How Hard (or costly)is it for TV stations to change channels?

[Markxxx]

Just was wondering with all the DTV talk, and I was reading after the freeze of the 50s was lifted a lot of TV stations had to be adjusted. Like in Providence, channel 12 moved there from channel 11. Or throughout Ohio a lot of TV stations had to adjust up or down on channel.

Just how hard or costly is it for a TV station to move from say Channel 7 to 9. Or channel 62 to channel 34?

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Once I figured out the meaning of life....Then I forgot to write it down.</P>

 

[stationi]

> Just was wondering with all the DTV talk, and I was reading
> after the freeze of the 50s was lifted a lot of TV stations
> had to be adjusted. Like in Providence, channel 12 moved
> there from channel 11. Or throughout Ohio a lot of TV
> stations had to adjust up or down on channel.
>
> Just how hard or costly is it for a TV station to move from
> say Channel 7 to 9. Or channel 62 to channel 34?
>

If the change involves a new transmitter, the cost can be over $600,000 for then transmitter alone.

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[Matt]

> Just how hard or costly is it for a TV station to move from
> say Channel 7 to 9. Or channel 62 to channel 34?

About 18 months ago we changed our LPTV station from channel 14 to channel 39. Three things had to be changed...

1) The crystal and frequency stripping in the exciter stage of the transmitter.
2) The anti-harmonic (bandpass) filter between the transmitter and the antenna.
3) The antenna itself.

Other than that, it only involved re-tuning the transmitter.

I would imagine that for a full-power station the change would also involve a new demodulator for the station's modulation monitor.

Of course, a big part of the expense (and more so for a full-power) would be a frequency allocation study to determine whether the change of channel will cause interference, and if it can be done with a directional antenna, the expense for design and construction of the new antenna.

On top of that, you have to figure something for promotion to let folks know you're moving.

Later...
Matt Smith, Station Manager
WGSR-TV "Star-39"
Reidsville, NC

 

[bpatrick]

> > Just was wondering with all the DTV talk, and I was
> reading
> > after the freeze of the 50s was lifted a lot of TV
> stations
> > had to be adjusted. Like in Providence, channel 12 moved
> > there from channel 11. Or throughout Ohio a lot of TV
> > stations had to adjust up or down on channel.
> >
> > Just how hard or costly is it for a TV station to move
> from
> > say Channel 7 to 9. Or channel 62 to channel 34?
> >
>
> If the change involves a new transmitter, the cost can be
> over $600,000 for then transmitter alone.
>
And it doesn't necessarily translate to a dramatic increase
in ratings. Case in point: in 1973 WSIX/8, the ABC affiliate
in Nashville, swapped channels with WDCN/2, the PBS outlet.
Part of the deal, IIRC, is that WSIX donated some equipment
to WDCN. At any rate, the new WNGE (now WKRN)/2 has remained
Nashville's third-place station to this day. (Slightly off-topic:
Channel 8, the PBS station, is now WNPT.) WKRN, even on Channel
2, still suffers from signal problems, not to mention the fact
that viewers in the northern end of the market have access to
WBKO/13 Bowling Green, KY, also an ABC affiliate.