By now, you’ve all heard about the transition to digital television on Feb. 17. (And if you haven’t you must live under a rock.)
Well, we have some potentially bad news for you. If you haven’t gotten your $40 coupon to help with the cost of a converter box you just might be out of luck. It seems there’s been a massive rush to obtain coupons in the past six weeks and the program has run out of money – sort of.
Congress limited the amount of money the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the agency inside the Commerce Department that runs the program, can commit at any one time to $1.34 billion.
The good news is that after 90 days the coupons expire and that money can go back into the program. But that means you have to get onto a waiting list. A really, really long waiting list. In fact, the Washington Post reports that as of Jan. 5, there were 103,000 people on the list.
So the point of all of this is to get you off of your butts to get your name on the list. Or you won’t be able to see any of the fab folks we tip you off to every afternoon.
Unless of course, unlike some of the Pollstar staff, you’ve already entered the digital age or you have cable. In that case, never mind. See, we really do care.
Tuesday, January 06
Foreigner – “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”
Rocco DeLuca – “The Bonnie Hunt Show”
Kevin James, Erin McCarley – “Late Show with David Letterman”
Queen Latifah, The Pussycat Dolls – “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”
Bang Camaro – “Late Night with Conan O’Brien”
Mike Birbiglia – “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
Quincy Jones, Little Joy – “Last Call with Carson Daly”
Wednesday, January 07
Greg Behrendt – “The View”
Akon – “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”
Okkervil River – “Late Show with David Letterman”
Jeff Dunham – “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”
The Gabe Dixon Band – “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
Thursday, January 8
Kevin James – “Live with Regis and Kelly”
Lady GaGa – “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”
Howie Mandel, Lady Antebellum – “Late Night with Conan O’Brien”
Lenka – “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
Amy Sedaris – “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson”
Friday, January 9
Wendy Liebman – “Late Show with David Letterman”
Eagles of Death Metal – “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”
Zac Brown Band – “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
Paula Poundstone – “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson”
Kevin Nealon, Yelle – “Last Call with Carson Daly” – rerun
Saturday, January 10
Paolo Nutini, Grupo Fantasma – “Austin City Limits” – rerun
Taylor Swift – “Saturday Night Live”