Forgive our exasperation, but the analog TV shutdown status in Youngstown is finally clear.As we reported earlier, numerous readers tell us that both New Vision CBS affiliate WKBN/27 and Parkin Broadcasting/New Vision LMA partner WYTV/33 have been telling viewers that the stations will not sign off analog 27 and 33 on February 17th as previously requested.It's now official, as someone on Sunset Blvd. in Youngstown may have seen our earlier rant about not notifying viewers via the station's … [Read more...]
Back To Digital TV
Posted on February 10, 2009 · Leave a Comment
We return to the world of the Up In The Air Digital TV Transition on a key day.The deadline was late last night for local TV stations to file notifications that they intend to shut down their analog signals on the original transition date of February 17, 2009 - which, looking at the calendar, is exactly one week from today.A bill passed by Congress and awaiting President Barack Obama's expected signature (today?) moves the date to June 12.Even if stations had already filed such notifications, … [Read more...]
Digital TV Date Frustration, Part Two
Posted on February 8, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Here's the promised second update in our "When Will Ohio Stations Dump Analog?" series, covering markets outside Cleveland/Akron. This one is also getting too big, so we'll cover the remaining markets in Southern Ohio and Southwest Ohio later.Just as we cautioned Saturday, remember that stations will have to re-file their intentions to hold to the original February 17th digital transition date. The FCC will accept those filings through the end of Monday (just before midnight Tuesday).From what … [Read more...]
A Weekend Digital TV Update
Posted on February 7, 2009 · Leave a Comment
We're taking a rare Saturday opportunity to answer questions that peppered our mailbox all day Friday - about the digital TV transition, and when Ohio stations will shut off analog signals...February 17th or June 12th?The answer, right now, is that some cases we know, and in others, we don't believe the station has made a decision yet.That decision must be filed with the FCC by this coming Monday night, and President Obama is now expected to sign the bill Monday - after a built-in five-day … [Read more...]
Figuring Out Digital TV
Posted on February 6, 2009 · Leave a Comment
We do have an update with other items (honest, we do!) which will appear later, but there's significant news on the digital TV front still breaking seemingly every hour.With a clearer picture from the FCC, it looks a wrench may have been thrown into TV stations' earlier plans to cease analog broadcasting on the original digital transition date, February 17, 2009...and that wrench may have already landed in Cleveland.We're hearing from readers that Local TV-owned Fox affiliate WJW/8 is now … [Read more...]
More Digital TV Date Fallout
Posted on February 5, 2009 · Leave a Comment
We promise...we've got some other items in the hopper, which will show up later today.But the about-to-be-changed national digital TV transition date still dominates the headlines, and we're still tracking fallout from it locally and regionally. The date change bill is expected to be signed by President Obama sometime in the next day or two, then the FCC will be tasked with quickly writing rules to put it into place.Though Local TV-owned WJW/8 "FOX 8" in Cleveland is still the only TV station … [Read more...]
June Transition Date Approved
Posted on February 5, 2009 · Leave a Comment
As widely expected, the U.S. House of Representatives approved moving the long-ago-set date for the TV digital transition, from February 17th to June 12th, by a 264 to 158 vote. (We'd have put this up earlier, but you'd pretty much had to have been under a rock not to hear about it on Wednesday afternoon.)The bill has already been approved by the U.S. Senate, and unlike an earlier House attempt, did not require a 2/3rds vote to pass...so it heads directly for the desk of President Barack … [Read more...]
THIS JUST IN: WJW Files For Early Analog Shutoff
Posted on February 4, 2009 · Leave a Comment
One Cleveland market TV station has now filed with the FCC to shut off its analog transmitter, and move to its post-transition digital operation, on the original digital transition date of February 17th.Local TV-owned Fox affiliate WJW/8 "FOX 8"'s filing with the FCC hit the agency's online database early this morning. (Thanks to RabbitEars.info's Trip Ericson for first word, and for keeping track of all the applications!)The filing references the current uncertainty over the digital transition … [Read more...]
Three Items Or More
Posted on February 3, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Now, some items we've missed, or smaller items that have just come to our attention...CAROLE GONE?: Though this appeared on Gannett NBC affiliate WKYC/3 senior director Frank Macek's "Director's Cut" blog, we missed it in our recent trip out of Northeast Ohio.A job change by newly installed "Channel 3 News at 7" co-anchor Carole Sullivan's husband appears likely to send her packing to San Diego.That's where Mike Sullivan has been named offensive line coach for the NFL's San Diego Chargers. He … [Read more...]
Northeast Ohio’s Digital TV Picture
Posted on February 3, 2009 · Leave a Comment
We don't have all the information yet, but we think we can take a look at the "picture" of the upcoming digital TV transition in Northeast Ohio...just two weeks before the originally scheduled mandated date for full-power TV stations to take their old analog signals dark.And yes, that phrase "originally scheduled" is becoming quite important.After fits and starts in Washington, it looks like the U.S. House of Representatives is about ready to approve a shift of the national digital transition … [Read more...]
