Better pay attention. The feds are shutting off free TV in 2009 to free
up
the bandwidth for communications. Pay to play is the US way.


That's not true. The only thing being shut down is analog broadcast TV
(NTSC). It's being replaced by digital broadcast which is also free,
the same content, plus HD capability and it's already available in most
areas.

Really? Are you saying that they are going to broadcast (that means radio
waves) a digital signal that can be received via antenna? Or are you
talking about a digital signal that is transmitted via satellite that is
recieved via dish? Give me a link so I can learn more about this new free
service.
Yes, they are transmitting digital signals over the air and receivable with
the proper antenna and tuner. See below:

Got HDTV signals?
There are three basic ways to receive HDTV signals: Over-the-air (OTA)
broadcasts from your local network and PBS affiliate stations; digital
satellite TV providers such as DIRECTV and EchoStar (DISHNetwork); and
finally, HDTV via cable. The first step on the road to HDTV is determining
what signals are available to you, and what equipment you need to receive
those signals. (For more specific HD programming info, see our HDTV Links
article.)

a.. Over-the-air broadcasts: Digital TV broadcasts are currently being
transmitted by 1550 stations in 211 TV markets around the country that
include over 99% of U.S. TV households (as of 1/06). You can find out if any
stations in your area are providing digital broadcasts by visiting this
handy site and punching in your zip code (the site lists local cable HD
availability, too). Or, check the National Association of Broadcasters'
complete and up-to-date DTV station list. Be sure to note which channel
numbers your local stations are using for their DTV broadcasts. Most are in
the normal UHF range (14 through 83), meaning you can receive them with a
UHF antenna. If some of the channels are below 14, you'll need a VHF/UHF
antenna. For antenna information that's specific to your location, visit the
Consumer Electronics Association's antenna selector website. We carry
several TV antennas, including DTV-optimized models.
What you need: an appropriate antenna for your signal conditions, and
either an HDTV (a set with both HD-capable resolution and a built-in HDTV
tuner), or an "HDTV-ready" TV connected to a separate HDTV tuner.