[February 13, 2009] FCC asks state TV stations to delay digital switch Tweet Feb 13, 2009 (The Charleston Gazette - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Feb. 17 isn't the end of traditional rabbit ears after all. After reviewing 491 analog television signal termination notices, the Federal Communications Commission flagged 123 as posing a significant risk of public harm if they terminated earlier than June 12. Among those 123 are television stations in West Virginia, according to the FCC notice, sent out Wednesday. Despite the federal government's decision to extend the deadline for the national termination of analog television signals from Feb. 17 to June 12 and a plea from U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller urging "them to take advantage of the June 12th delay in communities to protect consumers who are not prepared for the switch," nearly all of West Virginia's commercial stations had either ended their standard over-the-air signal in favor of a new digital signal or were preparing to do so next week. Now, some television stations that had planned to cease broadcasting their analog signal must continue until June. Harold Cooper, general manager for WCHS, said the notice from the FCC came as a huge surprise. Until Wednesday night, his station had intended to turn off its analog signal at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday night. "Now, everything has changed," he said. The notice from the FCC doesn't completely ban the 123 stations from switching off their analog signals, but it does create new directives these stations must follow, at least as a group, in order to comply. Among these requirements are more community outreach and education for viewers about the digital conversion through continued analog broadcasts. Cooper says he understands the FCC's reasoning behind the notice, even if he doesn't entirely agree with it. It was aimed at potential problem markets in the country, where all of the major network stations (ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX) planned to switch to digital by Feb. 17 and fears that many viewers might lose access to emergency news and information. Cooper thought it was odd Charleston and Huntington television stations were included on the list of 123. According to reports he's read, the viewing area was one of the best-prepared markets for the digital switch. He says all local stations have been working toward the Feb. 17 deadline for more than a year. Efforts to inform viewers about the digital transition have been ongoing, but he says, for WCHS, it's easier just to keep the analog signal going. "We talked about it," he said. "But in the end, it was just better to follow the lead of the president, Senator Rockefeller and the FCC. We'll keep the analog signal going until June." Cooper says WCHS's decision to continue broadcasting past the old deadline and provide an analog source for news and emergency information should make it easier for other stations in the market to continue with their plans. Aaron Withrow, chief engineer for WSAZ, says they're going ahead with the switch on Feb. 17. "Our Nielsen and research numbers show most of our viewers receive us through cable," he said. "We're ready to go." Cable television is unaffected by the digital transition. Cable subscribers in West Virginia should already be receiving a digital signal. Chief engineer Bill Galloway at WOWK in Huntington isn't so sure about the effect this new directive will have on his station. WOWK lost its analog signal because of damage inflicted on its broadcasting facilities during the recent ice storms. His station is faced with possibly having to invest resources in restoring a signal that will likely end in six months. Other stations across the state also may have to re-evaluate whether they can suspend their analog signal and only transmit digitally. In the meantime, viewers will have a little more time to get ready for the transition. A toll-free help desk for West Virginia digital television questions (877-388-5473) has been running for months. A call center representative said the pace of calls has been steady, but not frantic. "We've got a lot of calls asking for help setting up," he said. "We get a lot of antenna questions and a lot of complaints about people losing their channels." Reach Bill Lynch at [email protected] or 304-348-5195. To see more of The Charleston Gazette, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.wvgazette.com. Copyright (c) 2009, The Charleston Gazette, W.Va. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]