According to a WaPo article: "Broadcasters can turn off analog signals before June 12, but stations planning do so on Feb. 17 must notify the FCC and viewers by Feb. 9. The FCC might not let a station switch early if the other stations in its market are planning to keep analog signals on the air until June."
<http://tinyurl.com/dzqpq8> So, the way I read it is that each station in a DMA could have a conversation with any other station that might go something like this: "Are you gonna switch on the 17th?" "I dunno...are you?" "Well, that depends on what you're gonna do..." Aaand so on... If the dominant station in a DMA (say like the one in mine that has 70% of the audience share) says "Screw it, we're done with VHF", then the smaller stations could run to the FCC and say that they are at a competitive disadvantage and the FCC could tell 800 Pound Gorilla Station to keep sending the juice to the VHF transmitter until June 17th. Separately, I've read that stations can petition the FCC for an early transition if it would create a hardship. It seems that the average analog transmitter power bill is around $10,000/month, so some stations (like many PBS affiliates--perhaps even WTVI-TV) are finding that $40,000 in extra and unplanned costs are a tougher pill to swallow. I'm not a tee vee analyst, but it would seem to me that there would be stations in larger markets (ie, urban areas) that will go ahead and switch early (or attempt to) and stations in smaller markets and rural areas that will decide it's not worth the possible wrath of the viewing public to risk switching before 6/17 (especially when they are least likely to have staff that can accurately answer technical questions). _____ On Feb 8, 11:58 am, stan <[email protected]> wrote: > In Charlotte, WBTV (CBS) is reporting that all stations in a given > market have to agree to do the analog shutdown on February 17th. > > However, WCNC (NBC), WSOC (ABC), WJZY (CW), and WMYT (MY) say that > 'they haven't decided yet'. > > WTVI (PBS), WCCB (FOX), and WAXN (nothing) have confirmed that they're > shutting down analog on 2/17. In the case of WAXN, it's also because > they're broadcasting on analog channel 64 and they need to give up > that frequency. > > WUNG (UNC TV) has the June 12th date on their website. > > I wasn't confused before, but now I am. > > -Stan --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ TV or Not TV .... Smart (TV) People on Ice! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TV or Not TV" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
