The FCC is serious when they say they want retailers to warn consumers about purchasing analog TVs. This week they’ve announced fines against Radio Shack, HH Gregg, FYE, Fred Meyer Stores, Ultimate Electronics, and Boscov’s for selling TVs without a warning label.

The consumer alert rule states that retailers have to post a warning like this one from Kmart’s website:

CONSUMER ALERT: This television receiver has only an analog broadcast tuner and will require a converter box after February 17, 2009, to receive over-the-air broadcasts with an antenna because of the Nation’s transition to digital broadcasting. Analog-only TVs should continue to work as before with cable and satellite TV services, gaming consoles, VCRs, DVD players, and similar products. For more information, call the Federal CommunicationsCommission at 1-888-225-5322 (TTY: 1-888-835-5322) or visit the Commission’s digital television website at: http://www.dtv.gov.

The FCC supposedly has undercover agents working in stores and surfing the web to make sure stores aren’t selling obsolete TVs to hapless rabbit-ear using folks. Meanwhile, Best Buy has stopped selling analog TVs outright.

Retailers vs. FCC: fines for warning-free analog TVs as ban draws near [Ars Technica]
(Photo:cmorran123)

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