What I find very sad is that I believe that one of the channels that was moved is EWTN, the Global Catholic Network. I can't imagine how many elderly Catholics aren't able to leave their homes daily to attend mass, who instead watch it on this station. It is such a shame that Comcast chose this particular station to me moved. Honestly- Do you really think people care if their picture isn't absolutely pristine in clarity? I can't stand the way Comcast tries to justify their decisions. We all know that this is just one more way for them to try and get people to switch to their digital cable package and spend more of their hard earned money on stations that they will never watch, just so they can get the one station that they really do like. Now in order to "attend" daily mass on TV, they have to spend the extra money on a complicated cable box, and pay monthly rental fees on it, or go without completely. How much do those boxes cost anyway? Five something dollars a month for 3 years and 9 months.... $225... Surely I have paid for it already? Or at least I must be close.

Readers who found Tuesday's story confusing about Comcast's changes in its station line-up are right to be annoyed. The situation with the changes can be confusing and the story was not clear. Today we have an editorial more carefully explaining out what's going on. And, just as readers have pointed out, it notes that the changes in the Comcast line-up having nothing to do with the federally mandated changes to free up space on the broadcast airwaves for public safety channels. -- Jim Foudy, editor

This article is misleading at best, and flat out wrong at worst. The federally mandated switch to digital is for over-the-air broadcasts only. Comcast's decision to move some channels over to a digital package is purely a business decision and has absolutely nothing to do with the federal mandate. Furthermore, it deprives many clients of channels that do not require a digital signal. To make matters worse, Comcast sales people are praying on the elderly by telling them that the federal mandate requires them to switch to the far more expensive digital cable to maintain service. This is a disgrace.

If the reporter and the Gazette's editors had taken the simple measure of looking at the government's own website regarding the digital transition before going to print, perhaps this article would have served to inform the readers rather than mislead them. So, for the record...

http://www.dtv.gov/index.html

http://www.dtv.gov/consumercorner.html#faq29

I don't know enough about the technology. I didn't even realize tv was still broadcast through the air. I thought it was all cable. Shows you what I don't know!

As far as I can tell, we're talking about two different issues. (1) the signal coming from Comcast, and (2) the signal coming over the air. The "rabbit ear" televisions can receive all channels over the air if they have a converter, and they can receive all channels from Comcast if they have a box from Comcast. I'm not sure if a regular converter works with Comcast's cable.

If manufacturers have been including the digital tuners for over a year people who want to get rid of their television set should try to arrange to donate them to elderly or low income people who need them. Most middle income families end up with more tv's than they need (I know I'm one) and are looking for ways to dispose of them without cluttering the landfill. The last television I gave away was to the VA in Leeds for veterans who didn't have one. Maybe Criagslist or freecycle would be a good place. The only problem would be finding the people who need them. If they have an old tv they probably don't have computers. Ideas anyone?

REAL whipped cream on the cream pies! And excellent sandwiches....