Using the same language template and writing on the same day, Best Buy, Circuit City, and Target have sent statements to the Federal Communications Commission assuring the agency that they're ready for the DTV transition.

The filings are not identical, but they're not all that different either.

"Best Buy will include educational items about the DTV Transition and the end of analog broadcasting in its in-store 'video loops' that are shown on the TVs displayed for sale," the big appliance retailer wrote to the FCC on October 16th.

"Circuit City will include items on the DTV Transition and the end of analog broadcasting in its in-store 'video loops' that are shown on the TVs displayed for sale," the electronics seller wrote to the FCC on the same day.

The government has designated February 17th, 2009 as the last day of analog broadcasting. After that, all TV stations must transmit digitally. Millions of Americans don't know about this transition, or that as many as 21 million households have older analog TV sets that won't work after February 17th. So the big retailers have pledged to participate in a general education campaign. Among their promises:

• To inform the public about the National Telecommunications Information Administration's [NTIA] Coupon-Eligible Converter Box [CECB] program. Starting on January 1st, 2008, the NTIA will offer coupons to the public worth $40 towards the cost of a set top box that will make an analog TV digital ready: "Target intends to participate in the NTIA CECB program," Target wrote to the FCC on October 16th, "subject to conditions and information yet to be received."
• To publicize the campaign on their Web sites. "Circuit City will increasingly focus its retail web commerce site on the DTV Transition and the NTIA CECB program," the company promised, "as more specific information becomes available." Ditto for Target, which pledges to include "include information on its retail web commerce site"—again: "as more specific information becomes available."
• All three retailers will distribute DTV pamphlets in their stores, include DTV information in their advertising supplements, and train their sales associates to help customers deal with the transition.

"Best Buy intends to participate actively in the CECB program and believes this participation will be most effective - and most effective for retailers - if the messaging of the FCC, the NTIA, and others is closely coordinated and aligned," Best Buy's filing concluded.

"Target intends to participate actively in the NTIA CECB program and believes this participation will be most effective - and most feasible for retailers - if the messaging of the FCC, the NTIA, and others is closely coordinated and aligned," Target's statement ends.