Nearly 97 percent (all but 60) of the 1,789 full-power TV stations will be ready to make the switch from analog to digital broadcasting as required by law on Feb. 17, 2009, the FCC said Wednesday.

Having tabulated the DTV status reports filed by the stations earlier this year, the agency said that 1,002 of the stations (56 percent) are ready to go today and that another 736 (41 percent) will be ready by the DTV deadline.

Of the remaining 60 stations, the FCC said, 56 indicated that they will seek additional time under an exemption for stations that are facing "unique technical challenges" — anything from coordinating with other stations, antenna mounting problems and weather.

One station said that it will not be able complete construction by the deadline and will be dark "for a brief time," the FCC said.

And three stations did not file status reports, but said they intend to be ready for the transition, according to the FCC.