Now that the hard date has been set for the switch to Digital Television, consumers need to be educated about digital television (DTV) and how the DTV switch will affect their lives. Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) has decided to partner in this effort. According to a CEA press release, CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro said:
"We are excited and pleased to partner with NCTA to undertake this important effort. Digital and high-definition television (HDTV) continue to capture the imagination of consumers across the nation. Indeed, CEA forecasts that this year sales of HDTV sets will outpace sales of analog TVs. With a hard date set for the end of analog broadcasting, we are now in the home stretch to completing this historic transition. As we continue on this journey, all industries involved have a responsibility to educate consumers about this exciting new era in television. To this end, we will combine our award-winning experience in DTV consumer education with cable's creativity and broad reach to help ensure consumers have easy access to quality information about this transition."
Though the details of the campaign still are being developed, efforts likely will include: public service announcements, enhanced retailer sales force education, outreach via on demand services, bilingual education and comprehensive cable customer communication.
