Tim Johnson wrote about a generous program by the Mexican government:

• In a bid to convert the country from analogue TV to digital the government is handing out 10 million free digital televisions to the poor.
• The government has until the end of the year. It’s handing out about 40,000 sets a day but will have to double that if it is to make the deadline.
• The program costs $1.6 billion.
• The televisions being handed out are 24 inch flat screen televisions that cost $145.
• Critics point out that the government could instead just hand out $40 decoder boxes that allow existing analogue televisions to read digital signals.
• The government argues that analogue televisions with decoder boxes require about 350 watts to run, while a flat-screen television only requires 40 watts, making it a program that helps the environment.
• However it has been pointed out that most people will probably just keep both televisions, buying a decoder box for the older one, and perhaps keeping the spare in the children’s room, ultimately increasing energy consumption.
• In addition to smiling masses the program has been a boon to television manufacturers and the media conglomerates that provide digital television services.

Read more about the industry, the shifting competitive landscape, and the manufacturer that lost out because they offered “a better product” over here.

Source: McClatchyDC

Via: Marginal Revolution