Obama urges delaying digital TV switchover

WASHINGTON -- President-elect Barack Obama is urging Congress to postpone the Feb. 17 switch from analog to digital television broadcasting, saying too many Americans who rely on analog TV sets to pick up over-the-air channels won't be ready.

In a letter to key lawmakers Thursday, Obama transition team co-chairman John Podesta noted that the Commerce Department has run out of money for coupons to subsidize digital TV converter boxes for consumers. People who don't have cable or satellite service or a new TV with a digital tuner will need the converter boxes to keep their older analog sets working. A test last fall brought thousands of consumer calls and complaints.

Obama officials are concerned also that the government is not doing enough to help Americans -- particularly those in rural, poor or minority communities -- prepare for and navigate the transition. Obama's request for a delay is a victory for the Consumers Union, an advocacy group that had asked for a postponement of the digital shift.

Because Congress set Feb. 17 for the change, it would have to pass a new law to postpone it.

The Obama team decided to push for a delay after the National Telecommunications and Information Administration said Monday that it had hit a $1.34 billion funding limit set by Congress for converter box coupons.