Americans are likely to put off purchasing converter boxes

According to Christopher A. McLean, Executive Director of the Consumer Electronics Retailers Coalition, in Wilmington, N.C., where the FCC had designated the town as the first test market, consumers put off buying converter boxes until the weekend before the conversion (0:43).
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21 million households have recieved DTV converter box coupons

Anthony G. Wilhelm, PhD of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration says that the Commerce Department has given 40 million coupons for the DTV (Digital Television)converter box to 21 million households. To date, 16 million have been used in stores (0:22).
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Dr. Anthony Wilhelm and Rick Chessen Discuss Why the U.S. is Transitioning to Digital Television at Progress & Freedom Foundation Event

Dr. Wilhelm, Director of Consumer Education, Public Information, and the TV Converter Box Coupon Program for the U.S. Department of Commerce, describes the benefits to emergency and social services and expanded consumer technology and communications uses that the switch to digital broadcast television on February 17, 2009 will provide. Mr. Chessen, a Senior Legal and Media Advisor, emphasizes the new capabilities provided consumers by the converter box that is needed to update analog TV sets to digital, which is available through a government coupon program from www.dtv2009.gov.
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