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Northern New Hampshire
- Thread starter dustintv
- Start date
Up in Coos County, cable gives you Portland stations and WMUR (thanks to their translators) WMUR used to run FOX programming on those, now they air the same ABC shows as the mothership. Not sure exactly when the change was made, but it's been at least 4 years. Their translators are in Littleton and Berlin.
Certain systems (like in Berlin) carry CBC from Montreal (CBMT) and SRC from Sherbrooke (CKSH). Of course, it depends where in "northern NH" you're going to be. Some cable systems (such as in Littleton) provide you with Burlington stations and maybe one or two Portland ones. And, you don't get any Canadians on the Littleton system.
Wayyyy up north (Pittsburg) I seem to recall WNBC being the NBC affiliate on cable, as the ability to pick up OTA signals at the head end gets limited. Seemed like a mix of Burlington and Portland stations with WENH as the PBS. And a couple of French Canadian stations (SRC & TVA).
Over the air signals would depend greatly on your location and the local terrain. If you face westward, you may well get Burlington market stations. Eastward slopes would bring in Portland signals. If you're near Littleton or Berlin, you get WMUR via their UHF translators too. Not sure how much I'd bet on CKSH coming in over the air up there. The terrain would have to be just right, as you're still pretty far from there. If FM signals are any indication, it could be difficult. Portland and Burlington signals are your best bet (depending on where you are).
Certain systems (like in Berlin) carry CBC from Montreal (CBMT) and SRC from Sherbrooke (CKSH). Of course, it depends where in "northern NH" you're going to be. Some cable systems (such as in Littleton) provide you with Burlington stations and maybe one or two Portland ones. And, you don't get any Canadians on the Littleton system.
Wayyyy up north (Pittsburg) I seem to recall WNBC being the NBC affiliate on cable, as the ability to pick up OTA signals at the head end gets limited. Seemed like a mix of Burlington and Portland stations with WENH as the PBS. And a couple of French Canadian stations (SRC & TVA).
Over the air signals would depend greatly on your location and the local terrain. If you face westward, you may well get Burlington market stations. Eastward slopes would bring in Portland signals. If you're near Littleton or Berlin, you get WMUR via their UHF translators too. Not sure how much I'd bet on CKSH coming in over the air up there. The terrain would have to be just right, as you're still pretty far from there. If FM signals are any indication, it could be difficult. Portland and Burlington signals are your best bet (depending on where you are).
BRNout said:
It was around February 2002, when WMTW moved from its longtime vantage point on Mount Washington to new facilities near Baldwin, Maine. Prior to that date, WMUR replaced ABC programming on its repeaters with Fox, since WMTW had exclusive rights to ABC in that area.
BRNout said:
Also, I figure interference from WMUR's main signal (also on channel 9) may come into play here, even though that station's transmitter is in Goffstown, close to the Massachusetts border.
C
chuckydoll
Guest
Grafton County is part of the Burlington/Plattsburgh DMA and the largest county in New Hampshire. How large? North to Woodsville and Littleton, south to Lebanon and Plymouth.
DirecTV for Grafton County offers all the Burlington/Plattsburgh locals plus NHPTV and WMUR-9. Charter Cable in Woodsville carries the Big 4 for Burlington/Plattsburgh plus NHPTV, WMUR-9, VPT from Vermont, CBC from Montreal and TVA (#1 Quebec network) from Sherbrooke.
Coos County is in the Portland DMA; up there DirecTV offers Portland locals plus WMUR-9 (but not NHPTV).
DirecTV for Grafton County offers all the Burlington/Plattsburgh locals plus NHPTV and WMUR-9. Charter Cable in Woodsville carries the Big 4 for Burlington/Plattsburgh plus NHPTV, WMUR-9, VPT from Vermont, CBC from Montreal and TVA (#1 Quebec network) from Sherbrooke.
Coos County is in the Portland DMA; up there DirecTV offers Portland locals plus WMUR-9 (but not NHPTV).
Certain cable systems in Coos County do carry WCAX from Burlington (and WFFF Burlington for FOX), despite being in the Portland market. It depends upon where the cable system's head end is and whether they can pull in the Portland area signal. Also, some places in western Coos County have a lot of interaction with their neighbors in VT - which increases interest in seeing VT stations.
But, it is true that most people in Coos Co. would get Portland TV and most in Grafton County would see Burlington stations. Almost all get WMUR and most get NHPTV - usually from the Littleton repeater WLED (49) or Pittsburg translator W18BO. Here's a useful map of the cable systems in the state, courtesy of NHPTV's website: http://www.nhptv.org/graphics/cablecoverage.jpg
You'll note the unmarked towns; I believe that most just don't have cable.
But, it is true that most people in Coos Co. would get Portland TV and most in Grafton County would see Burlington stations. Almost all get WMUR and most get NHPTV - usually from the Littleton repeater WLED (49) or Pittsburg translator W18BO. Here's a useful map of the cable systems in the state, courtesy of NHPTV's website: http://www.nhptv.org/graphics/cablecoverage.jpg
You'll note the unmarked towns; I believe that most just don't have cable.
Brattleboro, VT is actually in the Boston DMA, believe it or not. But looking at their lineup, the 3 PBS stations they get are VPT, NHPTV, and they actually get WGBY from Springfield. I think they get the 3 major affiliates from Boston, but for PBS, they chose Springfield. I don't know why.
And that map that NHPTV has on their site. I don't think it's all that up to date. I think it's from like 2000 or so. I know this because the local cable system in Shrewsbury, MA used to carry it, but they don't anymore, because they had to make room for WYDN. And I see that Marlborough and Hopkinton aren't on the map, but they do carry it. And Adelphia has obviously been changed to Comcast.
And that map that NHPTV has on their site. I don't think it's all that up to date. I think it's from like 2000 or so. I know this because the local cable system in Shrewsbury, MA used to carry it, but they don't anymore, because they had to make room for WYDN. And I see that Marlborough and Hopkinton aren't on the map, but they do carry it. And Adelphia has obviously been changed to Comcast.
It's an older map and is not completely correct because Nashua and Merrimack never had the same cable system. Even today, they are both Comcast but with different channel lineups. But, hey I was just passing it along - which is not necessarily an endorsement of it's accuracy. No need to kill the messenger here! ;D
About Brattleboro, on cable they get affiliates from Boston, as well as Manchester (WMUR - ABC), Burlington (WCAX - CBS) and Albany (WCDC - ABC). And, NHPTV as the cable system actually serves 2 or 3 NH towns as well. On the whole, it's not too shabby.....
About Brattleboro, on cable they get affiliates from Boston, as well as Manchester (WMUR - ABC), Burlington (WCAX - CBS) and Albany (WCDC - ABC). And, NHPTV as the cable system actually serves 2 or 3 NH towns as well. On the whole, it's not too shabby.....
I think it is partly because of terrain and partly because it is a bit of a TV no-mans land. The highest ridges in that section of the Green Mountains border Windham County to the west and they gradually lower as you head toward the Connecticut River. More high hills face east in this part of VT. So, the odds of picking up TV and FM signals from the east (Boston market) are much better than to the south (CT, Springfield) or north (Burlington).
My guess is that the best OTA signals in higher terrain parts of the county would be from Keene, Manchester and the Upper Valley (ch 31). Two of the three are Boston market signals. If I'm not mistaken, at one time, this area couldn't even get WCAX or WNNE OTA or on cable until the signals of those stations were improved. But they did get WWLP (via ch 32 Greenfield, with tx in Hinsdale, NH) until channel 32 (WRLP) was shut down.
As far as Boston area signals are concerned, it's a win because it expands the market and helps to keep it in the top 10.
My guess is that the best OTA signals in higher terrain parts of the county would be from Keene, Manchester and the Upper Valley (ch 31). Two of the three are Boston market signals. If I'm not mistaken, at one time, this area couldn't even get WCAX or WNNE OTA or on cable until the signals of those stations were improved. But they did get WWLP (via ch 32 Greenfield, with tx in Hinsdale, NH) until channel 32 (WRLP) was shut down.
As far as Boston area signals are concerned, it's a win because it expands the market and helps to keep it in the top 10.
dustintv said:
To me, it seems that they go out of their way to cover stories from all over the state. They often send reporters out to stories in the hinterlands, be they in the Great North Woods or in the CT River Valley. I think that they must be doing a decent job balancing between the outlying areas and the Merrimack Valley/Seacoast regions because I have never heard any complaints. When something big happens in a place like Coos County, folks in Nashua and Manchester seem to understand that it's a big deal and actually do take some interest in the story.
You mentioned Boston. WMUR does not tend to cover "Boston" stories unless: 1) It's a huge story; 2) It, in some way, impacts NH residents; or 3) It involves a Boston sports team.
Anything else is left to the Boston stations. WMUR usually sticks with local news in NH - that is their focus and they do well at it.
A
AtkinsonWeather
Guest
Well put, BRNout... WMUR mostly covers NH news. Occasionally they'll have a few stories from the Mass/NH border (Lawrence, Haverhill, etc).
One nit to pick with WMUR is that they totally miss the Seacoast, rarely covering anything in Portsmouth, Dover or Rochester. Considering the growth in this area and the complete non-coverage by Boston and Maine stations it seems like an obvious place to cover. The Lakes Region gets decent coverage and Manchester and Nashua get too much coverage. Very little coverage of state politics or Concord, if it bleeds it leads.
robbbc said:
Well, now that I think of it, their coverage is a little light on the Seacoast area - and they could definitely improve in that area. We agree there. It may require a bit of focus on their part - then again, perhaps it is based on research. Interesting point, though.
However, I cannot agree with you in characterizing WMUR as a "if it bleeds it leads" station [although anything that "bleeds" in New Hampshire IS a big story indeed]. And, their coverage of state politics is much more thorough than most local stations around the US. If anything, they delve a little heavily into state politics, which I have always appreciated - but it may be dry for some. Kudos to them for not being fixated on what the latest little Hollywood coke addict is doing on any given day.
Nor do they seem to overly cover Nashua/Manchester - I think it is proportional to the population of those cities and not more. For example, Boston stations are much more city-centric and are heavily weighted toward covering local news in the City of Boston (a mere 10-15% of the market's population). I don't get that impression from News 9.
In general, I think that they do a good job, particularly for a station in a relatively small market.
BRNout said:
I guess I was a bit harsh with my comment. What I do notice is that automobile accidents in the Lakes region tend to get more coverage than I feel is appropriate (hey just my humble opinion). Not every car accident, motorcycle incident or misdemeanor in Nashua is worthy of time- people can catch those stories in the local paper. What about local municipal elections? Gonna be bloodthirsty in many of New Hampshire's cities this year. Compared to Boston stations I would say WMUR is 100% better at least, and compared to the little bit of the Maine stations I have seen they are much better as well. (As an aside, the Maine stations cover more Boston stories than they should)
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