New digital subchannels from WYBE and WFMZ

[ding12]

I didn't see this posted here, so

WYBE has WYBE-DT 3 (I think related to DC's WNVC/WNVT MHz Worldview) and WFMZ has WFMZ-DT 3 (Retro Television Network)
The WYBE one I knew for a month or so, but I found out about WFMZ recently.

I'm able to receive WFMZ here in Southern NJ as well with an outdoor UHF but I don't think the station can be picked up with just rabbit ears. My TiVo guide doesn't have guide info. for WFMZ-DT 3 yet, but they got ThisTV listings a couple or so weeks after it launched. I doubt Comcast will carry it since they are anti-indy station cooperative (WPHL an exception given that its Tribune owned), but maybe Fios can carry it - wanted, for my TVs with just a Fios box and no antenna where I don't get ThisTV or RTN.

 

[oasisrulz]

Crapcast carries all of the WVLT subs 1-4, so I think they should carry FMZ soon....and again they still will not add GSN in the CC/SPhi area for some unknown reason. Where are you in SJ to receive FMZ, that is a pretty good haul....I checked out RTN, it seems like a great channel for older shows, I hope they add it soon...

 

[ding12]

True they carried WLVT's digital subchannels, but I think that was part of a broad PBS arrangement deal.

WFMZ is an indy. WFMZ's newscasts are in HD, and Comcast didn't make an attempt to carry it, so I doubt they'll go for their subchannel. There are a number of channels Comcast doesn't carry like FamilyNet, ALN, WGN (in some areas), GSN (in some areas), so I doubt Comcast corporate will see value in Retro TV Network either.

Anyways, with 17.2 (ThisTV), 35.3 and 69.3, it's nice to get more programming via digital subchannels, even if by antenna, than just PBS multicasting (ok, but recycled) religious multicasting (TBN, ion/pax) and weather radar, which for the last couple years digital subchannel programming here was limited to that only.

 

[Irishfl]

Comcast is suppose to add wfmz-hd in South Jersey this coming Friday

http://www.hd-report.com/2009/06/04/comcast-launches-more-hd-channels-in-select-areas/

Generally when they have the hd channel up, they eventually add the sub-channels, but I would hold your breath.

 

[ding12]

Wow, that's great news.

Maybe Comcast is being nicer to indy's because Comcast itself isn't involved in news anymore (via CN8, Comcast Network), WFMZ's advertising reach is still limited to Allentown and Lehigh (i.e. no threat to Comcast), and now Comcast just wants to load up in the HD content to be competitive against Fios.

At one time, Garden State Cable, partly owned by Comcast, refused to carry WFMZ and it took an FCC mandate to get WFMZ carried in Cherry Hill. To this date, WTVE which ran "Philly TV News" was denied carriage, and still isn't on Comcast Garden State.

WFMZ (and WLNY in New York market) did it right though getting on cable pre-digital cable era, giving them an analog slot, even if on Ch.99. WMGM-TV(NBC) if it ever wants Camden, Burlington carriage (if it deletes the NBC duplicative programming on the feed to Camden Co.), would likely be delegated to digital only status (separating it from big 4 from Philly and two dozen or so popular cable channels), which is fine but they may have to give up Ch.4 in Atlantic City, a deal breaker. The precedent is KFTY 50 in Santa Rosa which is available in the Bay Area but is digital only even in the home county. KFTY: " The channel can also be seen throughout the Bay Area on Comcast Cable channel 199" wikipedia.