Devoted to show business and the entertainment industry

With the date for digital conversion only a little over a year away, the U.S. government has released its first converter box coupons for older TVs to convert to digital broadcasting.

Those with television sets which use over-the-air antennas won't be able to get a picture with their sets starting on February 18, 2009. Cable or satellite users won't need the new box.

The cost of the new box will be from $50 to $70 and carried by the majority of major electronic stores.

Households can start requesting the coupons starting Tuesday, and can call a government hotline at 1-888-388-2009 or apply online at www.dtv2009.gov. The coupons are valued at $40 each.

To pay for the transition to digital, Congress has set aside $1.5 billion, which will pay for 33.5 million coupons.

How the program will work, is the initial 22 million coupons will be sent to any household that asks for them. So if a television is connected to cable or satellite, but a second TV isn't, the household can use the coupon for the unconnected TV.

After the first 22 million coupons are used, then only those without any subscription television service are meant to use the coupons.

With only an amazing 51 percent of television owners in the U.S. being aware of the digital change, this could be a political nightmare for those in government. Already some are attempting to take shelter in response to the potential problems by criticizing the relatively small amount set aside to let people know about the changes. Only $5 million was earmarked for that task.

According to Nielsen, they estimate approximately 14.3 million households will have to use the coupons or experience a blackout unknowingly. Even if you assume half of those know, and even another 25 percent learn about it, that still leaves millions of people that could be left literally in the dark concerning the changes. You know what will happen if that is the case.

Amazingly the investigative arm of Congress, the Government Accountability Office, has said there's "no comprehensive plan" in place for the transition. It doesn't surprise me.

Interfere with the voters' television viewing and you're asking for trouble. Now that trouble is only a year away. I think it's going to be a nightmare for the politicians. Kind of fun when you think of it, although they won't be laughing!