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UO to host panel discussion on digital TV transition on Feb. 9
Experts will talk about the switch during the event at the Turnbull Center in Portland
EUGENE, Ore. -- (Feb. 2, 2009) – As the nation moves toward the Feb. 17 deadline to switch TV stations to digital broadcasting, many worry that those who rely on analog sets are not ready for the transition. A panel of experts will discuss what the transition means, the thought behind delaying the switch and other issues surrounding the mandate, specifically related to the Portland area.
The discussion "Making Sense of the Switch to Digital TV" will take place from 5 to 6:30 p.m., Monday, Feb. 9, at the University of Oregon's White Stag Block, 70 NW Couch St. The panel is part of the "Emerging Issues" series of the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication's George S. Turnbull Portland Center. It is free and open to the public.
"This is a huge media issue and we are pleased to help make sense of the digital transition," said Al Stavitsky, director of the Turnbull Center. "This is particularly important because the Portland region is reported to be especially unprepared for the switchover. We've gathered a panel of experts to examine what the switch means in terms of the social role of television."
Stavitsky will serve as moderator of the panel, which includes, Tom Doggett, vice president for TV programming, Oregon Public Broadcasting; Binh Nguyen, resident agent for the Federal Communications Commission, Portland; D.J. Wilson, president/general manager, KGW Media Group; and Mary Beth Henry, deputy director for the Portland Office of Cable Communications and Franchise Management and president of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors.
About the University of Oregon
The University of Oregon is a world-class teaching and research institution and Oregon's flagship public university. The UO is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), an organization made up of the 62 leading public and private research institutions in the United States and Canada. The University of Oregon is one of only two AAU members in the Pacific Northwest.
Contact: Zanne Miller, director of communication for the UO School of Journalism and Communication, 541-346-2519, zanne@uoregon.edu
Links: Turnbull Center, http://turnbull.uoregon.edu/
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