After more than a decade of waiting, finally broadcasters dropped the analog signal. Since 1996, manufacturers have been forced to sell digital equipment, producers forced to develop digital content and channels, now the distribution just completed the task. That was the last step in the conversion to digital. Now TV will be multi-channel with tones of interactive content and will look more and more like the Web. It will never be again that mass media of mass diffusion that influenced generations and unified countries. The TV as we knew it is dead.
I can't believe that I seem to be the only one to realize that it happened last Friday. TV has loved me as much as I loved her when I was a kid. I use to sit more than 24 hours a week in front of her (the average time was 22,4 hours/week). I knew most of the jingles by heart. Now that she's dead, I feel she deserves at least a little tribute. Specially a place where people can, if they feel to, come and visit her. So I buried her here. You are kindly invited to visit in silence the TV grave. Feel free to leave your prayers and wishes.
Now back to digital, the transition generated over 317,450 calls to the US Federal Communications Commission on Friday. 33% of callers wanted to hear more about federal coupons. 33% couldn't set the digital converter. 20% got bad signal. Despite the amount of complaints, and the need to hire 4000 agents, the FCC says that the conversion to digital runs smoothly. TV is now 100% digital.
Here are some of the struggles:
Ainsi soit-il! Le meilleur est à venir!
Posted by: Pascal H | 06/16/2009 at 06:58 AM