First CEA/NAB ‘Rabbit Ears Pioneers’ Contest Semi-Finalist Announced

07.18.2008

The Consumer Electronics Association and NAB have announced the first semi-finalist in their jointly sponsored Rabbit Ears Pioneers contest, which encourages off-air TV viewers to prepare for the 2009 DTV transition.

JoNancy Linn Sundberg of Hot Springs Village, Ark. has been designated the first semi-final winner in the event and was presented with a Zenith converter box and an RCA antenna during a morning newscast on CBS Little Rock affiliate, KTHV. Sundberg, 69, is now eligible for the contest’s grand prize award of a high-definition home entertainment center.

Sundberg created a poem as her entry in the contest and it was judged highest in overall creativity and originality by a panel of electronics industry experts:

I’ve never had anything
But an analog TV.
When February ’09 arrives,
I’ll be bereft, you see,
Of all the information and entertainment
That so appeals to me.
So please consider my entry favorably!

“Ms . Sundberg’s poetic tribute to analog television is a reminder of a time when life was a little simpler,” said Gary Shapiro, CEA president and CEO. “We are pleased to present her with a digital-to-analog converter box which will ensure her trusty analog set will work for years to come.”

“As this winning entry shows, television is ever-evolving but has remained a constant companion and entertainer throughout the decades,” said David Rehr, NAB president and CEO. “As we move into the digital future, this viewer can relish another revolution in broadcasting with the crystal clear picture and sound of digital television.”

Sundberg is a retired first-grade teacher and published author.

Contest entries are still being accepted, with additional semi-finalists being announced in August, September and October. The winner of the grand prize will be announced in November.


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