RadioShack Announces Partnership With the American Library Association to Help Educate Citizens About the Digital Television Transition

RadioShack Announces Partnership With the American Library Association to Help Educate Citizens About the Digital Television Transition

FORT WORTH, Texas, June 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- RadioShack Corporation (NYSE:RSH) and the American Library Association (ALA) today announced a nationwide initiative to help educate the public about the Digital Television (DTV) Transition set to begin in all 50 states and Puerto Rico on Feb. 17, 2009, and at noon, Sept. 8, in the test market of Wilmington, N.C.

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Through this partnership, RadioShack's 4,500 company stores and many of the 1,000-plus participating franchise stores will offer knowledgeable team members to 16,000 ALA public libraries to host educational sessions for library patrons. Included in these sessions will be information about why the digital television transition is occurring, the benefits digital television offers television viewers, what people need to do in order to continue receiving over-the-air television broadcasts after the conversion occurs, and how to apply for up to two $40 government coupons per household to help reduce the costs of obtaining a digital converter box. RadioShack's education outreach will also include demonstrations on how to successfully set up a digital converter box to an analog television set. Working together, the two groups hope to educate citizens in nearly every ZIP Code in the U.S.

"Libraries offer trusted information and public space to communities in virtually every corner of the U.S.," said ALA President Loriene Roy, "and with RadioShack's help, those libraries will now be able to provide hands-on help from experienced technical professionals to help them understand the digital television transition and how it may affect them."

"We're excited to be partnering with the American Library Association in the ongoing effort to help educate everyone about this milestone event in television broadcasting history," said Peter Whitsett, RadioShack's executive vice president, general merchandising manager. "Consumer education is the number-one key to ensuring a smooth digital transition. While we have focused on store training and advertising to communicate the digital transition to our customers, we want to take advantage of every opportunity to extend our reputation as the trusted neighborhood electronics advisor into the community as a whole. I can think of no better way to do this than by having our knowledgeable team members meet fact-to-face with library patrons to explain the transition and answer questions."

ALA members who wish to host a digital television transition presentation in their library may make a request directly through RadioShack's corporate offices. More details will be provided to ALA members at the ALA Annual Conference June 26-July 2, 2008, in Anaheim, Calif. In certain markets RadioShack Spanish-speaking team members will be available to host presentations for Spanish language patrons.

Both RadioShack and ALA are members of the DTV Transition Coalition, and both have been at the forefront of education efforts on the Transition. The ALA has participated in several educational workshops at the FCC and FTC, while RadioShack has also joined in several public education events. While more than 5,000 RadioShack stores have been actively fulfilling in-store requests for digital converter boxes since February 2008, customers may also order digital converter boxes through the company's Direct to You ordering system or a toll-free number, 1-877-RS-DTV-4U, and have the box delivered with no shipping charge.

In addition to the converter boxes and digital accessories, RadioShack also offers other options customers can consider when making the digital transition, including various televisions and home entertainment devices with built-in digital tuners, Dish Network satellite service and subscriptions for local cable providers (offerings vary by market).

For additional information regarding the DTV transition, visit http://www.radioshack.com/, http://www.dtv2009.gov/ or call 1-800-DTV-2009.

The American Library Association (ALA) is the oldest and largest library association in the world with some 66,000 members, primarily school, public, academic, and some special librarians, but also trustees, publishers, and friends of libraries. The Association provides leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all. For more on ALA, please visit http://www.ala.org/.

About RadioShack Corporation

RadioShack Corporation (NYSE:RSH) is one of the nation's most experienced and trusted consumer electronics specialty retailers. Operating from convenient and comfortable neighborhood and mall locations, RadioShack stores deliver personalized product and service solutions within a few short minutes of where most Americans either live or work. The company has a presence through almost 6,000 company-operated stores and dealer outlets in the United States and nearly 800 wireless phone kiosks. RadioShack's dedicated force of knowledgeable and helpful sales associates has been consistently recognized by several independent groups as providing the best customer service in the consumer electronics and wireless industries. For more information on RadioShack Corporation, or to purchase items online, visit http://www.radioshack.com/.

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Source: RadioShack Corporation

CONTACT: Charles Hodges of the RadioShack Corporation, +1-817-415-3300,
Media.Relations@RadioShack.com; or Andy Bridges of the American Library
Association, 1-800-941-8478, abridges@alawash.org

Web site: http://www.radioshack.com/
http://www.dtv2009.gov/
http://www.ala.org/

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Profile: International Entertainment