Wilmington, NC plans one minute analog TV shutoff next week
By Richard Lawler 
posted Aug 16th 2008 7:06AM
posted Aug 16th 2008 7:06AM
In an effort to reduce the ZOMG surely to be experienced by whatever percentage of Wilmington, NC residents are unprepared for their early entry into a digital television-only world September 8, the city will perform a one minute Las Vegas-style "soft test" August 19 at 7:30 p.m., prompting customers with analog to upgrade their equipment to receive digital broadcasts. Readers have already reported seeing ads mentioning the upcoming early analog-shutoff, and it looks like the regions main broadcasters (WWAY, WECT, WILM and WSFX) appear to be doing all they can to get the word out, so everybody tell a friend, okay?
Cue mass rioting in the streets.
A similar test by station KING in Seattle was deemed inconclusive because all the cable/satellite viewers who were watching the analog channel also got the "take action now" message, when they didn't actually have to (take action, that is). Hope the last directive to get cable/satellite service will clue those people in to the fact that they're actually set (for now).
I live in this market area...and IF there are folks "who don't know" about the BIG Switch, it's probaly due to their inherit breeding....you know, waiting to the last day to file taxes, pay bills, etc. These TV stations here have gone overboard with the public service announcements about the coming switch.