Senate OKs 4-month delay to digital TV changeover

By ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press Writer Andrew Taylor, Associated Press Writer 28 mins ago

WASHINGTON �?People who have not gotten their TV sets ready for the changeover to digital signals could earn a four-month reprieve under a bill making its way through Congress.

The Senate voted Monday to delay until June 12 the deadline for the changeover from analog to digital television broadcasting. People still getting their pictures through old-fashioned antennas otherwise would face a Feb. 17 cutoff.

Comparable legislation is being readied in the House, and the Obama administration has called for a delay amid mounting concerns that too many Americans who rely on over-the-air broadcast signals won't be ready.

It's estimated that more than 6.5 million U.S. households are still not prepared for the upcoming transition.