How many broadcasters will switch off analog in February no matter what?
by Richard Lawler 
posted Feb 3rd 2009 at 4:54PM
The House Rules Committee should be deciding the fate of a possible DTV delay right about now, but no matter what happens, many stations will be shutting down analog broadcasts no matter what. Broadcast Engineering talked to WTVP-TV in Peoria's general manager who claims the station will save $7 - $10k per month in power costs alone, and as such wants to stick with the original transition date rather than continuing to power two transmitters. Two other stations in the area, WEEK-TV and WHOI-TV intend to shut down before June 12 no matter what, assuming the FCC lets them, and they are not alone. Of course, there's still some dispute over how many stations will be able to switch early if the delay passes, due to possible interference with other stations in the area, and thne concerns over how quickly public safety groups can slide into the open spectrum. The final consideration offered: while the current transition date is in the middle of winter weather up north, many coastal states will be two weeks into hurricane season at the time of the June 12 cutoff.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jeff N. @ Feb 3rd 2009 5:11PM
There will never be a perfect time to do the analog switch off. I doubt postponing 4 months will help it all that much. It will add to confusion.
Philip S @ Feb 3rd 2009 5:17PM
With the current economy and with radio and TV ad sales being very slow right now (I work in radio part-time), I expect most stations will switch off analog on Feb. 17. Especially since the engineering work is likely already scheduled to take place or taking place right now. The problem will be for stations changing from their current digital frequency to one occupied by another broadcaster's analog signal (if that station keeps analog on the air).
darklighter @ Feb 3rd 2009 5:58PM
Ad sales are actually a reason to keep the analog transmitters online. Turning off analog means fewer viewers see the ads, so the ads are worth less.
Le Big Mac @ Feb 3rd 2009 5:58PM
Interesting question--who gets priority then? I.e., who is interfering with whom?
DEEZNUTZ @ Feb 3rd 2009 5:20PM
What I find absolutely wasteful is that $650Million from the bailout package being voted on is allocated for digital converter box coupons and should NOT be in a stimulus bill. How is enabling folks to sit at home and watch TV helping an economic stimulus?
Tejas Padekar @ Feb 3rd 2009 6:53PM
Two thumbs up for that observation! No sarcasm!
Kyle @ Feb 3rd 2009 5:40PM
They have been avertising the February 17 every day on the morning news here for over a year. I don't understand the need for the delay--if people couldn't get prepared in the last year, I say too bad!
mbbleach @ Feb 3rd 2009 5:47PM
my local cbs abc fox (wtrf tv) are shutting off analog regardless of the decision
jeremy @ Feb 3rd 2009 5:52PM
My CBS station shut off in December! Geez. Consumers should know the cutoff date by now.
Brent @ Feb 3rd 2009 6:19PM
They should all just throw the switch. Anybody that needs one can just put it on their credit card or go visit their local plasma center (the blood plasma, not the tv).
brehmm @ Feb 3rd 2009 6:22PM
Here in Baltimore MD, both WBFF (Fox) and WNUV (CW), which are actually owned by the same people, have publically stated that they are cutting off analog on schedule as planned.
Any station that is sticking with their current DTV frequency and power, which both WBFF and WNUV are, should have no problem whatsoever cutting off whenever they like. Stations that are transitioning back to their analog frequencies should also have the same luxury.
There are power level concerns all over the map with a phased transition, especially if it's left unmanaged. The post-transition power levels were assigned with an assumption that everyone would switch simultaneously. Any change can and will cause temporary havok. Life will go on. Given their track record to date, I have little to no confidence that the FCC can somehow manage a phased transistion with only days to prepare for it. I'm still in awe how crappy of a job they did with the final allocations in general. They let too many stations have their way, it was a perfect chance to realign everything.
I feel bad for the channels that have been completely off the air for months now, waiting for a previously allocated analog channel to free up. If their destination frequency isn't vacated on time, can they even survive as a company? How many will go under or come close to going under?
This also screws with Neilsen, and therefore the entire TV advertising economy. They postponed February sweeps to account for 2/17 issues, now what do they do? Throw the first half of 2009 out the window completely? It's just stupid stupid stupid across the board.
Le Big Mac @ Feb 4th 2009 11:39AM
One gets the sense that the pols pushing for the delay really have zero sense of any of the complications it will cause not to stay on schedule. The only issue is grannies who haven't been paying attention to all the ads, with no regard for all the logistics that have keyed off the Feb. 17 date for a ocuple of years now.
imonit @ Feb 3rd 2009 9:30PM
Hopefully, all of 'em.
TVGenius @ Feb 3rd 2009 9:43PM
How about here in southwestern AZ? It'll be about 115 degrees here on June 12th. Great weather for our engineers to be up on a mountain working on transmitters.
Don @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:18PM
It seems like this might be the end of broadcast television as we know it. We have: a muddled transition, a bungled coupon program, and a president who didn't really want change under his first 100 days.
TK @ Feb 4th 2009 12:07AM
If I remember reading somewhere right, Mayor Bloomberg in NYC said it be ok if the NYC TV stations flipped on Feb 17. Most of the city have been covered for this and 300k that get over the air might just have it on one set or the are already ready. I think it TV market 1 flips, most of the country will do so as well.
Rich @ Feb 4th 2009 1:56AM
Whether delayed four months or five years, it's still not going to change the people who have been too lazy or cheap to go buy a converter box. The only way those people are going to get ready is when the switch is pulled.
Personally, delaying the analog cutoff is something neither congress, nor Obama should be getting in the middle of, especially less than two weeks out. This move to delay is only going to confuse people, and cost the broadcasters a chunk of change to maintain parallel operations.
I hope a) the house grows the balls to say no to the measure a second time; or b) if congress passes the measure, the vast majority of broadcasters flip the switch on 2/17 just as planned.
People have had more than enough time to get ready for this, and delaying four months isn't going to solve the more complex issues that remain. 95%+ are ready for the changover, and we shouldn't be held back by the remaining 5% who just can't quite get it together.
MI @ Feb 4th 2009 3:45AM
Wow, let the people who know make the decision. What a concept...
Shut 'em down broadcasters!
Michael R @ Feb 4th 2009 4:32AM
Multi-millions of voters for "The One" will lose their tin foil, rabbit ear analog signals if the Democrat controlled Congress doesn't delay the switch. End of discussion.
Rich @ Feb 4th 2009 1:27PM
Coming in at the end of the process, Obama really has little to do with it, and I don't really understand why such negativity. While I totally disagree with any attempt to delay, I can understanding wanting to try and review the process and see what, if anything can be done to smooth the process out since it's been so poorly managed. The bulk of the digital transition over the past ten years, including setting the hard cutoff date, was handled by His Incompetence, King George and his FCC jester, Ken Martin. The lack of planning, preparation, and issue response can only be laid at their feet.
tonymus @ Feb 4th 2009 10:03PM
Maybe if Democrats actually paid their taxes instead of lobbying on behalf of Citigroup these last 8 years, the Government might have been able to fully fund the program to begin with...
Cheapo @ Feb 5th 2009 12:48AM
It is too bad there have been no more reports from Hawaii's switchover. There was a bit of confusion when they changed over but how fast were the problems resolved? Is it still a cluster f*ck or did 90% of the people drive to the store within the first 2 weeks and get a box?
Kit @ Feb 5th 2009 2:05AM
It looks like most of the major broadcasters here in the Salt Lake City market will be switching over: KUTV (CBS) 2, KTVX (ABC) 4, KSL (NBC) 5, KSTU (FOX) 13, KJZZ (INDI) 14, KUCW (CW) 30. The 3 PBS stations: KUED 7, KUEN 9 and KBYU 11 will continue to broadcast in analog and digital from February 17th to June 12th...
Garst @ Feb 5th 2009 2:52AM
I wouldn't be surprised if all stations still make the switch in two weeks. The amount of ad revenue they could generate just by not airing the DTV commercials would likely make that $7 - $10k they would have to pay to keep the analog up look like chump change.