http://www.copirg.org/newsroom/more-news/more-news http://www.copirg.org/newsroom/more-news/more-news/retailers-misleading-consumers-on-the-digital-television-dtv-transition CoPIRG conducts survey of national TV retail stores and finds that consumers are getting mixed signals. In one year, 22 million Americans who rely on free over-the-air analog broadcasting – including many elderly and other vulnerable populations – will be at risk of losing access to TV, which for many is a primary source of news and emergency information as well as entertainment. On February 17, 2009, all TV stations will begin broadcasting exclusively in digital signals. If you have an older analog TV and you receive over-the-air television, your TV will go dark, unless you retrofit it with a digital converter box. Consumers with cable or satellite service will not be affected. Many consumers are just now hearing about the government-ordered digital transition and they are going to electronics retail stores to ask questions about what is necessary to maintain their TV reception. One consumer advocacy organization, CoPIRG, has conducted “secret shopper” surveys at 132 electronics stores in ten states – including the Denver metro area– to determine if America’s big electronics retailers are properly preparing their customers for the digital transition. The results were released today in CoPIRG’s new report: “Mixed Signals: How Retailers Mislead Consumers on the Digital Television (DTV) Transition.” “The results of our survey are clear,” said Grady Nesbitt, Citizen Outreach Director for CoPIRG. “Retail sales clerks are providing inaccurate or misleading information about the upcoming digital transition and these mixed signals will cost consumers time and money.” The transition to a digital system was first mandated by Congress in 1996. Broadcasters, manufacturers and retailers were informed. Twelve years later, and just one year out from the date of transition, CoPIRG’s report finds that accurate information about the transition is hard to come by in most retail stores. It is important to know that next year’s change does not require any household to purchase a new television set. Households with older sets still receiving analog signals via antenna need only purchase a basic converter box that costs approximately $40. And, the government is offering up to two $40 coupons per home to offset the cost of the most basic converters. However, some sales clerks tried to persuade PIRG’s “secret shoppers” to buy new, expensive digital televisions or premium converters, which will not be covered in the government’s coupon program. “To consumers, it does not matter whether sales clerks were intentionally misleading our secret shoppers to sell more expensive items, or if they were simply misinformed” continued Mr. Nesbitt. “The result is the same: consumers will pay too much for unneeded equipment or services.” Nationally, almost half of sales staff surveyed did not provide accurate information on the date the transition would take place – answers ranged from “sometime soon” to “probably not until 2010.” Here in Colorado we found the following: 94% of sales staff provided inaccurate information about converter boxes. 81% of sales staff provided inaccurate information about the coupon program. 19% of sales staff provided inaccurate information about the transition date. In a Denver RadioShack, neither the sales clerk nor the manager were able to provide information on the date. Both were unaware of a conversion happening. CoPIRG called on retailers to properly educate their employees and their customers about the digital TV transition. “To protect consumers against misinformation or fraud,” said Mr. Nesbitt, “retailers must provide proper information about the converter boxes they sell and about the government-sponsored coupon program that is designed to offset the cost of the converter boxes. They must also properly label analog TV sets that are still on their shelves with warnings informing buyers about the need for a converter box after next February.” “The DTV transition is a shared obligation,” said FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, who joined the State PIRGs for the release of the report in Washington, D.C. this morning. Commissioner Adelstein added, “As the first line of defense, retailers should redouble their efforts to educate consumer service reps and the public about the converter box program and the DTV transition generally. A national state of confusion must be avoided at all costs. We're only going to be successful if everyone does their part.” Mr. Nesbitt also recommended that the government step in to enforce penalties against retailers that mislead or misinform consumers to reap greater profits from the sale of unnecessary equipment. Additional tips for consumers are included in CoPIRG report, downloadable at www.copirg.org. Consumers can also go online at dtv.gov or call the free government number 1-888-388-2009 to find out more about the government-sponsored coupon program. ### CoPIRG is a statewide citizen-based public interest advocacy group. http://www.copirg.org/newsroom/more-news/more-news/retailers-misleading-consumers-on-the-digital-television-dtv-transition Wed, 13 Feb 2008 11:32:43 -0600 http://www.copirg.org/newsroom/more-news/more-news/copirgs-pre-buttal-to-the-presidents-state-of-the-union Re: President's State of the Union Tonight, President Bush will offer his final State of the Union address to Congress. In past speeches, he has touched on the need for reform in many areas of public concern, but has failed to adequately lay out a public interest agenda that meets the needs for the American people. A real response to the issues facing America's families and communities would address the following issue areas: The Economy Healthcare Security Transportatin for A 21st Century Public Health and Safety Accountable Government The Economy For More Information, contact John Krieger, 202-546-9707 x. 333 or jkrieger@pirg.org In the next few weeks, the President will likely sign an economic stimulus measure to provide rebates for American taxpayers and tax breaks for businesses. CoPIRG applauds the President and Congressional leaders for responding in a bipartisan way to the economic downturn, but a number of worthy proposals were left on the cutting room floor during negotiation including a much-needed plan to increase jobs and raw materials production to improve our and repair our nation's transit, rail, bridge, and highway systems. The President should recognize the vast funding gaps in the U.S. transportation sector and call on Congress to stimulate the economy by investing in transportation alternatives such as mass transit and rail, and "fix-it-first" projects for substandard bridges, overpasses, and rail lines. This targeted funding produces jobs, offers a jumpstart to the economy, and gives more Americans an alternative to the ever-increasing cost of gas. To address an overstretched budget, the President should extend the same bipartisan zeal that was exhibited in stimulus package negotiations toward ensuring a fairer tax code that is not so easily exploited by gimmicks, tricks, and political influence. Healthcare Security For more information, contact Steve Blackledge, 916-208-5264 or sblackledge@pirg.org President Bush has repeatedly vetoed legislation to expand health insurance for children (SCHIP - the State Children's Health Insurance Program). In doing so, he has prevented states from taking more aggressive action to address the swelling ranks of the uninsured. Further, he has sided with big tobacco, the cause of many health woes, which opposed SCHIP expansion because it was funded by a tobacco tax. Given his opposition to the bipartisan SCHIP expansion, the President should announce how his administration intends to tackle the problem of uninsured children, and what steps or legislation he will support to rein in soaring health care costs, which lead to the ever-growing number of uninsured Americans. Transportation for A 21st Century For more information, contact Phineas Baxendall, 617-747-4351 or phineas@pirg.org Beyond the stimulus package, the President should address the historic juncture the U.S. faces on transportation policy. This month, a bipartisan Blue Ribbon commission released its dire findings, finding that, much like budget deficits, our tranportation systems are becoming insolvent. To date the administration seems to have taken a pass. America must move toward a new transportation future for the 21st century that enhances our economy, national security, public health, environment, and quality of life. Public Health and Safety For more information, contact Ed Mierzwinski, 202-546-9707 x. 314 or edm@pirg.org The President should own up to the serious problems faced by consumers in the marketplace that endanger our children and families and the inability of agencies to provide necessary oversight. Particularly troubling are statements by the acting chair of the Consumer Product Safety Commission critical of a Senate proposal to strengthen her agency and provide more authority and the resources to use that authority. True reform must impose the meaningful civil penalties on wrongdoers, increase transparency of information about safety hazards and subject all toy hazards to third-party testing. The Senate proposal, S. 2045, provides for these much needed changes. Accountable Government For more information, contact Gary Kalman, 202-546-9707 x. 311 The President will likely address fiscal responsibility and criticize the misuse of certain earmarks in federal spending bills. While it is laudable to rein in earmarks, additional and more fundamental steps are needed to ensure that officials across the federal government are acting in the public interest. It is not too late for the President to make changes necessary to rein in lax practices that corrupt the governing process and rob the American people of necessary services. The President can begin by establishing new rules under which funds are awarded to federal contractors. More than $400 billion is handed out to companies with ineffective oversight every year. The waste, fraud and abuse has been documented in a recent CoPIRG report and examined in numerous Congressional hearings. While Congress should be applauded for passing strong new ethics rules, the President should call on members to ensure that the new rules he signed into law are properly enforced by the establishment of an indepedent Office of Congressional ethics. CoPIRG is the Colorado Public Interest Research Group. CoPIRG is a non-profit, non-partisan public interest advocacy organization. CoPIRG's mission is to deliver persistent, result-oriented public interest activism that protects consumers, encourages a fair, sustainable economy, and fosters responsive, democratic government. http://www.copirg.org/newsroom/more-news/more-news/copirgs-pre-buttal-to-the-presidents-state-of-the-union Mon, 28 Jan 2008 10:41:12 -0600