KCTS 9 (PBS) moves for all-digital conversion, leaves quality HD shows behind

by Darren Murph, posted Sep 16th 2008 at 3:53PM

The times, they are a-changin', and with February 2009 getting closer by the minute, we should probably expect even more situations like this. Put simply, western Washington's local PBS channel had a long-standing history of pleasing HD junkies with a whole swath of unique HD programming on Comcast slot 108 (OTA channel 9.5). Due to the transition to all-digital (or so it says), the HD channel has been shifted to Comcast slot 109 and OTA slot 9.1; that there isn't the problem, though. The issue is that with the move, many of its best high-def programs have been nixed, and the leftovers are being presented "in low-quality DTV," as stated by our tipster. The reaction has been overwhelmingly negative, with pages upon pages of angry comments piling up in a matter of hours. Thankfully, management has posted a note that it is taking notice, but only time will tell if the channel will ever return in its full glory.

[Thanks, Aaron]

Filed under: Cable, OTA, New content

Tags: 2009, channel, comcast, cutover, digital tv, digital tv transition, DigitalTv, DigitalTvTransition, dtv, dtv transition, DtvTransition, PBS, problem, Seattle, switchover, washington

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

Bob Colby @ Sep 16th 2008 4:24PM

This is happening nationwide. The "PBS HD Channel" feed is being dropped by more and more stations and replaced with an HD simulcast of the regular PBS feed (so, HD if they have a particular show in HD, SD if they don't, just like the other networks. It happened to WGBH (Boston) a few months ago.

According to current.org (back in February):

http://www.current.org/dtv/dtv0802hd.shtml

"The PBS Board endorsed the plan last week, reallocating satellite capacity for the fall and discontinuing the original HD Channel, a loop of eye-candy video used to demonstrate the great looks of high-def."

which sounds as though the PBS HD Channel is not long for this world in any case. The same article does indicate that more and more shows will be produced in HD going forward, so stations will probably be able to weather the storms of viewer outrage.

Neutral

Mark M @ Sep 16th 2008 9:09PM

I'm in Seattle and have been playing around recently with my new DTV converter-box (Channel Master which I like mucho). I wondered why Channel 9's OTA HD broadcast on 9.5 had suddenly disappeared - now I know! Apparently their former 9.1 DTV is now 9.1 HD. And yes its true that the programming is somewhat inferior; I can imagine that a lot of locals are pissed. I rarely watch it, and quit donating money to them years ago. Their "marketing demographic" of prime donors is middle-aged-plus upper-middle-class white liberal women, and boy does it show in the programming!

Neutral

William C Bonner @ Sep 18th 2008 9:31PM

I had noticed that 9.5 was off the air late at night when I was flipping through it, and my TiVo wasn't picking up any of the shows I was interested in HD.

I found it interesting when they added a spanish channel on 9.2 earlier this year, and wish that they'd at least offer english subtitles on that channel.

The formal all digital conversion will cause us to lose HD stuff for a while as they decide to play to the lowest common denominator again.

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