The nation’s largest speakers bureau of television station representatives, coordinated by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), is conducting a nationwide speaking blitz to mark the one-year countdown to the digital television (DTV) transition, which will be completed on February 17, 2009.

Beginning Monday, February 11, broadcasters will speak to local communities at planned engagements in all 50 states over a five-day period and will answer questions from consumers about the DTV transition.

In Georgia, 30 speakers representing 17 stations are participating in the NAB’s DTV Speakers Bureau. The community-focused awareness effort boasts nearly 1,000 speakers nationwide, from nearly 600 television stations across the country.

The DTV Speakers Bureau is the largest grassroots initiative ever orchestrated by the broadcasting industry. To date, the DTV Speakers Bureau has scheduled more than 1,200 speaking engagements and is on target to reach 8,000 audiences before the transition occurs in February 2009. Speaking engagements take place at nursing homes, Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs, Chamber of Commerce assemblies, elementary schools and many other local community venues.

With approximately 325,000 households at risk of losing reception in Georgia, informing viewers throughout the state is critical. As part of the 50-state, five-day countdown awareness efforts, the Speakers Bureau will be hosting an event on February 11, 2008 at the Bethlehem Senior Center to educate Georgia residents about the transition.

To learn more about the NAB’s DTV consumer education efforts, including the DTV Speakers Bureau, visit www.DTVAnswers.com.  Anyone interested in having a member of NAB’s DTV Speakers Bureau address their organization should contact Dan Woodley at (202) 232-6648 or dwoodley@crosbyvolmer.com.

DTVAnswers.com is the official Web site of the National Association of Broadcasters' digital television (DTV) transition campaign. Launched in January 2007, the DTV campaign’s mission is to ensure that no consumer is left unprepared, due to lack of information, for the February 17, 2009, federally-mandated transition from analog to digital broadcasting.

The National Association of Broadcasters is a trade association that advocates on behalf of more than 8,300 free, local radio and television stations and also broadcast networks before Congress, the Federal Communications Commission and the Courts. Information about NAB can be found at www.nab.org.