The nation's largest speakers bureau of television station representatives, coordinated by the NAB, is conducting a nationwide speaking blitz to mark the one-year countdown to the DTV transition, which will be completed on February 17, 2009.

Beginning Monday, February 11, broadcasters will speak to local communities at planned engagements in all 50 states over a five-day period and will answer questions from consumers about the DTV transition.

"We are very proud to lead this DTV Speakers Bureau initiative," David K. Rehr, president and CEO of NAB said. "We believe that face-to-face contact is one of the most effective ways of communicating details about the DTV transition to viewers on both a local and national level."

NAB's DTV Speakers Bureau is the largest grassroots initiative ever orchestrated by the broadcasting industry. The community-focused awareness effort boasts nearly 1,000 speakers nationwide, from nearly 600 television stations across the country. To date, the DTV Speakers Bureau has scheduled more than 1,200 speaking engagements and is on target to reach 8,000 audiences before the transition is completed in February 2009.

Speaking engagements take place at nursing homes, Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs, Chamber of Commerce assemblies, elementary schools and many other local community venues. With nearly 34 million households and 70 million television sets across the U.S. at risk of losing television reception when full-power television stations switch to exclusively digital broadcasting, educating viewers throughout the country is critical.

To learn more about the NAB's DTV consumer education efforts, including the DTV Speakers Bureau, visit ww.DTVAnswers.com. Anyone interested in having a member of NAB's DTV Speakers Bureau address their organization should contact Jennifer Brand at (202) 232-6579 or jbrand@crosbyvolmer.com.