Cities Ranked On Digital TV Preparedness

Although both the government and broadcasters are working overtime to spread the word and knowledge of next year's digital TV transition, many millions of viewers nationwide are likely to turn on their televisions in mid-February to find static.

This is from the findings of Nielsen Media Research, which conducted a study on 55 television markets it meters and it then ranked them based on their preparation for the Feb. 17, 2009, switch to digital TV converters and receivers.

Nielsen said that almost 10 million TV households were still  not prepared as of mid-October and another 13 million households have at least one TV set that will not work after the changeover.

Most prepared cities for the conversion (with percent of households completely unready):

1. Ft. Myers / Naples, Fla. – 2.4 percent

2. Hartford / New Haven, Conn. – 2.6 percent

3. West Palm Beach / Ft. Pierce, Fla. – 3.2 percent

4. Atlanta – 3.3 percent

5. Philadelphia – 3.7 percent

6. New York – 3.7 percent

7. Boston / Manchester – 4.2 percent

8. Miami / Ft. Lauderdale – 4.6 percent

9. Charlotte, N.C. – 4.9 percent

10. Providence, R.I. / New Bedford, Mass. – 5.1 percent

Least prepared cities for the digital TV conversion. Fewest number of receivers and boxes.

1. Houston – 15.8 percent

2. Dallas / Ft. Worth – 14.3 percent

3. Tulsa, Okla. – 14.1 percent

4. Salt Lake City, Utah – 13.4 percent

5. Milwaukee, Wis. – 13.3 percent

6. Albuquerque, N.M. – 12.7 percent

7. Minneapolis / St. Paul, Minn. – 12 percent

8. Austin, Texas – 11.6 percent

9. Los Angeles – 11.6 percent

10. Memphis, Tenn. – 11.6 percent

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