Overkill

Without a doubt, the most overdone information campaign I have ever seen in my life is the one alerting folks about the conversion of over the air television signals from analog to digital in February, 2009.

First of all, it is unnnecessary. I don't know anybody who still uses an antenna to watch TV, do you? I'm sure there still are a few million folks out there who don't have cable yet, but I have a feeling that even if their TV signal was to disappear in February, 2009 without any advance warning, they wouldn't be all that upset. I mean, they're only getting a few channels now as it is, so what's the big deal? They'd get around to figuring out what was going on sooner or later all by themselves. And then they could go out and get a converter. Why do the rest of us have to be blasted with announcements for an entire year that a few people will lose their precious over the air signal? It makes no sense!

Secondly, I can see that the cable companies are exploiting this situation and misinforming their customers. Even though you will still be able to get analog signals through your cable company for at least a few more years, Comcast is not including this information in their sales pitch for upgrading to digital cable. They are sneakily (and correctly) assuming that most customers will not be aware that the cessation of analog transmission only applies to over the air signals.

I don't know which is worse - these antenna TV warnings or the political ads. Maybe I should be happy with the talking animal ads.