A Cleveland TV station has ended the longest-running video slide apologizing for missing programming in TV history.When "The Tube Music Network" shut down operations on October 1, 2007, Raycom Media's WUAB/43 in the Cleveland market put up an electronic slide on digital subchannel 43.2 - telling viewers that the network had been pulled off the air, and asking them to refrain from calling either the station or their local cable operator.That slide appeared on WUAB-DT/43.2 for over a year and four … [Read more...]
Wrapping Up The Early Switch
Posted on February 18, 2009 · Leave a Comment
We've been on the road, and have spent a lot of time talking about what was supposed to be a nationwide event...the end of full-power analog TV...on Tuesday.We'll continue to pass along news about the still-ongoing transition, but this item will wrap up the detailed coverage of "Transition Day One"...and we'll be spending more time on our usual mix of items from now on. Coming up later, either tonight or tomorrow morning, more rumblings about that news video sharing "pool" announced by … [Read more...]
Another Analog Bites The Dust
Posted on February 17, 2009 · Leave a Comment
ST. CLAIRSVILLE, OHIO -- We're live from the Wheeling/Steubenville TV market this afternoon.OMW can confirm directly that West Virginia Media CBS affiliate WTRF/7 Wheeling shut down its analog channel 7 transmitter this afternoon. We can further confirm that the station's digital operation has indeed moved into that channel 7 space...the first time WTRF has been at full-power in either analog or digital for some time.Unfortunately, we were still on the road to the Ohio Valley at 12:30 this … [Read more...]
Launching The First Digital Wave
Posted on February 17, 2009 · Leave a Comment
UPDATE 2/17/09 9:43 AM: The FCC has released a final list (PDF file) of stations ending analog operations today or earlier. The affected stations are highlighted in red.And we learn from that list that Wheeling's WTRF/7 is listed as an "enhanced nightlight" station, contrary to what we reported below. That apparently means the switch from analog channel 7 to digital channel 7 won't happen today, since the analog signal will continue for the next 60 days with DTV transition and emergency … [Read more...]
One Going Early
Posted on February 16, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Back to the now-very-confusing world of digital TV...where one station serving Ohio viewers is going to shut off its analog signal a bit early.Like, tonight.All but a handful of Ohio stations have backed away from what would now be an "early" analog TV shutoff on the original deadline, February 17, 2009. For those with no calendars handy, that day is otherwise known as "tomorrow".As a result, as best as we can determine, the following stations will still adhere to the original deadline, and … [Read more...]
And Finally On The Digital TV Front
Posted on February 13, 2009 · Leave a Comment
It looks like those "alternate showings" are now in the public FCC files for TV stations listed as needing to meet new conditions to sign off analog signals by the original deadline of Tuesday (February 17th).The filings we've seen support our reporting earlier about the Dayton market, where all full-power commercial stations now say they'll pull back from the February 17th analog shutoff date.And a Dayton Daily News story this afternoon by Jim DeBrosse confirms our own suspicions - that even … [Read more...]
Oh, Never Mind
Posted on February 13, 2009 · Leave a Comment
UPDATE 2/13/09 5:15 PM: And there goes WBDT/26...and maybe even WPTD/16.The unraveling of the Dayton Early Digital Transition is nearly complete, as Cincinnati Enquirer TV/radio guru John Kiesewetter writes on his blog about that market to his north:4:25 p.m. update: WBDT-TV (Ch 26), the CW affiliate, also keeping analog on.4:30 p.m. update: As of now Ch 16 will drop analog after Tuesday. This just in from the station: "ThinkTV is consulting with Washington counsel and the FCC. ThinkTV 16 … [Read more...]
Moving Back For Some Stations
Posted on February 13, 2009 · Leave a Comment
This was supposed to be the last week of full-power analog TV in the United States, but of course, that's not happening now.We have a Digital TV Status Update for two Ohio markets affected by the FCC's new rules about February 17th shutoffs...but stay tuned, there may be other items...we're working on one piece of big radio news that, unfortunately, continues our ongoing theme...The FCC's most recent public notice about February 17th analog TV shutoffs did indeed focus a spotlight on markets … [Read more...]
Not So Fast, Dayton
Posted on February 12, 2009 · Leave a Comment
It's official - the DTV Delay Bill is law, after being signed Wednesday afternoon by President Obama.Broadcasting & Cable has more, along with a presidential signing statement:--------"During these challenging economic times, the needs of American consumers are a top priority of my administration. This law, which was crafted in a bipartisan way and passed overwhelmingly in the House and Senate, ensures that our citizens will have more time to prepare for the conversion.""Millions of … [Read more...]
Here’s That FCC Early Analog Shutoff List
Posted on February 10, 2009 · Leave a Comment
The Federal Communications Commission has indeed released a list of TV stations that have filed to terminate analog broadcasting on or before the original February 17th deadline.Stations which have filed for an early termination of analog are listed here (PDF file) in Appendix A. The list starts with stations which have already turned off analog broadcasting, including Northern Ohio's WNEO/45 Alliance and WMFD/68 Mansfield, then the list goes to those filing for next Tuesday's original … [Read more...]
