Call centers set up for digital TV conversion questions

With four more Reno area TV stations and three Las Vegas area TV stations set to switch to all-digital broadcasting on Tuesday, a toll-free phone number has been set up to take calls from viewers who have questions about the transition from analog broadcasting to digital. Callers will be prompted through a series of questions with automated responses. Callers will also be offered the opportunity to speak with trained FCC specialists who can answer questions in both English and Spanish. The call center is in operation now at 1-888-CALL FCC and will be staffed through June 12th, 2009.

Operators will have information on how viewers can obtain government coupons to defray the cost of digital to analog converter boxes as well as information on using the re-scan feature to find all the channels available in the area. Viewers who still have questions after speaking with the FCC are encouraged to call the station they were watching when they lost programming.

In the Reno area, KAME-TV, KRXI-TV, KNPB and KREN-TV will turn off their analog signals and join KOLO-TV and KBBC-TV of Bishop as all-digital television stations. In Las Vegas, stations KVCW and KVMY and Laughlin station KMCC will end analog broadcasting on Feb. 17. KAME-TV, KRXI-TV and KREN-TV all plan to end analog broadcasting at 1:00 PM Tuesday afternoon.

In addition to the toll-free phone number, two DTV Walk-In Centers are being set up in Reno where viewers can apply for converter box coupons and get brochures on digital television. An FCC representative will demonstrate how to set up and use the converter box with an inexpensive indoor antenna to pick up over-the-air signals from local TV stations. This Walk-In Center is scheduled to operate Tuesday and Wednesday in the Sierra View Library in the Old Town Mall from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM to 6:00PM. RC Willey is setting up a second DTV Walk-In Center in their south Reno store at 1201 Steamboat Parkway. The Walk-In Center in their electronics department will be staffed by a trained store representative who will have materials on the DTV transition as well as demonstrate how to set up and program a converter box. The Walk-In Center will be staffed during normal store hours, 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM Monday through Saturday.

All Reno area TV stations are encouraged to add information about the toll-free FCC number and the Walk-In Centers to their Digital TV Education campaigns.

More information is available on the Nevada Broadcasters Association web site at www.nevadabroadcasters.org or the FCC digital television web site, www.dtv.gov. Television stations also have information on their web sites along with their contact information.