▁broadcast ▁networks ▁began ▁transition ing ▁to ▁recording ▁their ▁programs ▁in ▁high ▁definition ▁( HD ); ▁prime ▁time ▁programs ▁were ▁the ▁first ▁to ▁convert ▁to ▁the ▁format , ▁with ▁day time ▁shows ▁eventually ▁being ▁converted ▁to ▁HD ▁beginning ▁in ▁the ▁mid - 2 0 0 0 s ; ▁the ▁upgrade ▁to ▁full ▁high - definition ▁network ▁sched ules , ▁at ▁least ▁among ▁the ▁conventional ▁English ▁language ▁broadcast ▁networks , ▁was ▁fully ▁completed ▁by ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁when ▁the ▁last ▁standard - definition ▁programs ▁upgrad ed ▁to ▁HD . ▁A ▁law ▁passed ▁by ▁Congress ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁required ▁over - the - air ▁stations ▁to ▁ce ase ▁analog ▁broadcast s ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁with ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁analog ▁television ▁arriv ing ▁on ▁June ▁ 1 2 ▁of ▁that ▁year ▁( origin ally ▁set ▁for ▁February ▁ 1 7 , ▁before ▁Congress ▁delayed ▁it ▁due ▁to ▁concerns ▁about ▁national ▁household ▁pen etr ation ▁of ▁digital ▁television ▁by ▁view ers ▁reli ant ▁on ▁anten nas ▁for ▁receive ▁programming ▁in ▁advance ▁the ▁transition ). ▁Low - power ▁television ▁stations ▁originally ▁had ▁until ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁to ▁terminate ▁analog ▁broadcast s , ▁a ▁dead line ▁that ▁was ▁later ▁post pon ed ▁and ▁currently ▁is ▁sl ated ▁to ▁take ▁effect ▁in ▁April ▁ 2 0 2 1 ; ▁most ▁have ▁already ▁transition ed ▁to ▁digital ▁as ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁with ▁the ▁exception ▁of ▁the ▁" 8 7 . 7 ▁FM " ▁out lets