This article investigates the levels of consumer awareness and knowledge of digital television (DTV) in the USA. It also explores the consumer perceptions of DTV characteristics, benefits and importance. Various consumer characteristics and DTV perceptions were examined to assess their influence in the adoption of DTV. It was found that the consumers had many misconceptions of DTV and their DTV knowledge level was most related to personality traits and internet usage or tenure. While the desire for bigger screen size, digital video recorder ownership, income and broadband access were the best predictors of intention to adopt DTV sets, desire for better video quality and knowledge of DTV environment were the best predictors of intention to adopt DTV converters.
Arndt, J. (1968) ‘Profiling Consumer Innovators’, in J. Arndt (ed.) Insights into Consumer Behavior, pp. 71-83. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon .
2.
Atkin, D. J. (1995) ‘Audio Information Services and the Electronic Media Environment’ , The Information Society11(1): 75-83 .
3.
Atkin, D. J. and R. LaRose (1994a) Profiling Call-in Poll Users’ , Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media38(2): 217-227 .
4.
Atkin, D. J. and R. LaRose (1994b) ‘An Analysis of the Information Services Adoption Literature’, in J. Hanson (ed.) Advances in Telematics Vol. 2, pp. 91-110. New York: Ablex .
5.
Atkin, D. J. , L. W. Jeffres and K. A. Neuendorf (1998) ‘Understanding Internet Adoption as Telecommunication Behavior’ , Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media42(4): 475-490 .
6.
Atkin, D. J. , K. Neuendorf , L. W. Jeffres and P. Skalski (2003) ‘Predictors of Audience Interest in Adopting Digital Television’ , Journal of Media Economics16(3): 159-173 .
7.
Bandura, A. (2001) ‘Social Cognitive Theory of Mass Communication’ , Media Psychology3(3): 265-299 .
8.
Blumler, J. G. and D. McQuail (1969) Television and Politics: Its Uses and Influence. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press .
9.
Brown-Kenyon, P. I. , A. Miles and J. S. Rose (2000) ‘Unscrambling Digital TV’ , McKinsey Quarterly2: 71-81 .
10.
Chang, M. K. and W. Cheung (2001) Determinants of the Intention to Use Internet/WWW at Work: A Confirmatory Study’ , Information and Management39(1): 1-14 .
11.
Cox, D. F. and S. U. Rich (1964) ‘Perceived Risk and Consumer Decision Making: The Case of Telephone Shopping’ , Journal of Marketing Research1(4): 32-39 .
12.
Cycyota, C. S. and D. A. Harrison (2002) ‘Enhancing Survey Response Rates at the Executive Level: Are Employee or Consumer Level Techniques Effective?’ , Journal of Management28(2): 151-176 .
13.
Dickerson, M. D. and J. W. Gentry (1983) ‘Characteristics of Adopters and Non-Adopters of Home Computers’ , Journal of Consumer Research10(2): 225-235 .
14.
Dozier, D. , T. W. Valente and J. Severn (1986) ‘The Impact of Interconcept Networks on Perceived Attributes and Projected Adoption of Discontinuous Innovations’ , paper presented at the International Communication Association, Chicago, IL, May.
15.
Dupagne, M. (1999) ‘Exploring the Characteristics of Potential High-Definition Television Adopters’ , Journal of Media Economics12(1): 35-50 .
16.
Dutton, W. H. , E. M. Rogers and S. H. Jun (1987a) ‘The Diffusion and Impacts of Information Technology in Households’ , Oxford Surveys in Information Technology4: 133-193 .
17.
Dutton, W. H. , E. M. Rogers and S. H. Jun (1987b) ‘Diffusion and Social Impacts of Personal Computers’ , Communication Research14(2): 219-250 .
18.
Ettema, J. S. (1984) ‘Three Phases in the Creation of Information Inequities: An Empirical Assessment of a Prototype Videotext System’ , Journal of Broadcasting28(4): 383-395 .
19.
Federal Communications Commission (2002a) 9th Annual Assessment of the Status of Competition in the Market For the Delivery of Video Programming, No. FCC 02-338. Washington, DC: Federal Communications Commission .
20.
Federal Communications Commission (2002b) Second Report and Order and Second Memorandum Opinion and Order, No. FCC 02-230. Washington, DC: Federal Communications Commission .
21.
Flavell, J. H. (1977) Cognitive Development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall .
22.
Garramone, G. M. , A. C. Harris and R. Anderson (1986) ‘Uses of Political Bulletin Boards’ , Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media30(3): 325-339 .
23.
General Accounting Office (2002) Additional Federal Efforts Could Help Advance Digital Television Transition, No. Gao-03-7. Washington, DC: General Accounting Office .
24.
Gough, H. (1976) ‘Personality and Personality Assessment’, in M. D. Dunnette (ed.) Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, pp. 571-607. Chicago, IL: Rand-McNally .
25.
Grimm, L. G. and P. R. Yarnold (2002) Reading and Understanding More Multivariate Statistics. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association .
26.
Hackbarth, G. , V. Grover and M. Y. Yi (2003) ‘Computer Playfulness and Anxiety: Positive and Negative Mediators of the System Experience Effect on Perceived Ease of Use’ , Information and Management40(3): 221-232 .
27.
Helgeson, J. G. , K. E. Voss and W. D. Terpening (2002) ‘Determinants of Mail-Survey Responses: Survey Design Factors and Respondent Factors’ , Psychology and Marketing19(3): 303-328 .
28.
Jacobs, R. (1995) ‘Exploring the Determinants of Cable Television Subscriber Satisfaction’ , Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media39(2): 262-274 .
29.
James, M. L. , C. E. Wotring and E. J. Forrest (1995) ‘An Exploratory Study of the Perceived Benefits of Electronic Bulletin Board Use and their Impact on Other Communication Activities’ , Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media39(1): 30-50 .
30.
Jeffres, L. W. and D. J. Atkin (1996) ‘Predicting Use of Technologies for Communication and Consumer Needs’ , Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media40(3): 318-330 .
31.
Kang, M. H. (2002) ‘Digital Cable: Exploring Factors Associated with Early Adoption’ , Journal of Media Economics14(3): 193-207 .
32.
Katz, E. , M. Gurevitch and H. Haas (1973) ‘On the Use of the Mass Media for Important Things’ , American Sociological Review38: 164-181 .
33.
Katz, E. , J. G. Blumler and M. Gurevitch (1974) ‘Utilization of Mass Communication by the Individual’, in J. G. Blumler and E. Katz (eds) The Uses of Mass Communications: Current Perspectives on Gratifications Research, pp. 19-32. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage .
34.
Kenhove, P. V. , K. Wijnen and K. De Wulf (2002) ‘The Influence of Topic Involvement on Mail-Survey Response Behavior’ , Psychology and Marketing19(3): 293-301 .
35.
Krendl, K. A. , M. C. Brohier and C. Fleetwood (1989) ‘Children and Computers: Do Sex-Related Differences Persist?’ , Journal of Communication39(3): 85-93 .
36.
Krugman, D. (1985) ‘Evaluating the Audiences of the New Media’ , Journal of Advertising14(4): 14-19 .
37.
Lagesse, D. (2002) ‘Find the Perfect Picture’, US News and World Report, 25 November: 66-66.
38.
LaRose, R. and D. J. Atkin (1988) ‘Satisfaction, Demographic and Media Environment Predictors of Cable Subscription’ , Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media32(4): 403-413 .
39.
LaRose, R. and D. J. Atkin (1992) ‘Audiotext and Re-invention of the Telephone as a Mass Medium’ , Journalism Quarterly69(2): 413-421 .
40.
Lenard, T. (2004) Witness Testimony To the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, 2 June, URL (consulted 31 May 2006): http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/Hearings/06022004hearing1289/Lenard2043.htm
41.
Lin, C. A. (1994a) ‘Exploring Potential Factors for Home Videotext Adoption’, in J. Hanson (ed.) Advances in Telematics, Vol. 2, pp. 111-121. New York: Ablex .
42.
Lin, C. A. (1994b) ‘Audience Fragmentation in a Competitive Video Marketplace’ , Journal of Advertising Research34(6): 1-17 .
43.
Lin, C. A. (1998) ‘Exploring Personal Computer Adoption Dynamics’ , Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media42(1): 95-112 .
44.
Lin, C. A. and L. W. Jeffres (1998) ‘Factors Influencing the Adoption of Multimedia Cable Technology’ , Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly74(2): 341-352 .
45.
Litman, B. , S. Chan-Olmsted and L. Thomas (1991) ‘Estimating the Demand for Backyard Satellite Dishes: the US Experience’ , Telematics and Informatics8(2): 59-69 .
46.
McConnell, B. (2002a) ‘DTV Draft Puts Teeth in 2006’, Broadcasting & Cable,23 September: 6-6.
47.
McConnell, B. (2002b) ‘GAO to FCC: Pick a DTV Date’, Broadcasting & Cable, 9 December: 24-24.
48.
Midgley, D. F. and R. G. Dowling (1978) ‘Innovativeness-Concept and its Measurement’ , Journal of Consumer Research4(4): 229-242 .
49.
National Association of Broadcasters (2003) NAB Database, URL (consulted 24 February 2003): http://www.nab.org
50.
Neuendorf, K. A. , D. J. Atkin and L. W. Jeffres (1998) ‘Understanding Adopters of Audio Information Innovations’ , Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media42(1): 80-93 .
51.
O’Keefe, G. and B. Sulanowski (1995) ‘More than Just Talk: Uses, Gratifications and the Telephone’ , Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly72(4): 922-933 .
52.
O’Reilly & Associates (1995) Defining the Internet Opportunity. New York: O’Reilly & Associates .
53.
Ostlund, L. E. (1974) ‘Perceived Innovation Attributes as Predictors of Innovativeness’ , Journal of Consumer Research1(2): 23-29 .
54.
Perse, E. M. and J. A. Courtright (1993) ‘Normative Images of Communication Media: Mass and Interpersonal Channels in the New Media Environment’ , Human Communication Research19(4): 485-503 .
55.
Rafaeli, S. (1986) ‘The Electronic Bulletin Board: a Computer-Driven Mass Medium’ , Computers and the Social Sciences2(3): 123-136 .
56.
Reagan, J. (1987) ‘Classifying Adopters and Nonadopters of Four Technologies Using Political Activity, Media Use and Demographic Variables’ , Telematics and Informatics4(1): 3-16 .
57.
Reagan, J. , R. V. Ducey and J. Bernstein (1985) ‘Local Predictors of Basic and Pay Cable Subscribership’ , Journalism Quarterly62(2): 397-400 .
58.
Reese, S. D. (1988) ‘New Communication Technologies and the Information Worker: The Influence of Occupation’ , Journal of Communication38(2): 59-70 .
59.
Reissman, J. (1990) ‘Gender Inequality in Computing’ , Computer Literacy in Human Services Education3(1): 45-63 .
60.
Rogers, E. M. (1995) Diffusion of Innovation. New York: Free Press .
61.
Rogers, E. M. and F. F. Shoemaker (1971) Communication of Innovation. New York: Free Press .
62.
Ross, P. (2002) ‘Forced Market: Digital TV Will Soon Be Mandatory’, Redherring, 17 October, URL (consulted 31 May 2006): http://www.redherring.com/Article.aspx?a=2555&hed=Forced+market
63.
Rothe, J. T. , M. G. Harvey and G. C. Michael (1983) ‘The Impact of Cable Television on Subscriber and Nonsubscriber Behavior’ , Journal of Advertising Research23(4): 15-23 .
64.
Scherer, C. W. (1989) The Videocassette Recorder and Information Inequity’ , Journal of Communication39(3): 94-103 .
65.
Schiffman, L. G. and L. L. Kanuk (1978) Consumer Behavior. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall .
66.
Steinfield, C. W. , W. H. Dutton and P. Kovaric (1989) ‘A Framework and Agenda for Research on Computing in the Home’, in J. L. Salvaggio and J. Bryant (eds) Media Use in the Information Age, pp. 61-86. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates .
67.
Thorne, F. (2000) ‘New Report Predicts UK and Ireland to Be Leading Digital Territories’ , New TV Strategies, 29 February, np.
68.
Tornatzky, L. G. and J. Klein (1982) ‘Innovation Characteristics and Innovation Adoption-Implementation: A Meta-Analysis of Findings’ , IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management29(1): 28-45 .
69.
TrendWatch (2003) ‘Trendwatch Survey Methodology: Background for the Market Researcher’, URL (consulted 24 March 2003): http://www.trendwatch.com/research.html
70.
Van Dusseldorp & Partners (2003) ‘CEA Reports US DTV Sales Have ‘Sky-Rocketed’, TV Meets the Web, 4 February, URL (consulted 31 May 2006): http://www.allbusiness.com/periodicals/article/451044-1.html
71.
Wimmer, R. D. and J. R. Dominick (2002) Mass Media Research: An Introduction (7th edn). Stamford, CT: Thomson Learning .
72.
Zhu, J. J. H. and Z. He (2002) ‘Perceived Characteristics, Perceived Needs and Perceived Popularity: Adoption and Use of the Internet in China’ , Communication Research29(4): 466-495 .
