Nielsen Company Has a Theory About Why DFW Has Been Slow to Go Digital

Seems the DFW is lagging way behind most of the country when it comes to making the transition from analog TV to digital reception. So say the Nielsen people, who've released a study in advance of the February 17 drop-dead date as mandated by the government. Says the report, some...

By Robert Wilonsky

December 19, 2008

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Seems the DFW is lagging way behind most of the country when it comes to making the transition from analog TV to digital reception. So say the Nielsen people, who've released a study in advance of the February 17 drop-dead date as mandated by the government. Says the report, some 12 percent of the local population has yet to ditch the rabbit ears; only Albuquerque-Santa Fe, Tulsa and Houston have more homes just two months away from staticky reception.

So, to what does Nielsen attribute Dallas-Fort Worth's inclusion among the four markets with the "not surprising" statistics? As Broadcating & Cable puts it, "Those are all markets with large Hispanic populations. According to Nielsen, that group continues to trail the general population in DTV readiness, with 11.5% of homes with Hispanic heads of household still unready." A tip, though: Chespirito's antennae, pictured above, pick up everything. --Robert Wilonsky

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