Arlington, Va. — The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) today announced the first semifinal winner of the “Rabbit Ears Pioneers” contest.
The contest encourages over-the-air television viewers to prepare now for the nation’s transition to digital television, which will be complete on Feb. 17, 2009.
JoNancy Linn Sundberg, 69, of Hot Springs Village, Ark., received her prize of a Zenith converter box and RCA digital reception antenna this morning during an in-studio appearance on her favorite program, the morning news on KTHV-TV, Little Rock’s CBS affiliate. With her converter box and new antenna, Sundberg will receive digital channels for free over-the-air using her black-and-white analog TV set purchased in 1982.
As a semi-finalist, Sundberg also qualifies for the grand prize of a high-definition home entertainment center. Sundberg, who is a retired first-grade teacher and published author, created what she calls a “first-grade rhyme” for the contest. Her entry received the highest overall rating for creativity and originality by an independent judging panel comprised of electronics industry experts.
An excerpt from her entry:
“I’ve never had anything
But an analog TV.
When February ’09 arrives,
I’ll be bereft, you see,
Of all the information and entertainment
That so appeals to me.
So please consider my entry favorably!”
“Ms. Sundberg’s poetic tribute to analog television is a reminder of a time when life was a little simpler. We are thrilled to have such a thoughtful winner, and we offer our most sincere congratulations,” said Gary Shapiro, CEA’s president and CEO. “We are pleased to present her with a digital-to-analog converter box which will ensure her trusty analog set will work for years to come.”
“As this winning entry shows, television is ever-evolving but has remained a constant companion and entertainer throughout the decades,” said NAB president and CEO David Rehr. “As we move into the digital future, this viewer can relish another revolution in broadcasting with the crystal clear picture and sound of digital television.”
Entries are still being accepted for Rabbit Ears Pioneers, and semi-final winners will be announced in August, September and October. The grand-prize-winning entry will be announced in November as part of the 100-day countdown to the transition and in time to kick off the holiday season. Full entry details can be found at www.antennaweb.org.
