My Kitchen Table

Obama wants to delay digital TV start

President-elect Barack Obama wants to delay the Feb.17 switch from digital to analog TV. To which I say, absolutely!

The FCC has not done a very good job telling people about the real consequences of the switch. Yes, the picture is much better with digital ... when you can get the darn thing. Unlike analog, which gives you at least a fuzzy picture, if the signal is too weak with digital, you get nada. Since I installed my digital TV converter, I no longer pick up several channels I watched all the time, particularly PBS channels. And in order to get the channels I do get, I have to move the antenna around the room like I'm divining for water.

The FCC has done little to let people know that where you place your antenna makes a big difference in terms of reception, particularly if you only have an indoor antenna. The digital signal can be interrupted by ANYTHING. In the living room, we have to avoid walking in certain parts of the living room or the signal degrades or disappears. Even with an outdoor antenna, a tree or bird (seriously), you name it, can disrupt the signal.

When the FCC tried the switch in Wilmington N.C. it received many complaints from people about just these kind of issues. So why are we still seeing all these rosy commercials on TV about how GREAT digital is?

How about a little truth in advertising for a change?

Gawker's Top Ten On-Camera Melt-Downs

Oh my. Now, I've had a few melt-downs in my journalistic career, but never while I was being taped, or even worse, on the air.

So here are the top ten on-camera melt-downs courtesy of Gawker.

The piece-de-resistance, however, is this total volcanic moment courtesy of Bill O'Reilly during his "Inside Edition" days.

 

(Just to let you know Bill gets a little rough, so it's best not to let the kiddies listen to this clip.)

And here is Steve Colbert's take-off of Bill O'Reilly's nuclear moment.