DTV leaving seniors behind

We thought this clip from Fox’s “Talkshow with Spike Feresten” was an exaggeration, but it turns out that lots of older people are struggling with their converter boxes.

According to the New York Times, more than 6.5 million people who receive over-the-air TV broadcasts still haven’t made any preparations for the upcoming transition of full-power signals from analog to digital.

Elderly viewers — like the woman in the “Talkshow” spoof — are hurting worst of all. Either they don’t know how to get a converter box or don’t know how to install them.

In Houston, Texas, “Meals on Wheels” volunteers are checking TVs and installing converter boxes for their mostly older, low-income clients. Some of the people have tried calling toll-free hotlines for help, but can’t get through.

The head of the organization that oversees Meals on Wheels in Houston says he’s “livid”: “Most of them are sitting in front of their TVs. They’re watching ‘Price Is Right.’ They’re watching ‘Judge Judy.’ That’s their company.”