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U.S. Shift To Digital Signal Could Hurt Daytime, Late-Night TV

Ratings for daytime and late-night TV could take a hit nine months from now when the country converts to digital programming, because a significant percentage of America homes have secondary TV sets that will no longer receive a signal.

A report being released today by Nielsen Media Research suggest that nearly 25 million homes have at least one television set that will stop functioning in nine months, while ten million don't have a single digital-ready set. For those 25 million, it's the kitchen and bedroom sets that will cease to function-not the primary TV in the living room or den-which could mean lower viewership for shows that people watch while getting ready in the morning or before going to sleep at night. Think the Today show, or Late Night with David Letterman.

In preparation for the change, the government and the broadcast industry are running a $1 billion consumer education campaign. Broadcast television stations will switch to a digital signal from an analog signal on Feb. 17, 2009.

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