Is television a right to American citizens?

The government should NOT have gotten involved, and they should not be spending my money, your money or any American's money on this project. Buying people converter boxes is simply wrong. Whenever the government spends money frivolously, it's wrong.

The American People own the air waves and the FCC regulates their usage. The FCC has licensed use of our air waves to various entities, some of which are television broadcasters, but we retain ownership.

Providing coupons for converters should have been a decision for the holders of licenses, particularly the broadcasters. If they want us to see their ads, they might want to subsidize our converters. It really should have been up to them, and their money!

EDIT

Just read everyone else's posts. The government did not instigate digital television. A consortium of broadcasters did. Due to pressure from broadcasters, the FCC set up a committee of exploration in 1982 (ATSC) then another (Advisory Committee on Advanced Television Service) in 1987 to consider improving our television system. This one rests squarely on the shoulders of the broadcast industry, so if anyone should bear the burden, it should be them.

"Is television a right to American citizens?" - Nope.

"is providing coupons for digital converter boxes to low income folks" - Half truth. They are providing coupons to anyone that needs them. Bill Gates could have a coupon if he wanted one.

Government regulation is changing the standard under which TV operates.

Anybody can get coupons from the government and most with analog TVS did, regardless of income level. That is why there are so many who have not gotten them. If an income level requirement was involved there would still be some left, although if that were the case they would have issued fewer to begin with.

TV is not just entertainment, no it's not a 'right' exactly, but people need something for weather reports, news, and other important information. Yes, knowing what Britney Spears or Angelina Jolie is doing is not vital. But knowing the news, the real news is an important link with people, sometimes home bound due to illness or other reasons have with the world.

The majority of these people who are using the coupons are Senior citizens and nursing homes. Who else would have TVs that are so old, they would still have rabbit ears on them. They can not afford to buy a digital converter box on their restricted income... so the government is offering the coupons and it is only one or two per household. So I do not have a problem with it.

Hey, I'm not low income but I'm getting a coupon for the converter box.

As another user has said:

The creation and maintenance of the air waves was in part paid for by taxpayers. Those frequencies are now only used by a minority of taxpayers and so it makes sense to reallocate them for better purposes. Nonetheless those few who were using them did pay taxes. And deserve to be offered another option.

What do you propose? Should the folks who cannot get, or afford satellite or cable be forced to either buy the converter box, or do without? Some folks have no other way of connecting to the outside world, are we going to shut them down?

The FCC has imposed this change, so why is it they should not help implement the change?

It seems it's become another entitlement. Like Social Security, it's not just for the poor, it's for everybody. There's no income criteria for those coupons. Anyone with the price of a stamp can write in for one. Fortunately, most of us won't need one because we've had cable/satellite TV for years. I was a late comer to cable, and I haven't watched broadcast TV since the early 90's.

The coupons are available to EVERYONE (2 per household).

Further, the airwaves are public domain, and we, provide the use of them to broadcasters.

This is about $$$, with digital TV, cell phone companies and wireless providers will be able to use some of the bandwidth formerly associated with analogue TV

Its not just for low income people. ANYONE can request a coupon for the converter boxes.

Stop finding something to complain about.

They aren't just for low income. Yes people who have older televisions shouldn't be in a lurch because the government decided to change the transmission ways. Maybe you don't mind throwing out a television but I do.