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The Federal Communications Commission slapped heavy fines on several retailers Thursday for failing to properly label analog TVs that will have to be retrofitted next year for digital TV when broadcasters turn off their analog signals in February.

In total, the FCC levied fines of $3.9 million on big retailers such as Sears, Wal-Mart, and Best Buy. The agency also fined other companies roughly $2.7 million for violating other digital TV rules, such as shipping analog equipment and blocking technologies such as V-chip…Read the full article

The FCC currently has a February 17, 2009, deadline for the transition to all digital broadcasting.

On this date, all analog broadcasting will stop, and consumers will need to buy converter boxes to receive programming on their older TVs.

This deadline has been pushed back several times in the last few years because of both broadcasters’ and consumers’ inability to meet the FCC’s criteria for a successful transition to digital broadcasting.

TV stations must have the equipment to send digital broadcasts, and consumers must have the TVs to receive them.

Learn more about digital TV and the February 17, 2009 deadline