PBS 45 & 49 launches Digital Television Help Desk

KENT, Ohio — May 12, 2008 — To help consumers who may be confused about the national digital television (DTV) conversion, PBS 45 & 49 has launched a DTV Help Desk. This service enables community members to join the station’s DTV Help List and receive free periodic updates by mail about the digital transition. They may also leave a message should they have a question about the transition, and a PBS 45 & 49 employee will contact them. The free service is accessible by phone at 1-877-DTV-4PBS or by e-mail at .

The purpose of the service is to assure that consumers understand the February 2009 DTV conversion and what their options are. “Even though the digital conversion is still months away, we want to make sure that our community members understand how this change may affect them,” said Trina Cutter, PBS 45 & 49 president and chief executive officer. “We are especially concerned about viewers who receive their TV signals free over the airwaves through an antenna.”

Community members can access the PBS 45 & 49 DTV Help Desk to get information about what digital television is, how the conversion will affect them and whether they will need to acquire a converter box in order to continue receiving a TV signal. PBS 45 & 49 also offers a comprehensive digital transition Web site at pbs4549.org/dtv.htm.

The nationwide switch to digital transmission of TV signals will be completed by Feb. 17, 2009. After that date, all full-power analog broadcast will cease. Benefits of DTV include movie-quality pictures and sound, more channels and even high-definition television (HDTV) to consumers with HD television sets. In addition, the conversion will free up parts of the scarce broadcast airwaves, which can then be used for public safety services and advanced wireless services.

About PBS 45 & 49
PBS 45 & 49 is owned and operated by Northeastern Educational Television of Ohio, Inc., a private, nonprofit corporation and consortium of Kent State University, The University of Akron and Youngstown State University. A trusted community resource, PBS 45 & 49 uses the power of commercial-free television and related services to enrich the lives of people through high-quality programming and educational services that teach, illuminate and inspire. The only broadcast television service that reaches all of northeast Ohio, PBS 45 & 49 is available to 1.8 million households and 4.6 million people in the Cleveland and Youngstown designated market areas. In an average week, over 530,000 households (about 30 percent in the region) tune in. Through funding from eTech Ohio, the organization provides K-12 educational technology training and instructional television programming to 21,500 educators and 257,400 students in eight Ohio counties. For more information about PBS 45 & 49, visit www.pbs4549.org or call 1-800-554-4549.