UT
Consumers pay for it anyway. If we fund a subsidy,
that would be paying
twice. No thanks.
16 The Costco Connection MARCH 2006
