Sacramento, California, December 8, 2008 - To help viewers prepare for the federally mandated shutdown of television analog signals on February 17, 2009, all of the over-the-air, full-power broadcast television stations in the Sacramento DMA will participate in a soft-shutdown of their analog signal. The test will occur across all broadcasters' channels for at least 30 seconds between 6:00p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 17, 2008. The test will allow television viewers to see if their television set(s) are ready for the DTV transition and if not; will give them resources that will inform them of the steps they must take so they will be able to watch television after the DTV conversion
Between 6:00p.m. and 6:30p.m. on December 17th, on-screen graphics will appear on broadcast television stations for a minimum of 30 seconds informing the viewer if their television is "ready" or "not ready" for the digital transition. The graphic will direct viewers to station or consumer websites that will provide information about the conversion. Each station will also provide a telephone number that viewers can call for more information and technical support.
