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Goodbye Full-Powered US Analog TV

C

crainbebo

Today, the last of the nightlight stations have stopped broadcasting in analog forever. That means that analog (except for LPTV and pirates) are done forever. However, TV DXing isn't done for, as you can switch to the Digital band and try for E-skip and tropo there. Analog will still be alive however, with Canada, Mexico, Cuba and Central America (try also for South America!) still on for many years (Canada 2011, Mexico several years after us). Enjoy Digital TV! Cheers! :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( "Goodbye analog TV"

-crainbebo
 
End of the Line for LPTV?

Now that even the nightlight broadcast of full-powered analog TV stations has ended, what is the future for LPTV? In the way that this transition was handled, it appears that Congress, either by oversight or on purpose, has put them out of business. The switchover was already underway before anyone thought to require analog pass-thru on converters, and even if it is available, who will bother? With everyone on digital, dish or cable is there anyone out there watching them? The most visible LPTV in my market lost their slot on cable (which they were actually paying for) and just went digital as a matter of survival. For those that can't quickly follow suit, this is probably the end of the line?
 
Re: End of the Line for LPTV?

Maybe, maybe not. We have an LP here that I believe may well end up thriving. WGSR-LP started out long time ago as WXIV serving Reidsville, NC. Come digital transition, it had to move their analog channel, and continued accordingly, and since WXIV didn't make sense when you're no longer channel 14, the calls changed. Sure there were ownership changes too, I believe. However these guys managed to snag a new digital permit for their station that has a much larger coverage area. They're still trying to iron out the kinks in their transmission system but since the new signal's "official contour" covers the majority of Greensboro, they're hoping to get carriage on Time Warner here, I presume through the "must carry" process. They also purchased a translator that belonged to WLXI that has a digital construction permit, though as I know the station has not got enough cash to construct the digital facilities yet. The station manager reads this board frequently enough, I hope he fills us in.

Mark.
 
Didn't 'CBS go off June 26? You should picked up WGBH.

-crainbebo
 
Re: End of the Line for LPTV?

An LPTV (WGTB) here in Charlotte, NC did a smart thing. Rather than building digital facilities, they lease one of WMYT's digital subchannels. WMYT doesn't have to program the channel, and WGTB doesn't have to worry about conversion. In fact, Time Warner carries them on digital cable because they are WMYT's sub-channel
 
Re: End of the Line for LPTV?

Here in Columbus Ohio there is one LPTV that broadcast digitally, WDEM. Oddly it is the only local station that broadcast on its actual UHF channel.

GTN23 have an application to broadcast digitally so does WCPX LP48.

In Mansfleid Ohio the lone full power TV station WMFD does muticast its OTA signal. On 68.2 it airs an LPTV station.
 
crainbebo said:
Didn't 'CBS go off June 26? You should picked up WGBH.

-crainbebo
Click to expand...

Nope. WCBS-TV was the last one, after WNBC gave up the analog ghost on June 26.

And channel 2 in New York stayed well past the appointed time of analog death, breathing its last around 6:00 AM on June 13. I wonder if the FCC will fine them for "illegal broadcasts"? ???
 
Re: End of the Line for LPTV?

Are there any early numbers on where cable/sat penetration has trended since analog shut-off? LPTVs may or may not feel its worth the expenses to switch to digital if they already have cable carriage unless it dramatically increases their coverage area.

I doubt that any of the LPTV drones (home shopping, music videos, satellite-fed religion) that simply air programming off a satellite and have no local presence or involvement are going to spend the money until forced to do so. What ever loyal audiences they have will probably just have to get used to switching their receivers from DTV to analog to keep watching.

IMHO, The FCC really needs to set a date on LPTV-transition within the next few years.
 
Re: End of the Line for LPTV?

It sounds like a lot of their success or failure depends on the local cable company and how willing they are to provide carriage. The LPTV that I'm referring to here had a serious issue (with an unnamed cable company that I shall refer to only as Comcast) because they were charging hefty fees for them to lease a basic tier channel. Once they fell behind in the payments they were cut off, which nearly put them out of business.

Personally, I got so fed-up with the unnamed cable company referred to only as Comcast that I dumped them and went with a dish, which gives me no LPTV's unless I grab my rabbit ears and go looking for them. So I guess it is a moot point considering the rates at which they are driving people away from cable.
 
Re: End of the Line for LPTV?

Chad-Stevens said:
Are there any early numbers on where cable/sat penetration has trended since analog shut-off? LPTVs may or may not feel its worth the expenses to switch to digital if they already have cable carriage unless it dramatically increases their coverage area.

I doubt that any of the LPTV drones (home shopping, music videos, satellite-fed religion) that simply air programming off a satellite and have no local presence or involvement are going to spend the money until forced to do so. What ever loyal audiences they have will probably just have to get used to switching their receivers from DTV to analog to keep watching.

IMHO, The FCC really needs to set a date on LPTV-transition within the next few years.
Click to expand...

I guess it depends on the market. In Phoenix, even the "LPTV drones" are going digital, and many are operating digital companion channels alongside their analogs. Of the 15 LPTV stations, we have 1 DTV-only, 3 with both DTV and analog, 3 with DTV companion CPs, 1 DTV flash cut CP, 1 DTV flash cut STA, and 3 DTV flash cut apps. By the time the FCC gets around to setting a LPTV analog sunset date, I think it will be moot in the Phoenix market.

One thing that helps out is multicasting. Of the 4 LP DTVs operating, 3 multicast, with 10 programming streams, including 1 in 720p HD. Advertising has been steady at some stations, slow at others, but even the slow stations are starting to pick up.

FreddyE1977 said:
It sounds like a lot of their success or failure depends on the local cable company and how willing they are to provide carriage. The LPTV that I'm referring to here had a serious issue (with an unnamed cable company that I shall refer to only as Comcast) because they were charging hefty fees for them to lease a basic tier channel. Once they fell behind in the payments they were cut off, which nearly put them out of business.
Click to expand...

That's the frustration of today's TV environment. When a local class A wanted to add a popular subchannel, they had to wait almost a year to launch until they could get cable coverage for it, and then it was another few months before the cable company actually added it. And they were fortunate: the current ownership was initially backed by local political and commercial heavy hitters, so they had more influence with the cable company.

IMO, LPTV stations are a perfect fit for locally-produced content, but 80-85% of the public would rather have 200 channels of cookie-cutter content from elsewhere. So much for America's desire for localism and diversity.
 
Re: End of the Line for LPTV?

dhett said:
IMO, LPTV stations are a perfect fit for locally-produced content, but 80-85% of the public would rather have 200 channels of cookie-cutter content from elsewhere. So much for America's desire for localism and diversity.
Click to expand...

You would think. LPTV is actually a lot like radio as far as the public attitudes are concerned. For example within the last five years we had a few radio stations in my old market who actually decided to do away with automation and went back to being live in many dayparts including overnights and weekends. The reaction: The public for the most part really didn't care and the reaction from those in the biz, they felt the whole idea was stupid. Funny how some of these same people go on and on and on and on and on about how "wonderful" radio was back in the good ole days when radio was "LIVE" but when some station decides to go that route, many of times the very same people are the ones who usually start slamming the idea.

Wasn't that the purpose of LPTV stations? To provide a community voice? I can think of a number of such stations that started out that way only to end up being part of TBN or something else that is hardly local.
 
Re: End of the Line for LPTV?

mleach said:
Wasn't that the purpose of LPTV stations? To provide a community voice? I can think of a number of such stations that started out that way only to end up being part of TBN or something else that is hardly local.
Click to expand...

The original purpose for LPTV stations was to serve as repeaters for full-power tv stations.
 
Re: End of the Line for LPTV?

JayR said:
The original purpose for LPTV stations was to serve as repeaters for full-power tv stations.
Click to expand...

No, that was and is the purpose of translators. The purpose of LPTV was to provide local programming.

- Trip
 
Re: End of the Line for LPTV?

tripinva said:
JayR said:
The original purpose for LPTV stations was to serve as repeaters for full-power tv stations.
Click to expand...

No, that was and is the purpose of translators. The purpose of LPTV was to provide local programming.

- Trip
Click to expand...

I thought local programming was supposed to be a component of regular full power TV stations. It used to be "in the old days" but aside from some morning shows doesn't seem to exist any longer. The only FP station in the Phoenix area that carries an "old fashioned" amount of local programming seems to be PBS.

KAZT carries local programming on their flagship signal but their COL is Prescott (even though some of the "local" programs are Phoenix-based).
 
I think Trip was referring to locally-produced niche programming that doesn't have enough general appeal to be on the full-service stations. I think what the FCC had in mind back in 1982 was almost like an OTA community access channel.

There also seems to be a little confusion over LPTV, a term used to describe both a low-power broadcasting license, which includes translators, and the service that the FCC created in 1982, in which a low-powered station is allowed (and encouraged) to originate content, unlike a translator, which cannot.
 
In Columbus Ohio WDEM-CD does offer a lifestyle newsmag and partner with WWCD FM to produce an local music series. Plus airings of Mad Labs Theater productions.

Most of the time they aired movies that are in the PD or the broadcast rights are cheap.

17.1 Main Programming
17.2 Tierra Media's Programming
17.3 TBA
 
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