• Columbia Tribune, Wednesday, January 16, 2008 11:15 AM

In the first week of the federal digital TV converter box coupon program, an effort aimed at helping consumers switch from analog to digital television broadcasting, more than 2 million of the coupons were ordered. The U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration is leading the educational campaign and administering the coupon program, which started taking orders Jan. 2.

Each household can get up to two of them, worth up to $40, to help defray the cost of the boxes. Congress has set aside $1.5 billion for the program, enough to fund 33.5 million coupons. The first 22 million will go on a first-come, first-served basis, with the balance set aside for people who only have over-the-air television sets.
Converters are expected to cost between $50 and $70 and 250 retailers are certified to participate in the program, including Best Buy, Circuit City, Kmart, RadioShack, Target and Wal-Mart.

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