To help viewers prepare for the federally mandated shutdown of full-power television analog signals and the transition to digital television on Feb. 17, 2009, all Boston market broadcast television stations and cable providers, in conjunction with Representative Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), chairman of the House Telecommunications and the Internet Subcommittee, as well as the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association (MBA), have partnered to launch DTV Day on Tuesday, Dec. 9, from 5 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

DTV Day is a market-wide educational initiative designed to let viewers know whether they are ready for DTV Transition.

Boston's ‘DTV Day' is a three-pronged community awareness program:

• Intermittent daylong crawls on all outlets promoting DTV information on a single station (WGBH-TV analog).
  
• Daylong, uninterrupted DTV information on a single, destination station (WGBH-TV analog).
  
• Three, two-minute "Virtual Shutdown" readiness tests on all outlets at 5:15 a.m., 6:15 a.m., 5:15 p.m.

Boston's DTV Day participants are:

WBZ-TV (CBS), WBPX-TV (Ion), WCVB-TV (ABC), WDPX-TV (Ion), WFXT-TV (Fox), WGBH-TV (PBS), WGBX-TV (PBS), WHDH-TV (NBC), WLVI-TV (CW), WMFP-TV (MTBI), WNEU-TV (Telemundo), WPXG-TV (Ion), WSBK-TV (Ind.), WUNI-TV (Univision), WUTF-TV (Telefutura), WWDP-TV (Shop NBC), Beld Broadband, Charter Communications, Comcast, Duncan Cable, MetroCast, RCN, Sothern VT Cable, TDS Cable, Time Warner and Verizon.

"The coming transition to DTV will be revolutionary for television while hopefully passing almost unnoticed by most consumers," said Congressman Markey. "In order to ensure a smooth transition, I have been conducting extensive oversight of federal DTV transition efforts, and now I am pleased to join with the leadership of Boston's television media to better inform our local community through this unique ‘DTV Day.' Our local stations are showing an impressive dedication to serving their viewers by cooperating on this DTV outreach effort. I am proud that the Boston market can be an example across the country."