You shouldn't pay for digital-TV transition.(digital television legislation)

Congress may soon pass legislation that could soon make your TV screen go blank. Digital broadcasts offer higher picture and sound quality than their conventional analog counterparts. Broadcasters currently use both a digital and an analog signal, because millions of Americans don't have the digital televisions needed to receive digital signals.

Soon only the digital signal will remain; Congress is considering Dec. 31, 2008, as the date to finalize the digital transition. Broadcasters would no longer be allowed to use analog signals, and you would need a digital TV, cable or satellite service, or digital-to-analog converter box to view TV

The change will be beneficial for consumers provided they don't have to bear the cost of the transition. We need to keep our eyes on the following issues as this change approaches:

WHO PAYS FOR THE TRANSITION?

Many consumers don't know about the change and continue buying conventional analog TVs that by themselves won't work in an all-digital world. Congress should ensure that cable and satellite companies continue to provide all their customers-users of analog as well as digital sets--the picture quality they now have without any price increase. However, consumers who have conventional sets that aren't hooked up to cable or satellite will see their sets go blank. They will have to buy a digital TV or a converter box. Those boxes will cost between $50 and $100, according to the Government Accountability Office.

Congress is exploring whether or no to compensate consumers for the costs o keeping their conventional sets working Consumers Union, the publisher o CONSUMER REPORTS, is fighting to make sure that consumers aren't unfairly burdened with the cost of the transition.

EDUCATING THE CONSUMER