[Photo: laura padgett]

The country has avoided a crisis in the transition to all-digital broadcasting, but several issues continue to require high-priority attention from the federal government, according to advocates at Consumers Union, the parent company for Consumer Reports.

Appearing today before the Federal Communications Commission, CU policy analyst Joel Kelsey said the FCC needs to continue to “prioritize education efforts aimed at troubleshooting reception and signal issues.” He cited figures from the recent survey by the Consumer Reports National Research Center showing that some viewers are having difficulty in setting up digital converter boxes and antennas to receive digital signals. Some are also having trouble receiving some channels digitally.

Kelsey also asked the agency to use its “bully pulpit to urge municipal leaders to play a larger part” in efforts to educate consumers about the DTV transition, and to urge retailers to provide a range of converter boxes in rural areas, where consumers often must drive long distances to reach a store.

Finally, after praising the FCC’s walk-in information centers, Kelsey asked the agency to ensure those centers—and others launched in partnership with groups such as AmeriCorps—remain open after June 12th, since some consumers will “inevitably require assistance” after that date. —Paul Reynolds