Wilmington's commercial broadcasters turned off their analog signals at noon Monday. The rest of the nation's full-power television stations won't be converting until Feb. 17, 2009, a date set by Congress.

Connie Book, associate dean of the School of Communications at Elon University says it's clear that an ambitious public education campaign had paid off. Of the 172 calls that came in, she says only a few were from people who were unaware of the transition.

Viewers who receive programming through an antenna and do not own newer-model digital TV sets by the time of the changeover must buy a converter box. The government is providing two $40 coupons per household to help defray the cost. Viewers who subscribe to cable or satellite won't be affected.