Yearly TV Licence? ...Really?

[Carol]

bboyminn:
> 
> As someone else pointed out this $279/yr pays for 5 channels, some
radio, and a few other things, but 3 of those 5 channels are
commercial, so really it's only two channels. 
> 
> That's what I get for free here in the USA, meaning two commercial
free channels (PBS), though today's PBS can hardly be called commerial
free. <snip>

Carol responds:

Not for long. On February 19, 2009 (if I have the date right), you'll
no longer be able to view TV free using rabbit ears. That's the date
when all the stations will change from analog to digital.

I've been told that I won't need a converter because the cable company
will convert the signal through my cable box. I hope that's the case
because I certainly don't want to buy a converter--or a new TV.

Carol, remembering the old days when (almost) every house had a TV antenna