Obama Requests Digital TV Deadline Delay

President-elect Barack Obama is recommending a delay in the conversion to digital-only transmission.

The digital switch date is currently set for February 17. Nielsen estimated more than seven million households are not yet ready for the switch, and the coupons to subsidize the converters are currently unavailable.

So far News Corp. has voiced support for the delay. Or as ABC’s Jake Tapper jokes on his blog, “Fox News and President-elect Obama Unite.”

NBC and CBS have since expressed support as well.

• FishbowlNY put the issue to a vote.

We’ll hear what FCC chairman Kevin Martin says about this during a Q&A session at CES. TVNewser’s Chris Ariens will be at the session which begins at 4:30pmET.

Update on WebNewser: FCC’s Martin says a delay would only further confuse consumers…

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