All full-power analog broadcasts in the U.S. were turned off on June 12, signaling a fundamental change in the transmission of television broadcasting. Which homes were ready and which were not… and how were TV station audiences impacted?

99.4 percent of U.S. homes are able to receive digital television signals, a gain of more than a half million homes in the last month. This is a gain of more than 572,000 homes in the last month and 1.8 million homes…

Nielsen estimates a continued increase of Hispanic TV homes (2.3%) in comparison to total U.S. TV homes (0.3%) for the 2009-2010 TV season.

For the 2009-2010 broadcast season Nielsen estimates that the total number of television households within the U.S. (including Alaska and Hawaii) will be 114.9 million.

The Nielsen Company reported today that 98.9 percent of U.S. homes are able to receive digital television signals, a gain of 229,000 homes in the last two weeks and 1.3 million homes since the week of the June 12 DTV transition.  As of July 26, only 1.2 million homes were unable to receive digital signals.
% Of Homes Completely Unready For DTV

Date
Total
White
African American
Hispanic
Asian
Under 35
Over 55

July 26, 2009
1.1
0.8
2.2
1.6
1.3
2.7
0.4

July 12, 2009
1.3
1.0
2.6
2.2
1.9
3.2
0.5

June 28, 2009
1.5
1.1
3.5
2.3
2.5
3.5
0.6

June 21, 2009
1.8
1.3
4.0
2.8
2.9
4.0
0.8

June 14, 2009
2.2
1.6
4.6
3.6
3.2
4.4
1.1

June 7, 2009
2.5
1.9
5.1
4.3
3.1
4.6
1.3

May 24, 2009
2.7
2.1
5.4
4.7
3.2
5.0
1.5

May 10, 2009
2.9
2.3
5.7
4.9
3.4
5.4
1.6

April 26, 2009
3.1
2.4
5.9
5.0
4.1
5.7
1.7

April 12, 2009
3.2
2.5
5.9
5.4
4.3
5.9
1.7

March 29, 2009
3.4
2.7
6.2
5.6
4.4
6.3
1.8

March …

Sara Erichson, President, Media Client Services North America, The Nielsen Company
The June 12 transition to digital broadcasting was an important milestone for all of us who work in the television industry. For Nielsen, the transition went very smoothly thanks to a year of planning and the close cooperation of our broadcast clients.
Because our metered panels are representative of U.S. television households nationwide and in individual local markets, Nielsen was able to track the country’s progress in preparing for the digital switchover. In January 2008, 10.5% of households were …

The Nielsen Company reported today 200,000 homes have upgraded to digital television in the last two weeks. In the month following the June 12 government-mandated digital TV transition, more than a million homes have made the switch. This recent improvement leaves 1.5 million American households, or 1.3% of the U.S., unable to receive digital television signals through the week ending July 12.
% Of Homes Completely Unready For DTV

Date
Total
White
African American
Hispanic
Asian
Under 35
Over 55

July 12, 2009
1.3
1.0
2.6
2.2
1.9
3.2
0.5

June 28, 2009
1.5
1.1
3.5
2.3
2.5
3.5
0.6

June 21, 2009
1.8
1.3
4.0
2.8
2.9
4.0
0.8

June 14, 2009
2.2
1.6
4.6
3.6
3.2
4.4
1.1

June 7, 2009
2.5
1.9
5.1
4.3
3.1
4.6
1.3

May 24, 2009
2.7
2.1
5.4
4.7
3.2
5.0
1.5

May 10, 2009
2.9
2.3
5.7
4.9
3.4
5.4
1.6

April …

Since the June 12 switch to digital television, more than 800,000 homes have readied themselves to receive digital broadcasts. As 400,000 new homes upgraded in the last week, this now leaves only 1.7 million, or 1.5%, of U.S. homes classified as “completely unready” for digital TV.
% Of Homes Completely Unready For DTV

Date
Total
White
African American
Hispanic
Asian
Under 35
Over 55

June 28, 2009
1.5
1.1
3.5
2.3
2.5
3.5
0.6

June 21, 2009
1.8
1.3
4.0
2.8
2.9
4.0
0.8

June 14, 2009
2.2
1.6
4.6
3.6
3.2
4.4
1.1

June 7, 2009
2.5
1.9
5.1
4.3
3.1
4.6
1.3

May 24, 2009
2.7
2.1
5.4
4.7
3.2
5.0
1.5

May 10, 2009
2.9
2.3
5.7
4.9
3.4
5.4
1.6

April 26, 2009
3.1
2.4
5.9
5.0
4.1
5.7
1.7

April 12, 2009
3.2
2.5
5.9
5.4
4.3
5.9
1.7

March 29, 2009
3.4
2.7
6.2
5.6
4.4
6.3
1.8

March 15, 2009
3.6
2.9
6.6
6.1
4.4
6.5
2.0

March 1, 2009
3.9
3.2
6.7
6.5
4.5
7.2
2.2

February 15, 2009
4.4
3.6
7.5
7.4
5.1
8.1
2.6

February 1, 2009
5.1
4.1
8.7
8.5
6.3
8.6
3.2

January 18, 2009
5.7
4.6
9.9
9.7
6.9
8.8
4.0

December 21, 2008
6.8
5.6
10.8
11.5
8.1
9.9
5.2

Source: …

Nielsen’s second update since the country’s June 12th conversion to digital television has reported that 2.1 million American households, or 1.8 percent of the television market, were unable to receive digital television signals through the week ending June 21.  This is an improvement of 400,000 homes since the week of the June 12 DTV transition.
% of Homes Completely Unready

Date
Total
White
African American
Hispanic
Asian
Under 35
Over 55

June 21, 2009
1.8
1.3
4.0
2.8
2.9
4.0
0.8

June 14, 2009
2.2
1.6
4.6
3.6
3.2
4.4
1.1

June 7, 2009
2.5
1.9
5.1
4.3
3.1
4.6
1.3

May 24, 2009
2.7
2.1
5.4
4.7
3.2
5.0
1.5

May 10, 2009
2.9
2.3
5.7
4.9
3.4
5.4
1.6

April 26, 2009
3.1
2.4
5.9
5.0
4.1
5.7
1.7

April 12, 2009
3.2
2.5
5.9
5.4
4.3
5.9
1.7

March 29, 2009
3.4
2.7
6.2
5.6
4.4
6.3
1.8

March 15, 2009
3.6
2.9
6.6
6.1
4.4
6.5
2.0

March 1, 2009
3.9
3.2
6.7
6.5
4.5
7.2
2.2

February 15, 2009
4.4
3.6
7.5
7.4
5.1
8.1
2.6

February 1, 2009
5.1
4.1
8.7
8.5
6.3
8.6
3.2

January …

In Nielsen’s first update after the country’s June 12, 2009 conversion to digital television, 2.5 million American households, or 2.2 percent of the television market could not receive digital television signals through the week ending June 14.  These numbers reflect an improvement of 300,000 homes since June 7, the most recent date for which Nielsen reported readiness numbers.
% OF HOMES COMPLETELY UNREADY

Date
Total
White
African American
Hispanic
Asian
Under 35
Over 55

June 14, 2009
2.2
1.6
4.6
3.6
3.2
4.4
1.1

June 7, 2009
2.5
1.9
5.1
4.3
3.1
4.6
1.3

May 24, 2009
2.7
2.1
5.4
4.7
3.2
5.0
1.5

May 10, 2009
2.9
2.3
5.7
4.9
3.4
5.4
1.6

April 26, 2009
3.1
2.4
5.9
5.0
4.1
5.7
1.7

April 12, 2009
3.2
2.5
5.9
5.4
4.3
5.9
1.7

March 29, 2009
3.4
2.7
6.2
5.6
4.4
6.3
1.8

March 15, 2009
3.6
2.9
6.6
6.1
4.4
6.5
2.0

March 1, 2009
3.9
3.2
6.7
6.5
4.5
7.2
2.2

February 15, 2009
4.4
3.6
7.5
7.4
5.1
8.1
2.6

February …