Broadcasters Speak to Local Communities about DTV Transition Preparedness with One-Year-Out Countdown Message
Washington, D.C.— The nation’s largest speakers bureau of television station representatives, coordinated by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), is conducting a nationwide speaking blitz to mark the one-year countdown to the digital television (DTV) transition, which will be completed on February 17, 2009.
Beginning Monday, February 11, broadcasters will speak to local communities at planned engagements in all 50 states over a five-day period and will answer questions from consumers about the DTV transition.
“We are very proud to be a part of the DTV Speakers Bureau initiative,” said Michelle Vetterkind, president of Wisconsin Association of Broadcasters. “We believe that face-to-face contact is a very effective way of communicating details about the DTV transition to viewers in our community.”
In Wisconsin, 29 speakers representing 15 stations are participating in the NAB’s DTV Speakers Bureau. The community-focused awareness effort boasts nearly 1,000 speakers nationwide, from nearly 600 television stations across the country.
The DTV Speakers Bureau is the largest grassroots initiative ever orchestrated by the broadcasting industry. To date, the DTV Speakers Bureau has scheduled more than 1,200 speaking engagements and is on target to reach 8,000 audiences before the transition occurs in February 2009. Speaking engagements take place at nursing homes, Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs, Chamber of Commerce assemblies, elementary schools and many other local community venues.
With 504,760 households at risk of losing reception in Wisconsin, informing viewers throughout the state is critical. As part of the 50-state, five-day countdown awareness efforts, the Speakers Bureau will be hosting numerous events to educate Wisconsin residents about the transition. The events will be held on February 11, 2008 at the MLK Branch of the Milwaukee Public Library, on February 13, 2008 at the Bay View Branch of the Milwaukee Public Library and on February 15, 2008 at the Madison Senior Center in Madison.
To learn more about the NAB’s DTV consumer education efforts, including the DTV Speakers Bureau, visit www.DTVAnswers.com. Anyone interested in having a member of NAB’s DTV Speakers Bureau address their organization should contact Kate Wade at 202-232-6627 or kwade@crosbyvolmer.com .
About DTVAnswers.com
DTVAnswers.com is the official Web site of the National Association of Broadcasters’ digital television (DTV) transition campaign. Launched in January 2007, the DTV campaign’s mission is to ensure that no consumer is left unprepared, due to lack of information, for the February 17, 2009, federally–mandated transition from analog to digital broadcasting.
About NAB
The National Association of Broadcasters is a trade association that advocates on behalf of more than 8,300 free, local radio and television stations and also broadcast networks before Congress, the Federal Communications Commission and the Courts. Information about NAB can be found at www.nab.org.
