Do not try to change the channel

It just won't matter. If you're watching over-the-air television in North Carolina -- anywhere in North Carolina -- at 7:30 PM on Saturday 4/19/08, you're going to find out just about everything you need to know about the DTV transition.

The North Carolina Association of Broadcasters is setting up a "roadblock" to make sure that's what you'll be seeing.

The 30-minute show will be called "DTV 411" and it will be on every commercial television station in the state, all 27 of them.

"The broadcasters of this state are committed to making this transition as smooth and painless as possible," said Jim Hefner, president of the NCAB. "We are convinced our DTV program, as well as airing it on every commercial station in the state at the same time, will go a long way toward fulfilling that commitment."

The NCAB-produced piece will feature a "cynical, old curmudgeon and a hip, young technophile" to illustrate the differences between analog and digital, and will explain which viewers need to take action and what that action should be.

RBR/TVBR observation: This is an excellent idea. It will be interesting to see what kind of ratings the program gets, as well as to measure if there is any improvement in the state's DTV awareness as a result.

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