Minneapolis event to provide DTV conversion help

Several Twin Cities organizations will gather at a Minneapolis park this afternoon in an effort to help people with the transition to all digital broadcast that's happening today.

The "DTV Day of Action -- Goodbye to Analog TV" event will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. at Powderhorn Park, 3400 15th Ave. South in Minneapolis.

The event will include live converter box demonstrations in English, Hmong, Lao, Spanish and Somali.

Participants will also be able to get help applying for a $40 DTV government coupon, and buy a $40 converter box from Mosquito Productions with a valid government coupon.

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Some advocates say many Minnesotans still are not ready for the switch to digital TV. The Nielsen Company on Wednesday reported about 46,000 households in the Twin Cities are completely unprepared for the switch from analog to digital.

About one-third of Minnesota TV stations turned off their analog signals by the previous deadline in February.

Today's event is sponsored by several organizations, including the Main Street Project, Minnesota Center for Neighborhood Organizing, Minnesotano Media Empowerment Project, Lao Assistance Center, MN Center for Neighborhood Organizing, Somali Action Alliance.

For more information, call 612-879-7578.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report)