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AP

 - February 11, 2009

Obama Signs Bill Delaying Digital TV Switch Until June

Congress last week gave TV stations until June 12 to shut down their analog broadcasts to give viewers more time to prepare for the switch to digital signals. 

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama has signed a bill to delay the switch to digital TV to June 12. 

Congress last week gave TV stations until June 12 to shut down their analog broadcasts to give viewers more time to prepare for the switch to digital signals. 

The change was to have taken effect next Tuesday. 

Obama says the June 12 date will give viewers more time to prepare. He says many would have been left in the dark otherwise. 

Money has run out for a federal fund that helps people without cable or satellite service pay for converter boxes they will need in order to keep watching their televisions. And there's a long waiting list for the coupons. 

Nearly 500 stations say they intend to go ahead with the switch on Tuesday and not wait until June.

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