Welfare TV?

In February of 2009, US television stations are scheduled to begin broadcasting in Digital format (DTV) instead of the old analog system they have been using for the last 60 years. After that happens, if you haven't already gone out and purchased a new TV capable of viewing DTV, your pretty much screwed. Sure, DTV provides for a better picture and more stable signal, but what is the real reason for wanting to make this switch? Because once television vacates the analog radio frequency spectrum, those frequencies will be auctioned off to the highest bidder by the Government. You see... even though radio frequencies are out there, created by God or by nature just like sunshine and the air we breath, the governments of the world decided that they are a commodity to be controlled and, as such, may be bought and sold. The problem is that there is a limited number of radio frequencies located somewhere on either side of visible light waves that are of any use to us. They used to be unknown and therefore unused. But after the invention of Radio and television, the frequencies were divvied up and put under strict regulation. That is why you need a license to broadcast radio signals and they have a limit on how much power you can use to do it. For many years there were several radio frequency bands made available to Amateur Radio (HAM) operators. The Government recognized that many of the inventions using these frequencies came from the HAM operators who would experiment and come up with useful things we all now take for granted. But ever so slowly these frequencies were taken away, a few at a time. What once was free to all is now either part of the vast Cell Phone Market, or used for other commercial interests that you now have to pay for. Remember when we used to be able to stick an antenna in the air and listen to radio or watch TV for free? Now you have top pay for cable or DirecTV or DISH network. People are also eager to sign up for XM or Sirius Radio. You can bet that DTV is going to cost you plenty as well. This new DTV equipment won't be cheap. Many people are already set up and ready to go in 2009, but what if you are not? Well there is a movement to have the Government subsidize people who need to go and get a new TV if they don't have one yet. But is that really fair? Should your tax dollars be used to help Joe Sixpack watch reruns of Survivor? But remember that it wasn't Joe's fault the Government decided to make the switch to DTV. What do you think? Leave a comment below. Read More About It Radio frequency? More Info More More No Couch Potato Left Behind