How many analogue channels did New York and LA have?

[mjlarochelle]

I was wondering if New York or LA had more channels than that, in the analogue days. Googling obvious things like 'New York analog TV line up' hasn't found anything useful.

To put a bit of international perspective on it, there were ten analog stations in the Toronto market. (that includes CHCH and CITS Hamilton)

Whilst most of Britain had only 5 analogue channels, some places had a 6th, local channel.

Unusually, Derry in Northern Ireland had (and still has for a few months) 10 analogue services- 5 British, 4 Irish and a local one. Technically the transmitter for the 4 Irish services would be considered a 'border blaster'. When the whole island of Ireland switches to digital in October 2012, the Irish channels will be transmitted 'officially' alongside the British ones from transmitters on the UK side of the border.


At the other extreme, Flanders (the Dutch speaking part of Belgium) only ever had 2, that's *two* broadcast TV channels. Cable TV penetration in that part of Europe is 95%!

Some parts of Canada still have only one broadcast TV channel, especially in the north. Those areas have very high satellite penetration.

 

[dave73]

In Chicago in analog days Channels 62 and 56 were fringe. You couldn't get either channel even in downtown Chicago. In the 50s when channels were allocated, NW Indiana and the south burbs had the population. This was not true by the 1980s when the West and NW suburbs leaped in population while NW Indiana and the south burbs tanked.

In the analog days, both of those stations weren't received clearly OTA in their COL's either (56 licensed to Gary, IN & 62 to Hammond, IN). Despite pointing my main antenna toward Cedar Lake for 56, or toward Tinley Park for 62, I could never get a good picture. Out of the list of stations licensed to the Chicago market, 56 (now RF 17) is the only station that isn't transmitting out of Chicago, due to financial reasons, & not because of WTTW & WYCC trying to block the move. WYIN 56 did get the ok to relocate to Chicago by the FCC, but the lease costs At the Sears Tower & other Chicago skyscrapers prevented the move, & the station withdrew their application. Even transmitting from their site near Cedar Lake, IN, people in Chicago could possibly pick up the station, though not really around downtown Chicago, & definitely not with rabbit ears either, except those closest to their tower.

 

[Markxxx]

When I lived in Hammond, IN I had no trouble getting 56 or 62. 62 was really good. In fact I lived in the south part of Chicago in the 70s and got WCAE Channel 50 very well via rabbit ears. That was when WCAE, channel 50 was PBS and channel 56 was the commercial allocation. That was later swapped.