Senate approves 2009 for end of analog TV

The Senate moved the digital TV transition one step closer to reality on Thursday, setting a firm date for television broadcasters to switch to all-digital transmissions. Lawmakers gave broadcasters until April 7, 2009, to end their traditional analog transmissions. The so-called “hard date” was included in a sweeping budget bill. The bill also would provide $3 billion to help millions of Americans buy digital-to-analog converter boxes for their older television sets ? so those consumers will continue to receive a signal once the switch is made permanent. Legislation approved last month by the House Energy and Commerce Committee calls for a Dec. 31, 2008, deadline and provides nearly $1 billion for the converter boxes. Differences between the measures would need to be worked out in a House-Senate conference. In the Senate, an amendment by Republican John Ensign of Nevada that would have reduced the converter box subsidy to $1 billion was withdrawn. Spokesman Jack Finn said Ensign was concerned that the $2 billion in savings would be spent on other projects instead of deficit reduction.