Earlier this month, TV stations across the country conducted another "soft test" that simulated the analog TV shutdown for TV viewers. As Pete Putman ably reported here last week, many callers still show a lack of understanding as to how the transition will affect them–or not. Stations in NYC conducted the test as well, and unfortunately the message sent out by at least one station still had challenges as to its effectiveness.

First, what they did right: an on-air warning message was correctly delivered specifically to the over-the-air (OTA) viewers, and not to the cable and satellite viewers who were getting the station by retransmission, nor to the already-prepared digital tuners. Early test broadcasts mistakenly sent the warning message to cable homes, creating confusion from the false positive result.

Where the tests came up short was in the message (or lack of it) sent to viewers. Those watching the analog broadcast on at least one station — and a major station, at that — received a "text crawl" over a "color-bar" graphic, accompanied by an unsophisticated-sounding narrator. The message was there - but the style of the delivery and text was not unlike that of a cheap ad, without the gravitas of a serious message.

The other problem was that "prepared" viewers were given no confirmation message that they were prepared, and the preceding news anchors did not explain this. What was simply said was that viewers should stay tuned for an important message that would check their digital readiness. Viewers not receiving analog OTA signals then immediately saw the next program, with no follow-up explanation. Certainly, some viewers would be confused as to their state of readiness.

Surprisingly, the biggest offenders seem to be some of the larger stations in several major markets, such as New York City and Washington, DC. The right way to do this test is to send clear "fail-safe" information to all viewers on all media, with appropriate follow-up phone numbers and URLs, and to have an on-air news anchor deliver the message, as did KENS-TV in San Antonio. The message there was short, succinct, and unambiguous.

The whole point of the tests, of course, is to inform viewers of the change, and to make sure that they will be ready when analog signals are turned off. You would think that a TV station is expert at delivering clear information to viewers, but this will only happen if the news organization is behind the message. Unfortunately, it seems that some stations are more driven by the need to keep Congress and the FCC happy with activity, rather than by conducting good communications.

And there is still not enough emphasis by the stations that viewers should convert now, and not wait until February. Coupons may run out before that date, too, so viewers have a decreasing chance that they will be able to get subsidized converters. NTIA has been delivering that message, but few broadcasters have.

Ongoing soft tests are planned, including another national one scheduled for January 15, 2009 at 7:58 p.m. Let’s hope the kinks are straightened out by then.