October 07, 2008
Poll: Many Rural Nebraskans Unclear About Digital Television's Impact
LINCOLN, Neb. — Many rural Nebraskans who will be directly affected by the impending emergence of digital television don't understand how the change will impact them, according to the Nebraska Rural Poll.
By federal law, full-power television stations nationwide must stop using the old method of transmitting TV signals known as analog and begin broadcasting exclusively in a digital format on Feb. 17, 2009. While digital television provides crisper pictures and sound than analog technology, millions of households risk losing television reception unless they take steps to receive a digital signal.
Thirteen percent of rural Nebraskans face that prospect, according to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln poll, because they currently receive their television signal entirely over the air, using an antenna or rabbit ears, rather than through a cable, satellite or wireless television provider.
To make the transition to DTV, television viewers have three options:
– Purchase a digital-to-analog converter box – for $40 to $70 – that plugs into the existing TV set.
– Purchase a new television set with a built-in digital tuner.
– Subscribe to cable, satellite or other pay TV service that carries the local broadcast stations they want.
According to the poll, over one-third of respondents who receive their television signal only over the air say they don't understand the change at all (11 percent) or very well (27 percent). Twenty-five percent of all respondents said they believe they understand the upcoming change very well, and 32 percent believe they understand it fairly well.
In addition to the 13 percent of respondents who get their signal only over the air, 7 percent receive their signal over the air but also receive a signal from another source, such as a cable or satellite provider. These households may need to make some changes to continue to get their signal.
Forty-two percent receive their signal only through a cable TV provider, 36 percent only from a satellite provider, 1 percent only through a wireless service and 1 percent through a combination of cable, satellite or wireless. About 1 percent of respondents indicated they did not own a television.
The poll also showed that residents of smaller communities are more likely than those of larger communities to be affected by the shift to DTV. Seventeen percent of people living in or near communities with fewer than 500 people receive their television signal only over the air, compared to 12 percent of those in or near communities with populations of 5,000 or more.
Residents of south central Nebraska are more likely than residents of other parts of the state to be affected. Sixteen percent of them get their signal only over the air; only 6 percent of Panhandle residents do.
Also, younger people and lower-income rural Nebraskans are more likely than older people and higher-income residents to be affected. Eighteen percent of 19-to-29-year-old respondents receive their television signal only over the air, compared to 11 percent of those over 50. And 21 percent of lower income rural Nebraskans get their signal only over the air, compared to just 6 percent of those in the highest income brackets.
More information about the digital television transition is available through NET.
Surveys for the 13th annual UNL poll were mailed to about 6,200 randomly selected households in Nebraska's 84 rural counties last spring. Results are based on 2,496 responses.
The university's Center for Applied Rural Innovation conducts the poll in cooperation with the Rural Initiative with funding from the Partnership for Rural Nebraska and UNL Extension and the Agricultural Research Division in the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
10/7/08-DM Becky Vogt
Center for Applied Rural Innovation Nebraska Rural Poll Project Manager (402) 329-4821
 
Brad D. Lubben - Ph.D.
Agricultural Economics Assistant Professor (402) 472-2235
Bruce Johnson - Ph.D.
Agricultural Economics Professor (402) 472-1794
Randy Cantrell - Ph.D.
Center for Applied Rural Innovation Professor (402) 472-1772
Dan Moser IANR News Service (402) 472-3007
Department:
Center for Applied Rural Innovation
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