5.7% Of U.S. Households – or 6.5 Million Homes – Still Unprepared for the Switch to Digital Television

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--More than 6.5 million U.S. households – or 5.7 percent of all homes -- are not ready for the upcoming transition to all-digital broadcasting and would be unable to receive any television programming at all if the transition occurred today, The Nielsen Company reported today. This is an improvement of more than 1.3 million homes since Nielsen reported readiness status at the end of December.

“Because we recognize that accurate and reliable information on consumer behavior is essential to this transition, we’ve been sharing our data with clients, government leaders and the public so they could track progress to digital readiness.”

Table 1 Percentage of Households that Are Completely Unready For the Digital Transition
Preparedness as of:		Overall		White		African- American		Hispanic		Asian		Under Age 35		Over Age 55
Jan. 18, 2009		5.7		4.6		9.9		9.7		6.9		8.8		4.0
Dec. 21, 2008		6.8		5.6		10.8		11.5		8.1		9.9		5.2
Source: The Nielsen Company

Under government-mandated action, all television stations are required to switch to digital programming by February 17, 2009, which will leave viewers without a television signal unless they purchase digital television sets, connect to cable, satellite, and alternate delivery systems or purchase a converter box.

Nielsen is making these estimates available as a public service to the television industry, government policy-makers and local communities. This information is based on the same national and local television ratings samples that are used to generate national and local television ratings. To conduct the survey, Nielsen representatives observed and tabulated the actual televisions used in its samples. Because Nielsen has developed samples that reflect the total U.S. population including African American and Hispanic populations, these household characteristics in the samples can be projected to the whole country.

“Nielsen has been preparing for the transition to digital television for more than two years,” said Nielsen Vice Chair Susan Whiting. “Because we recognize that accurate and reliable information on consumer behavior is essential to this transition, we’ve been sharing our data with clients, government leaders and the public so they could track progress to digital readiness.”

“There are still millions of people who will be adversely affected because they are not ready for the digital transition. So it’s critical that we provide them with the information and resources they need to stay connected with the world,” said Ernest W. Bromley, Nielsen Hispanic/Latino Advisory Council (HLAC).

“Nielsen has played a key role in reaching out to our underserved communities and helping them understand what needs to be done,” said Nita Song, Nielsen Asian Pacific American Advisory Council (APAAC).

"It is imperative that we operate at an accelerated pace to educate those who are at the greatest risk of losing their television service -- low- income households, large numbers of senior, minority and disabled viewers. These viewers rely on traditional television the most and can least afford to lose their television lifelines. We have a responsibility to make sure that these groups whether in our families, churches or communities are equipped and ready for this transition," said Cynthia Perkins-Roberts, Nielsen African American Advisory Council (AAAC).

Local Market Rankings

Among the 56 local markets that Nielsen measures with electronic meters, the one that is least ready is Albuquerque-Santa Fe, with 12.4% of the households completely unready. The most prepared market is Hartford & New Haven, with only 1.8% of homes unready.

Table 2 Least Prepared Local Metered Markets Based on Percentage of Households Currently Unprepared for Digital Conversion
		Completely Ready %		Partially Ready %		Completely Unready %
NATIONAL PEOPLE METER SAMPLE		85.08		9.24		5.68
LOCAL METERED SAMPLES		82.31		12.36		5.33
ALBUQUERQUE-SANTA FE		81.29		6.47		12.24
DALLAS-FT. WORTH		77.39		12.40		10.21
HOUSTON		72.63		17.42		9.95
TULSA		76.50		13.97		9.53
PORTLAND, OR		80.85		10.08		9.08
SALT LAKE CITY		81.58		9.85		8.58
MEMPHIS		73.31		18.16		8.53
AUSTIN		80.73		10.82		8.45
LOS ANGELES		82.54		9.80		7.66
SACRAMNTO-STKTON-MODESTO		77.04		15.63		7.33
PHOENIX (PRESCOTT)		77.82		14.87		7.31
JACKSONVILLE		80.89		12.09		7.02
DAYTON		75.14		17.98		6.88
GREENVLL-SPART-ASHEVLL-AND		84.94		8.37		6.69
INDIANAPOLIS		72.71		20.76		6.53
MILWAUKEE		73.94		19.63		6.43
SAN ANTONIO		77.19		16.61		6.20
RICHMOND-PETERSBURG		77.04		16.83		6.13
SAN DIEGO		84.42		9.64		5.94
CLEVELAND-AKRON (CANTON)		81.86		12.22		5.91
MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL		78.21		15.94		5.85
KANSAS CITY		75.88		18.37		5.75
SEATTLE-TACOMA		85.18		9.16		5.67
MIAMI-FT. LAUDERDALE		83.11		11.41		5.47
ST. LOUIS		79.72		15.02		5.26
CINCINNATI		72.62		22.17		5.21
SAN FRANCISCO-OAK-SAN JOSE		89.45		5.35		5.20
CHICAGO		82.00		12.82		5.18
LAS VEGAS		81.79		13.04		5.17
BIRMINGHAM (ANN AND TUSC)		82.91		12.23		4.86
CHARLOTTE		85.50		9.72		4.79
DENVER		81.24		14.01		4.75
LOUISVILLE		80.66		14.75		4.59
NASHVILLE		81.58		14.01		4.41
DETROIT		83.18		12.42		4.40
RALEIGH-DURHAM (FAYETVLLE)		80.47		15.15		4.38
NEW ORLEANS		84.14		11.51		4.35
COLUMBUS, OH		79.64		16.08		4.29
BUFFALO		86.04		9.69		4.27
TAMPA-ST. PETE (SARASOTA)		89.47		6.39		4.14
WASHINGTON, DC (HAGRSTWN)		81.76		14.16		4.08
ORLANDO-DAYTONA BCH-MELBRN		86.30		9.79		3.91
NORFOLK-PORTSMTH-NEWPT NWS		79.97		16.25		3.78
BALTIMORE		79.91		16.34		3.75
GREENSBORO-H.POINT-W.SALEM		85.20		11.38		3.42
KNOXVILLE		84.78		12.02		3.20
PROVIDENCE-NEW BEDFORD		83.25		13.56		3.20
OKLAHOMA CITY		85.62		11.31		3.07
PITTSBURGH		88.89		8.07		3.05
FT. MYERS-NAPLES		89.55		7.48		2.98
WEST PALM BEACH-FT. PIERCE		90.86		6.47		2.67
NEW YORK		92.51		4.93		2.57
BOSTON (MANCHESTER)		84.05		13.70		2.25
PHILADELPHIA		87.37		10.53		2.10
ATLANTA		89.66		8.31		2.02
HARTFORD & NEW HAVEN		87.91		10.34		1.76
Source: The Nielsen Company

For more information on the U.S. state of readiness for digital transition, please visit: www.nielsenwire.com

About The Nielsen Company

The Nielsen Company is a global information and media company with leading market positions in marketing and consumer information, television and other media measurement, online intelligence, mobile measurement, trade shows and business publications (Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Adweek). The privately held company is active in more than 100 countries, with headquarters in New York, USA. For more information, please visit, www.nielsen.com.