Broadcast stations afraid of going dark on February 17 will be given analog nightlights care of the FCC, the agency announced last week.

The FCC and Congress remain concerned that some people are still not aware that TV stations will switch from analog to digital signals in less than two months. As a result, President Bush last week signed a bill into law that calls on the FCC to allow certain stations to broadcast DTV information on analog stations for 30 days after the transition.

TV viewers with digital TVs or cable boxes will not notice a difference come February 18, but people with over-the-air (OTA) TVs, or rabbit ears, are scheduled to see nothing.

With the analog nightlight program, however, OTA viewers who have not taken any steps to prepare for the transition will see a notice until March 19 with information about the switch and how to obtain a converter box.

The option has its limits, however. According to a list released by the FCC, only 310 of the 1,749 stations that will be switching from analog to digital are automatically eligible for nightlight status. These stations must be164 miles or more from DTV stations operating on the same channel.

The FCC acknowledged that its estimate was conservative. Stations not on the list can apply to be included, but they must prove that they will not cause more than 0.1 percent of new interference to a digital station.

The commission has until January 15 to implement this plan.

FCC commissioners were mostly in support of the plan, though Democratic Commissioner Michael Copps was concerned that it did not include enough stations.

"We should not be placing the entire burden on individual stations to go to the trouble and expense of hiring engineering consultants and filing proposals with the FCC at this late date," he wrote in a statement.

Democratic Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein said the program is "absolutely essential" and encouraged stations not on the list to apply quickly and "consider participating in this program as a public service to your viewing community."

"I hope to see the 'nightlight' stations provide their local audiences with specific information about such matters as obtaining converter boxes, re-positioning antennas, and how they can obtain further one-on-one assistance," said Republican Commissioner Robert McDowell.