ABSTRACT
Television technology in the United States is on the verge of a fundamental shift from an analog to digital delivery system (Benton Foundation, 2005; New America Foundation, 2005). The new technology can deliver sharper pictures, more channels, and enhanced features such as viewer interactivity and video on demand. This changeover will occur in the latter part of this decade and holds far-reaching implications for all aspects of the television environment. New television receivers will be required for viewers to obtain programming delivered on digital channels because the frequencies broadcasters use to transmit their signal will change, as will the technical dimensions of the content they distribute. Broadcasting will become more diverse and dynamic as local stations will have the option to exploit the new technology using different configurations. For example, some are expected to transmit multiple channels simultaneously, whereas others are likely to concentrate more on enhanced features such as viewer interactivity.
