The National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced today that eight large consumer electronics retailers—Best Buy, Circuit City, Kmart, RadioShack, Sam’s Club, Sears, Target, Wal-Mart—along with more than 100 smaller ones have been certified to participate in the agency’s DTV converter box coupon program.

The retailers operate more than 14,000 stores throughout the nation, said NTIA, which has been charged by Congress with administering the program.

On Feb. 17, 2009, most TV stations will stop broadcasting analog signals and begin broadcasting digital signals only. To receive digital off the air with old analog sets, consumers will need to buy a D-to-A converter.

Under the NTIA coupon program, consumers are entitled to $40 coupons that they can apply toward the purchase of the converters at certified retailers.

The program is “on schedule and will be ready to take consumers’ coupon requests starting Jan. 1, 2008, as directed by Congress,” said acting NTIA Administrator Meredith Attwell Baker.

In other developments:

Converters by DigitalSTREAM, Zenith, Magnavox, and Philco have been certified for purchase with coupons and more are expected in the next several weeks;

The program name, “TV Converter Box Coupon Program,” and consumer-tested brand will help television viewers know that this is an official Government program;

A simple one-page application has been developed. It only requests name, address, one or two coupons and if the household subscribes to cable, satellite or other TV service;

NTIA will begin distributing coupons to consumers beginning February 17, 2008;

Starting Jan. 1, 2008, households may request coupons when the program’s toll-free number, Web site, fax and P.O. Box go live.

Plus, more than 140 governmental and national organizations will work to ensure vulnerable communities are not left without broadcast television because of a lack of information about the transition.