Consumers are getting an awful lot of faulty information about the looming transition to digital broadcasting next February, according to just released survey by Consumers Union, the publisher of this blog. All told, the survey found that 74 percent of the respondents who said they were aware of the upcoming transition to all digital broadcasting have serious misconceptions about its actual impact on them and what steps they need to take to keep their TVs working after the switchover.

There have been some encouraging signs in recent days that the Federal Communications Commission might be starting to take its consumer protection duties a bit more seriously. Also in this edition: Government Cracks Down on Media in Kenya; Cell Phones in Remote Places; Courts Stop Comcast from Moving Community Access Channels to Digital in Michigan; Trying to Fight High Cable Rates in a Small Town.

For the second time in recent months, AT&T appears to be playing a shell game with consumers trying to sign up for cut-rate Internet service the company agreed offer to gain government approval of its takeover of its telecom cousin BellSouth.