To the list of New Year’s resolutions many Americans will add: Make the switch.

The question being asked is, “Are you ready for the digital television transition in 2009?”

Federal law requires that all full-power television broadcast stations stop broadcasting in analog format and broadcast only in digital formal after Feb. 17, 2009.

Broadcast stations in all U.S. markets are currently broadcasting in both analog and digital.

Anyone with an analog television that receives free over-the-air television programming with an outdoor antenna or “rabbit ears” indoor antenna on the television set will either need a digital television (a TV with a built-in digital tuner) or an analog TV connected to a “analog-to-digital converter box,” which converts digital signals for analog signals for viewing on an analog set) in order to watch programming from full-power broadcast stations.

Television viewers have been bombarded with advertisements, public service announcements and infomercial TV shows for the last year warning about the need to make the switch-over.

Now, the Federal Communications Commission is fanning out across the United States to conduct a campaign blitz to share switch-over information.

Ireme Bleiweiss, regional coordinator for the FCC’s DTV Tradition National Outreach Campaign, visited Austin recently.

Bleiweiss met with the media and held a program of her own at the Wal-Mart Super Center in Austin.

Television viewers have three choices: 1) Convert their analog TV with a digital-to-analog converter box; 2) Buy a digital TV; or 3) Subscribe to a paid TV service.

About the latter, the FCC issued this warning: Cable TV companies are not required to transition or switch any of their channels to digital. As far as the second choice to buy a new digital TV, consumers should know: It does not have to be a High Definition TV (HDTV).

The most talked-about choice is buying a converter box, and the FCC is making a $40 coupon available to accommodate such purchases.

With only six weeks to go before the Feb. 17, 2009 switch-over, the FCC suggests three steps to keep analog TVs working: “Apply, Buy, Try” is the name of the FCC informational campaign to encourage use of converter boxes.

The $40 coupons are available on a first come, first served basis to purchase a government-certified converter box.

To apply, go to www.DTV2009.gov or call 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009), mail to P.O. Box 2000, Portland, OR 97208 or fax 1-877-DTV-4ME2 (1-877-388-4632).

Next, consumers should use the coupon to buy a converter box. A list of retailers, such as Wal-Mart, will be mailed with the coupon.

The coupons must be used within 90 days of mailing.

When they purchase a converter box, it should be hooked up immediately, according to the FCC, to trouble-shoot how the switch-over will go in February 2009.

The converter box instructions will include a toll-free number to call for assistance.

The FCC will also supply general information about digital reception capabilities by calling 1-888-CALL-FCC (voice) or 1-888-TELL-FCC (TTY) or go online to www.DTV.gov.