A press released from the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) landed in my inbox today. It claims that, according to a new survey commissioned by NAB in January 2008, 79% of consumers are now aware of the looming Digital Television transition. Awareness is even higher amongst households that rely exclusively on OTA sources, with 83% awareness. These results reflect more than double the awareness of a January 2007 survey, which showed only 38% awareness of the DTV transition.

The complete release is below:

Consumer Awareness of Digital Television (DTV) Transition Reaches 79 Percent

Awareness has More than Doubled in the Past Year

Washington, D.C.—Consumer awareness of the federally-mandated transition to digital television (DTV) has grown substantially over the past year, reaching 79 percent according to a survey commissioned by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB).

The survey, which was conducted in January 2008, includes a national sample of television households including those that rely solely on over-the-air television signals. Seventy-nine percent of respondents reported that they have “seen, read or heard something about the February 17, 2009 transition to digital television.”

Awareness was even greater among exclusively over-the-air households, where 83 percent of respondents reported they are aware of the transition. Overall, consumer awareness has more than doubled since January 2007 when an NAB survey asking the same question found that only 38 percent of consumers were aware of the transition.

“This is a big step toward our goal of reaching every American with information about the DTV transition,” said David K. Rehr, president and CEO of NAB. “The first phase of our consumer education campaign has been highly successful, and our next phase will focus on helping consumers learn more about the steps they need to take to receive a digital signal before February 17, 2009.”

More than 34 million households that rely on over-the-air television signals will be affected by the transition to digital television, which will be completed on February 17, 2009 when all full-power television stations must turn off their analog signals and begin broadcasting exclusively in the digital format.

Broadcast networks and nearly 1,500 television stations nationwide are participating in the comprehensive consumer education campaign, which includes a rich variety of on-air, online and grassroots initiatives. “This survey demonstrates that broadcasters’ consumer education campaign is effective,” said Seth Geiger, president of Smith Geiger, the research firm that conducted the survey.

During the next phase of the consumer education campaign, broadcasters will focus on helping consumers learn more about the converter box coupon program and other options they have to upgrade to digital through on-air advertisements, a 30-minute educational television program about DTV, and several other multifaceted, multiplatform initiatives.

About DTVanswers.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.

About NAB

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.