DTV Cutover Delay?

Mr. Obama's administration thinks maybe February 18 is too soon to shut off old-fashioned, coal-burning, analog TV.

I'm finding particular enjoyment in this quote from the first linked article:

Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), who has been deeply involved in the transition process, responded to the Obama transition team's request by saying Congress could make an additional 8 million coupons available by passing legislation exempting the coupon program from federal laws prohibiting the government from incurring expenses in excess of amounts available in appropriations or funds.

Yeah, that's it, we'll kite a check! Funny, if you or I do that, the bank gets really peeved; if we do it a lot and/or on purpose, we get arrested and hauled up before the court on criminal charges. But Congress doin' it? Dat's ooooo-tay!

Rep. Markey (Short Bus Party, MA) goes on to admit moving the date (to sometime in June) involves "logistical challenges." Hel-loooo? Also four more months of massive power bills for TV stations, the smaller of which are already teetering on the brink of insolvency; four more months of maintaining two high-power transmitters when most stations have been patching up the old analog rig like a junker car, serene in the knowledge that it only has to last 'til February. June might be a bridge or so too far.

I called it. Not exactly; back when I was cautioning friends and co-workers not to be too confident about the change-over date, I expected a Democrat-dominated Congress (rather than an incoming Democrat President) to push the date back, frettin' about the "technologically disenfranchised poor," or, as PBS President Paula Kerger whines chides us,

she’s especially concerned that children in less-affluent homes that rely on free television might lose access to PBS educational shows for kids.

Especially Sesame Street. Awwww. How ever else will they learn that it takes a village -- or a city block of slum tenements inhabited by creatures from a drug hallucination -- to hammer a child's mind into uniformity and compliance?

Meanwhile, the National Association of Broadcasters is standing firm and proud, er, kneeling firm and proud, er, offering a tongue-shine to the shoes of the President-elect's Administration:

Today's (Thursday) announcement from President Obama's transition team reaffirms the importance of free and local broadcasting in the American life. NAB looks forward to a continuing dialogue with the new White House and new Congress to ensure a successful DTV transition.

Or so says NAB President David K. Rher, who did not add, "Please don't hurt me," but he might as well. Is there any other semantic content to that statement besides abject submission? It's sad.

America's TV station's have been running a heavy schedule of announcements, warnings and reminders about the End Of Analog Television. If the delay gets approved, they'll all be left with sickly grins, goin' on the air and admitting, "Oopsie, we kinda lied." Nice.