Best Buy Survey Shows DTV Awareness is High, but Many Consumers Will Wait to Act...

Best Buy Survey Shows DTV Awareness is High, but Many Consumers Will Wait to Act until after the Transition Date

Confusion continues to keep consumers from taking action
potentially leaving millions of Americans in the dark come February
18, 2009
MINNEAPOLIS--(Business Wire)--
In a recent survey(1), Best Buy found that while nearly nine in
ten (88%) consumers are aware of the digital broadcast transition
(DTV), Americans are still confused about why the transition is
happening and what really needs to be done to prepare.

The nation's largest consumer electronics retailer surveyed
consumers nationwide on their level of understanding and awareness of
the federally mandated transition to digital television. The survey
found that nearly half (45%) of those who haven't already prepared for
the transition are going to wait until after the digital deadline to
take action, meaning many Americans could see an interruption in
television programming or will find themselves making a last minute
scramble to get DTV-ready.

"At Best Buy we have been encouraging consumers to act sooner
rather than later to get ready for the DTV transition," said Mike
Mohan, senior vice president of consumer electronics for Best Buy. "In
addition to detailed information on our website, bestbuy.com, we have
trained home theater specialists in our stores and on our dedicated
hotline to help answer questions and help people prepare now."

Although the majority of consumers (60%) know that February 17,
2009 is the DTV transition date, more than half (54%) do not
understand why the transition is happening. The government decided to
mandate the switch to digital broadcasting for all full power stations
to free up portions of the broadcast spectrum for other important
services, such as public and safety services (police and fire
departments, emergency rescue), and advanced wireless services.

Other interesting and notable statistics from the survey include:

-- Nearly a third (31%) of TV owners don't know what type of TV
they have - analog or digital.

-- The majority of consumers who will prepare, plan to subscribe
to cable or satellite (43%).

-- Of the households who have done nothing to prepare for the
transition, one in five (21%) believe they simply can not
afford to, while those with an analog TV incorrectly believe
the cost of the converter box is $56, after the $40 coupon.

-- About one in five (18%) of consumers with an analog TV believe
nothing will happen after the DTV transition, and that their
analog televisions will look similar to how they look now.

(1) GfK Custom Research North America, April 2008

Three Options for Consumers to Comply with the DTV Transition

By February 17, 2009, consumers who receive over-the-air TV
programming will have three options to receive TV broadcast signals
after the DTV transition. These three options include:

1. Purchase a digital-to-analog converter box that plugs in to an
existing analog television. Coupon-eligible converter boxes are
available at all 900+ Best Buy stores throughout the country, costing
about $20 per converter box after the $40 government coupon.

2. Subscribe to a cable, satellite or other paid television
service.

3. Purchase a television with a digital tuner.

About Best Buy Co., Inc.

Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE: BBY) operates an international portfolio
of brands with a commitment to growth and innovation. Our employees
strive to provide customers around the world with superior experiences
by responding to their unique needs and aspirations. We sell consumer
electronics, home-office products, entertainment software, appliances
and related services through approximately 1,300 retail stores across
the United States, throughout Canada and in China. Our multi-channel
operations include: Best Buy (BestBuy.com, BestBuy.ca, BestBuy.com.cn
and Best BuyMobile.com), Future Shop (FutureShop.ca), Geek Squad
(GeekSquad.com and GeekSquad.ca), Pacific Sales Kitchen and Bath
Centers (PacificSales.com), Magnolia Audio Video (Magnoliaav.com),
Jiangsu Five Star Appliance Co. (Five-Star.cn) and Speakeasy
(Speakeasy.net). Best Buy supports the communities in which its
employees work and live through volunteerism and grants that benefit
children and education.

About the Survey

The findings presented are the result of 1000 telephone interviews
conducted using an RDD methodology from April 18-21, 2008, by GfK
Roper Public Affairs and Media Omnibus Services. The survey was
conducted among a representative sample of adult men and women aged 18
years and older in the continental United States. Data were weighted
for sample balancing by gender, age, education, race and census
region. The margin of error for the total sample is +/- 3 percentage
points at the 95 percent confidence level. The margin of error for
subgroups is higher.

Best Buy
Brian Lucas, 612-291-6131
Brian.lucas@bestbuy.com
or
MS&L
Erica Smith, 404-870-6876
erica.smith@mslpr.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008