News: This Is ONLY Another Test

By Frank Macek

The FCC wants to hold a national digital tv test before the June switch - and this one is appears to be mandatory.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting today the FCC is preparing to issue a directive to television stations still broadcasting analog signals for a series of tests on Thursday, May 21st.

This would be the first national test the FCC has required. Stations have previously done voluntary tests on a state by state or region by region basis - including those in Ohio that were conducted at the end of 2008 and early 2009.

The FCC would expect stations to suspend regular programming and air a public service ad dealing with the transition.

The ads would be broadcast on May 21st at 7:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Stations who have already switched to all digital would be exempt.

As we reported earlier this week, Nielsen estimates about 3.5 million househoulds are still totally unprepared for the transition date on June 12th.

Read more articles on the Director's Cut Blog