The boards of directors of the ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC affiliate organizations have agreed to support a voluntary month-long "quiet period" ensuring no disruption of local television service in the weeks leading up to and following the digital television transition, the National Association of Broadcasters announced today.

The affiliate boards' endorsement comes following Tuesday's NAB Television Board of Directors' pledge to continue making local television signals available to cable, satellite and telephone company distribution partners from Feb. 4 through March 4, 2009. Analog television in the U.S. will end on Feb. 17.

"We are delighted that all of the affiliate boards have agreed to support the NAB Television Board initiative," said NAB Television Board Chairman K. James Yager, CEO of Barrington Broadcasting. "This pledge — coupled with our unprecedented campaign to educate America on the DTV transition — will minimize consumer confusion and help local broadcasters and government achieve our joint objective of a seamless transition to the next generation of television."