On June 12, 2009, all full-power broadcast TV stations in the United States will stop broadcasting on analog airwaves and begin broadcasting only in digital. According to a press release from Citizen Corps, a grassroots strategy from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), millions of Americans depend on TV as a source of information, including emergency alerts and warnings. Following the transition, the FCC estimates up to 20 million individuals could be left without TV communications because they haven’t taken the appropriate steps to transition. Citizen Corps encourages people to not only ensure that they are ready for the transition, but to help others in their family and community prepare for the switch, particularly older adults and homebound individuals.

The switch to digital will reward most viewers with better sound, a better picture, more channels, and more programs. The transition will also help save lives by clearing airwaves for better first-responder radio service and making room for the future by clearing airwaves for advanced mobile Internet services.

Visit http://www.dtv.gov to find information on how to transition to digital TV, including:

• Details about how to get help locally, the local channels predicted to be available after the transition, contact information for local support centers, TV reception maps for your area, local DTV events, a list of local retailers who sell converter boxes
• An interactive troubleshooting guide that helps you solve your specific problems related to the DTV Transition as well as DTV Transition Call Centers;
• Fact sheets that cover what the transition is, the supplies needed to transition, and various guides to transitioning effectively;
• DTV information in multiple languages, a Media Toolkit, and more.

For ideas on how to get involved in your community’s DTV transition efforts, view the Citizen Corps DTV Transition Fact Sheet at http://www.citizencorps.gov/news/press/2009/DTV_Transition.shtm.