Bulletin Poll: Digital Television
Source: From the AARP Bulletin print edition | November 5, 2008
| Do you own a TV in your home? | |||
| 18-49 | 50+ | Total | |
| Yes | 96% | 99% | 97% |
| No | 4% | 1% | 3% |
| How many? | |||
| 18-49 | 50+ | Total | |
| 4 and under | 84% | 88% | 89% |
| 5 or more | 15% | 12% | 14% |
| (Asked of Total Respondents who own a TV in their home) There's a change coming in how TVs receive their broadcast signals. On Feb. 17, 2009, people who want to watch broadcast television will need a TV that can receive a digital signal. This can be in the form of a digital TV, or in the form of paid service from a digital provider like cable or a satellite dish. If none of these exist in your home, you would need to purchase a converter box for your TV that converts TV signals from analog to digital. Were you aware of this change? | |||
| 18-49 | 50+ | Total | |
| Yes | 96% | 96% | 96% |
| No | 4% | 3% | 3% |
| (Asked of Total Respondents who own a TV in their home) Right now, there are two types of TV signals—analog and digital. A traditional TV set receives analog signals using an antenna—such as a "rabbit ear" antenna or a rooftop antenna. TVs that receive digital signals include digital TVs and TVs that are connected to cable or satellite service. (Most, but not all, new TVs purchased within the past year are digital TVs.) How many of the TVs in your home are traditional analog TVs that receive free, over-the-air television reception through a rabbit-ear antenna or a roof-top antenna and are not connected to cable, satellite, or another digital service? | |||
| 18-49 | 50+ | Total | |
| 4 and under | 98% | 98% | 98% |
| 5 or more | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Don't Know | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| (Asked of Total Respondents who own analog TVs and have other TVs that are not analog) In your home, do you have a TV that is connected to cable or satellite service or is a digital TV? | |||
| 18-49 | 50+ | Total | |
| Yes | 91% | 89% | 90% |
| No | 9% | 11% | 10% |
| (Asked of Total Respondents who own analog TVs) This change in TV signals will mean that your analog TV set that is not connected to cable or satellite will no longer get reception or pictures unless you take certain steps. Which of the following things do you think you will do to prepare for this change? Will you... (Yes responses) | |||
| 18-49 | 50+ | Total | |
| Purchase a digital TV | 28% | 24% | 26% |
| Keep your analog TV and subscribe to cable or satellite service | 41% | 30% | 36% |
| Keep your analog TV and buy a converter box for about $40-$50 | 54% | 63% | 58% |
| (Asked of Total Respondents who own analog TVs and will buy a converter box so they can keep their analog TVs) The government is offering coupons to help people cover the costs of purchasing a converter box for their analog TVs. Have you requested coupons yet? | |||
| 18-49 | 50+ | Total | |
| Yes | 50% | 49% | 50% |
| No | 50% | 51% | 50% |
| (Asked of Total Respondents who own analog TVs only or are not connected to cable or a satellite dish) Rather than taking any of the steps needed to continue to receive television reception, would you consider giving up your television/ televisions and not replacing it/them at all? | |||
| 18-49 | 50+ | Total | |
| Yes | 35% | 34% | 34% |
| No | 62% | 59% | 61% |
| Don't Know | 3% | 7% | 5% |
| (Asked of Total Respondents who own analog TVs and would consider giving up their TVs without replacing them) What is the main reason that you would consider giving up your television/televisions? | |||
| Total | |||
| To save money | 28% | ||
| Don't need TV | 15% | ||
| Don't like TV | 33% | ||
| To have more time for other things | 21% | ||
| Other | 3% | ||
Survey of 1,007 adults age 18 and older conducted by ICR between Sept. 24 and Sept. 28, 2008.
More In Your Home
Most Popular in Your Home
preview