We don’t hear much anymore about the so-called “digital divide” that once referred to those who did, or did not, have Internet access in homes and schools. But there is a new digital divide coming, this one related to the impending transition from analog to digital TV on Feb. 17. For those who do not have satellite or cable and who receive television over the air with an antenna, there are going to be some black holes out there. For various technical reasons that are beside the point here, digital TV signals do not travel as far as analog signals. In the digital world, your reception will either be perfect or nonexistent. No snowy pictures. The Boston Globe reports today that some people in Maine will not be able to receive any TV station at all. How about here in Harvard?
At our house we are getting ready for digital TV, and here is the report. We live near a hilltop and receive signals with an 8-foot, high-gain antenna with a preamplifier, pointed precisely at the TV towers in Needham. We have purchased a new digital tuner. This digital tuner automatically detects all stations available. The result: we have lost channels 9, 11, 25, 27, 38, 44, and 56. We can now receive only digital channels 2, 4, 5, and 7. Perfectly. OK, there is also a shopping channel at 66. So goodbye to N.H. public television, many sporting events on channel 25, WGBH reruns on 44, old movies on 38 and 56, and more. Of course, for the next month, we can receive all of these perfectly, as analog signals.
What is the experience of other viewers in Harvard? Are we unique? I believe this issue is largely an urban vs. rural one, because the expense of helping rural viewers will be seen as excessive, and the money is in the urban areas. As a result, many people will either do without or will be forced into the arms of the satellite and cable companies, with their rapacious rates.
Mark Van Baalen
Madigan Lane
