• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

DIGITAL NBC FOR WATERTOWN?

J

jiminCT

Guest
Would it be feasible for there to be an NBC added in Watertown?

Possibilites:

A translator in the area from WSTM or WPTZ?

I know there were two stations WLOT and WBQZ that are silent.
 
I would say it would more than likely be WSTM, since that's the station already coming into the market via cable, and geographically, it's a heckuva lot closer than WPTZ. Time-Warner in Syracuse already offers WSTM's digital channels on digital cable... do they not offer them in Watertown? WSTM offers three digital channels: NBC-HD, Weather Plus, and WSTQ.

If you're asking specifically because you want the HD channel without paying for cable, keep dreaming. Neither WSTM nor WPTZ would ever put up a translator in Watertown, because they would lose money on it. Even though WSTM is seen on cable in Watertown, its sales staff can only sell commercials based on Syracuse ratings.

(I am assuming that WSTM doesn't pay for the Watertown numbers, and therefore, cannot "add" them to the Syracuse numbers. Even if they do, most Syracuse clients know they're not going to lure customers down from Watertown. Similarly, most Watertown-area retailers probably can't afford WSTM's rates, and thus, devote their TV dollars to WWNY and WWTI.)

In order for WSTM or WPTZ to make the Watertown translator profitable, they'd have to employ a devoted Watertown-area sales staff, and install the necessary equipment so that Watertown commercials can be "inserted" over the Syracuse commercials. Even if that Watertown sales staff were just one or two people, just the basic costs of the infrastructure, electricity and maintenance would make it hard to turn a profit.
 
Time-Warner in Syracuse already offers WSTM's digital channels on digital cable... do they not offer them in Watertown?
Click to expand...

Interesting you should ask because I was just up there this past weekend! More specifically I was at a friend's house towards Sackets Harbor but I did check out my friend's digital cable line-up(I'm such a geek!) and they do indeed get WSTM's digital channel there in the Watertown region.

But Bob is correct about the translator situation so unfortately you probably won't be getting an over the air ditigal signal in North Country in the near future unless someone decides to start an NBC station in Watertown, but I would never count on that one.
 
I've had this thought from another topic I started...maybe WPBS could lease out a subcarrier channel to WSTm. They would make money...and WSTM could have an off air signal without much of a setup.

WWTI has ABC and CW
WWNY has CBS and FOX

Strange idea....but is it?:)
 
Is a Public television station allowed to lease out a subchannel like that?
 
Maybe its ok if its a subcarrier. Maybe WSTM can make a donation to WPBS as compensation for using the signal. :)
 
I doubt it's legal, but even if it were... donation, lease or otherwise, WSTM would still be losing money on it. And having heard many stories about how cheap WSTM can be, I highly doubt they're looking to do any charitable acts for Watertown.

Even though the lack of a Watertown NBC allows WSTM to be carried on cable, they cannot use Watertown's ratings to boost their sales rates in Syracuse. In other words, they'd be spending the money to install and maintain the Watertown signal, but they wouldn't be seeing any direct increase in revenue as a result of it. Watertown clients aren't going to pay Syracuse rates to get on the air. Syracuse clients aren't going to pay more just because they might get 2 or 3 customers to drive down from Watertown.

Broadcasters are supposed to serve the public interest, but WSTM is licensed to Syracuse, not Watertown. If it weren't for cable, there'd be no NBC in Watertown period. If WSTM cared enough about the non-cable-subscribers, they would have already had a translator up in Watertown years and years ago. If they didn't bother with analog before, I don't think they'll bother with a digital one now.
 
Stop shouting first

Not WSTM-3 from Syracuse. The FCC may not license a new repeater so close to the DT cutover in 2009.

Not WPTZ-5 from Plattsburgh. Its DT tower will be on Mount Mansfield with the other DT signals from Burlington.

Now that I've taken care of that I will say ALL CAPITALS = SHOUTING
 
chuckydoll said:
Not WSTM-3 from Syracuse. The FCC may not license a new repeater so close to the DT cutover in 2009.

Not WPTZ-5 from Plattsburgh. Its DT tower will be on Mount Mansfield with the other DT signals from Burlington.

Now that I've taken care of that I will say ALL CAPITALS = SHOUTING
Click to expand...

Umm, chuckydoll the question was already answered by other people and nobody used all capitals except for youself. Calm down--why are you so angry?
 
OK..here's the counterpoint. Utica's WUTR-20 used to have a translator up in Copenhagen, NY to serve the Watertown area for many years. The only reason it ceased was due to WFYF-50 (now WWTI) coming on air to serve as the ABC up there. Since there seems to be no interest in a hometown NBC for Watertown..and considering translators have existed (and continue to do so...many in the midwest). From a financial sense, WSTM may feel cable penetration is sufficient. However, there is the huge Fort Drum market. Maybe WSTM could set up a translator like WSHM in Springfield, MA (operated by WFSB in Hartford). It's basically a translator with a special Springfield local news inserted at 6 and 11.
 
What channels are available? The "CBS 3" service for Springfield, MA is actually a low-power station off of Mount Tom in Holyoke, MA (to the north of Springfield) and is on UHF channel 67 with an antenna.
 
jiminCT said:
Maybe WSTM could set up a translator like WSHM in Springfield, MA (operated by WFSB in Hartford). It's basically a translator with a special Springfield local news inserted at 6 and 11.
Click to expand...

Reminds me of the setup WPTZ has in Plattsburgh/Burlington with WNNE in White River Junction. Well, actually, I think WNNE is a real station, not just a translator... but similar operations. Master control for both stations comes from Plattsburgh but WNNE has its own commercials. They simulcast most of WPTZ's news, but last time I visited out there, they cut-away for one segment of their own Southern Vermont news.

I'm still not so sure WSTM would do that for Watertown. Doing a special Watertown local news would require building a dedicated studio and set, which is just a bit more pricier than a simple transmitter building. And WWNY is so entrenched as the big local TV news station up there, any attempt from WSTM would probably just shrivel up just like WWTI.
 
Not from the way it looks now

WWNY-7 already has Fox28 on a DT subchannel. WWTI-50 (which is up for sale) already has CW North Country on a DT subchannel.

BobRoss said:
Reminds me of the setup WPTZ has in Plattsburgh/Burlington with WNNE in White River Junction. Well, actually, I think WNNE is a real station, not just a translator... but similar operations.
Click to expand...

WNNE-31 is a full-power station -- always has been. DirecTV and Dish Network include WNNE-31 with the other Burlington/Plattsburgh locals.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom