According to Internet reports, Panasonic is getting out of the analog TV business. GameSHOUT.com reported No more analog Panasonic TVs. The Web site engadget reported Panasonic exiting analog TV business. This article was based on a DigitTimes daily IT news article Newswatch: Panasonic to phase out analog TV development. That article didn't say Panasonic would stop selling analog TV's, but that the company "will halt its development of analog TV systems and focus on the production of digital TV."
These articles followed an article in The Japan Times from the Kyodo news service, Matsushita to abandon analog TV that appeared a day earlier. That article noted that Matsushita (Panasonic) was ceasing development of analog TV sets, but said, "Matsushita will continue production and sales of existing analog TV models due to the considerable demand for them, especially for low-end products." It also said the company would continue development of new analog TVs for "overseas markets."
The Japan Times article noted that analog broadcasting will end in Japan in 2011. This is two years after the date Congress is ready to set for the end of analog TV in the U.S. More companies may be making similar decisions, whether they are reported in the news or not, as the deadline for sale of analog-only TV sets in the U.S. approaches.
