WDBJ7 Roanoke News and Weather NRV Lynchburg Danville | Are you ready for the digital switch?

Are you ready for the digital switch?

We are five weeks away from the digital T-V conversion.

A Federal Communications Commissioner held a town hall meeting in Bristol Tuesday to address problems and questions about the upcoming change.

T. V. will be turning digital February 17th, but an FCC Commissioner's outlook for the conversion is grim.

"I do know we're not ready. This country is not ready. Hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of citizens are not going to be ready. It becomes a matter of public safety and security of the people, so it's not to be taken lightly," says FCC Commissioner Michael Copps.

Only people with analog televisions need to take action.

They'll have to get cable, satellite or a converter box within the next several weeks to watch T. V. after the switch.

Recently, the government ran out of coupons to help people pay for the converter boxes.

Congressman Rick Boucher, who was chosen chairman of the house committee on communications, technology and the Internet last week, says the program was flawed from the start.

"Those in control of congress at the time frankly decided to do this transition on the cheap," says Boucher.

Boucher says he'll push to fund the coupon program as soon as possible.

President-elect Barack Obama has also suggested the transition date be pushed back.

While it will give more time, Boucher says the delay could create other problems.

"There might be the potential to create some public confusion in the event that the date is changed. Broadcasters would be required to expend greater sums," says Boucher.

"The government did drop the ball. Where we did not get coordinated and organized  quite as well as we should have been," says Copps.

Bottom line, the commissioner says, is act now. The digital conversion is still set for February 17th. If you can't afford a conversion box, you should apply for the coupons now because more funding could be on the way.