Since we’ve started airing informational crawls regarding the loss of analog television next February, we’ve been getting calls from viewers seeking advice on what they need to do to prepare for the analog shutdown. And we expect the number of calls to rise as the year goes on.

It appears that some people may be out of touch or not technically savvy enough to keep up with what’s happening in our industry regarding this whole digital move. This can be especially tough on our senior population who didn’t grow up with modern electronic gadgets and their complicated ways. Now, I’m no youngster by any means, but being in this business as long as I have makes a huge difference. I have to admit, though, that as a consumer I was feeling a bit unprepared and somewhat confused trying to shop for an HD set. (I’ll have to relate that story sometime and how I made the process simpler for myself.) Imagine how difficult it might be for one of your older relatives to decipher what’s going on.

So, if you’re up on the new technology – HD televisions, converters and the like – you may find yourself in the role of advisor for your parents, relatives, friends or neighbors who may be out of the loop. They will depend on your support and ours as well, as we try to educate our viewers on our journey to a digital future.