WASHINGTON — On October 15th, a broadcasting trade group Monday unveiled a $697 million public service campaign aimed at educating viewers about the coming shift to digital broadcasting.

The National Association of Broadcasters said that all broadcast networks as well as 95 television broadcasting companies have committed to air public service announcements as part of a campaign that will reach nearly every television viewer in the nation.

NAB board chairman Jack Sander said the campaign “may be the largest volunteer effort in the history of television, with literally every market and network involved.”

The broadcast lobbying organization said the educational effort will include public service spots in both English and Spanish, “crawlers” that will run at the bottom of television programming and a 30-minute educational program about the transition.

Beginning Feb. 18, 2009, broadcasters will stop transmitting analog signals. Non-digital television sets that are not attached to a cable or satellite service and not equipped with special converter boxes will no longer work.

A 2005 report by the Government Accountability Office said 21 million households—roughly 19 percent of the nation—rely on an antenna rather than cable or satellite to receive television signals.

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After the first of the year, the government will be making available to each household two coupons worth $40 each that can be used to buy two converter boxes.

While Congress committed $1.5 billion for viewers to spend on converter boxes that will translate digital signals for older televisions, it has committed only $5 million to publicize the program.

Earlier this year, the cable television industry announced its own educational campaign, which it valued at $200 million.