Book Description

It was the largest and most important marketing campaign in the history of television - moving over thirty-four million American households from analog to digital over-the-air antenna television. Success meant seventy million televisions would continue to receive news, entertainment, and local events. Failure to succeed was unthinkable. This is the story of how the digital television transition (DTV) took place. It details how the campaign was initiated, the research-based strategy, the various interest groups engaged in educating their communities on how to transition so they would have continued access to television, and the behind-the-scenes tensions between the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), media companies, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the US Congress. The DTV campaign provides you with a detailed understanding of various communication tools and key insights into educating citizens on changing television technology in their homes, businesses, or anywhere a TV set could be turned on. The transition impacted all TV distribution channels, including cable, satellite, and over-the-air antenna television. The media companies involved in each distribution path had their own economic incentives to succeed, while also vying to improve their business at the expense of competitors. The transition extended through two presidential administrations, so you will read firsthand how politics, intrigue, and partisanship impacted this once in a lifetime technological change for America. Some of it is not pretty. This is a must-read for communicators, public relations experts, and those studying how to organize and execute a multipronged communications campaign with a strict deadline and immense consequence if not successful. You will learn specific lessons that will enable you to be more successful in your advocacy, communication, and public relation efforts.