WGBH, NHPTV Increase Collaboration

[Joseph_Gallant]

WGBH-2/WGBX-44 in Boston and WENH-11 (and it's rebroadcast transmitters in New Hampshire, under the brand name New Hampshire Public Television) are combining some programming (on national PBS shows) and back-office functions.

You may know that NHPTV has long been part of the University Of New Hampshire, but last year, state funding was cut off to NHPTV (which accounted for about one-third of the network's annual budget) and the network is going to be spun-off from UNH to become a separate, private-sector nonprofit organization structured much like WGBH/WGBX.

Some WENH/NHPTV administrative tasks, member services, and broadcast technologies will be consolidated, according to a story at http://www.current.org/2012/08/new-hampshire-ptv-wgbh-announce-collaboration/ .

WGBH and NHPTV jointly have a section on the former's website explaining the changes. It can be found at http://connect.wgbh.org/NHPTVupdates .

The two have stressed that they will remain separate organizations, but I could see the time when WGBH will acquire NHPTV, run most of the network out of Boston, while using the Durham, New Hampshire facility of NHPTV as a bureau and for the production of a few New Hampshire-centric programs that would not be seen on WGBH (i.e. "GBH-2 Boston" and "GBH-11 New Hampshire").

 

[bostonmediaguy]

The page you linked to seems to allude to NHPTV no longer being available in Massachusetts as both stations will have the same schedules.

 

[ssetta]

I just looked at the fall schedule for both NHPTV prime and explore and they seem to be identical to 2 and 44. I am finding this very upsetting. What is even the point? Do you think they'll get rid of the same VoiceOver guy they've had since I can remember?

 

[Schuyler]

I just looked at the fall schedule for both NHPTV prime and explore and they seem to be identical to 2 and 44. I am finding this very upsetting. What is even the point? Do you think they'll get rid of the same VoiceOver guy they've had since I can remember?

To your last point, I hope not; he's very good.

As an OTA viewer, it's been great having seven different public TV options (not counting SD duplicates like 11.2). Five is still good, but I've become spoiled.

As a slight digression, will 'GBH ever put something new on WGBX 44.2, now that World moved to 2.2 (displacing 2.1 programing in SD)? At present, there is no signal there, unlike 44.1, 44.3 and 44.4.

 

[ssetta]

I am going to miss NHPTV being available here as well, as I've watched it ever since I was little. I do know that with Comcast, it will no longer be available in Massachusetts. Though I wonder if they could increase carriage of WSBE in Providence. It is available in much of the market, but not everywhere. I have it here in Natick, but SD only on channel 22. I'm pretty sure Verizon FiOS carries it throughout the state of Massachusetts, even in areas up near New Hampshire.

 

[wpxt]

Well this is news I didn't care to see. I always liked how 11 had a different schedule compared to 2. Of course now I will have 3 PBS channels with identical prime time schedules (2, 10, 11) and 2 PBS channels with identical schedules all day (2 and 11). I wonder if we will see a day where 2 is only on cable in Mass, MPBN is only on cable in Maine and 11 is only on cable in New Hampshire?

 

[KML0224]

I thought cable companies had to carry a second PBS affiliate when available? Comcast in New Britain and Hartford carry WGBY-TV channel 57 of Springfield, MA. After Connecticut Public Television dumped Create for CPTV Sports, it made Create on WGBY-TV 57-4 necessary for those who wanted it. I'm just surprised we're getting the WGBY subchannels, seeing as they're out-of-market. We even get WGBY-TV 57-1 in high definition no less! (I don't need a cable converter for the channels either!)

 

[sxld079]

Will Cable Providers Outside Of Massachusettes Like NH, ME, & VT Still Be Able To Recieve WGBH 2/44 Even After NHPTV Becomes A National PBS Feed Like WGBH Channel 2 Is? Or Will They Replace It With Other TV Stations?

 

[channel99]

From their website FAQs:

Q: I’m a member of NHPTV living in MA. What does this mean for my membership?
A: NHPTV members who live in Massachusetts will no longer receive New Hampshire Public Television but will continue to receive WGBH.

It does appear WENH will be removed from cable in Mass., meaning whatever remains of the locally produced NH programs may not be seen in Mass., unless perhaps shown on WGBX.

I wonder if they could increase carriage of WSBE in Providence. It is available in much of the market, but not everywhere. I have it here in Natick, but SD only on channel 22. I'm pretty sure Verizon FiOS carries it throughout the state of Massachusetts, even in areas up near New Hampshire.

Trying a couple of zip codes shows WSBE on FIOS in several eastern MA towns, which means Comcast should be able to add it, and might do so, assuming the HD WENH main channel, and the NH Explore SD channel are freed up. However WSBE has had its share of financial problems too, and WGBH could be eyeing a "partnership" there.

It is a sad day to see yet another independent voice disappearing, and very sad to all see 3 PBS stations in the Boston market controlled by the same organization.

 

[ssetta]

I think that if they're doing this with WGBH/NHPTV, they should also do with with WCVB/WMUR. Just look at both their schedules. They're identical. I see no point to have both stations available when they have the exact same schedule. I think there should be a contract where only WCVB would be available in MA, and then only WMUR would be available in NH. How does that sound?

 

[kc1ih]

On satellite (both Dish and DirecTV), the entire Boston ADI gets the same channels, including 2, 11, and 44, but none of the sub-channels. I wonder if that will change under this arrangement? I also wonder if NHPTV Master Control will still be in Durham or will it move to Boston?

 

[Gregg]

>>>I think that if they're doing this with WGBH/NHPTV, they should also do with with WCVB/WMUR. Just look at both their schedules. They're identical. I see no point to have both stations available when they have the exact same schedule. I think there should be a contract where only WCVB would be available in MA, and then only WMUR would be available in NH. How does that sound?<<<

Their schedules may be very similar but they each do two hours of local news in the morning, 30 min. at noon, 90 min. at 5pm and 35 min. at 11pm. So that's more than 4.5 hours of news a day with different content. Then there are some weekend political shows that are different.

So I guess if you live in a border area (So. NH, Northeast Mass) you'll probably still get both WCVB and WMUR, even if you're losing either WGBH or WENH, depending on which side of the state line you live in.

 

[Gregg]

The press release says "More viewers in New Hampshire will have access to the public media digital channels WORLD and CREATE." What does that mean?

Are they going to add 11.4 and 11.5 for World and Create? WENH airs its main programming in wide screen on 11.1, standard definiition on 11.2 and something they call WENH Explore, their own secondary channel, on 11.3. It would be nice to have access to World and Create from WENH. But the press release really doesn't say that.

Do they mean some cable systems that had been carrying both WENH and WGBH (and maybe WENH Explore) will now replace WGBH with World or Create?

 

[mescutia]

We already get WGBH's particular flavors of World and Create in the digital tier here in south-central NH. Neither one is in HD.

 

[channel99]

On satellite (both Dish and DirecTV), the entire Boston ADI gets the same channels, including 2, 11, and 44, but none of the sub-channels. I wonder if that will change under this arrangement? I also wonder if NHPTV Master Control will still be in Durham or will it move to Boston?

WGBH will be taking over master control, and has ambitions to do that for additional stations, per this article:
http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/61383/wgbh-wants-to-be-your-master-control?nocookies

 

[kc1ih]

I don’t know why they would operate NH Master Control from Boston. After all, wages are generally higher in Boston. Unless they plan to have one person running both channels, in which case watch for the instance of MC errors to go up.

 

[sxld079]

The press release says "More viewers in New Hampshire will have access to the public media digital channels WORLD and CREATE."  What does that mean?

Are they going to add 11.4 and 11.5 for World and Create?  WENH airs its main programming in wide screen on 11.1, standard definiition on 11.2 and something they call WENH Explore, their own secondary channel, on 11.3.  It would be nice to have access to World and Create from WENH.  But the press release really doesn't say that. 

Do they mean some cable systems that had been carrying both WENH and WGBH (and maybe WENH Explore) will now replace WGBH with World or Create? 

It Appears So, Cause I did went to their website and WGBH Channel 2 WILL be removed from most cable systems in Southern NH including Comcast Starting October 8, 2012. Here's an example of what I mean by that is:

Here's Comcast Cable Of Kittery, ME Where you can get all Boston-Manchester and Portland  TV Stations In There, and this is what their lineup is currently like right now as of September 19, 2011:

2-WGBH Boston PBS
4-WBZ Boston CBS
5-WCVB Boston ABC
6-WCSH Portland NBC
7-WHDH Boston NBC
8-WMTW Poland Springs ABC
9-WMUR Manchester ABC
10-NECN Boston
11-WENH Durham PBS
12-WLVI Boston CW
13-WGME Portland CBS
14-WSBK Boston MNTV
15-WPXG Concord ION
16-WFXT Boston FOX
17-WMEA Biddelford PBS
18-WPME Portland MNTV
19-WNEU Merrimack TEL
20-WMFP Lawrence RTV
21-WUTF Boston TF
23-WYDN Worcester Daystar
96-WWDP Norwell ShopNBC

But now with WGBH taking over NHPTV, this is what their lineup will be like now starting on October 8, 2012:

2-WENH Prime Durham PBS
4-WBZ Boston CBS
5-WCVB Boston ABC
6-WCSH Portland NBC
7-WHDH Boston NBC
8-WMTW Poland Springs ABC
9-WMUR Manchester ABC
10-NECN Boston
11-WENH Explore Durham PBS
12-WLVI Boston CW
13-WGME Portland CBS
14-WSBK Boston MNTV
15-WPXG Concord ION
16-WFXT Boston FOX
17-WMEA Biddelford PBS
18-WPME Portland MNTV
19-WNEU Merrimack TEL
20-WMFP Lawrence RTV
21-WUTF Boston TF
23-WYDN Worcester Daystar
96-WWDP Norwell ShopNBC

This is really gonna be a sad loss for Kittery viewers who watch Greater Boston on WGBH Channel 2 will now have to find other programming to make up the loss for it, very sad indeed, isn't?

 

[channel99]

Comcast announcement of the removal of WENH and subchannels in Mass., from the latest bill for the Boston / Brookline system:

On or shortly after 10/8/12: WGBX will move from ch 44 to
ch 16; WGBX-HD will move from ch 818 to ch 801; NHPTV Prime
will no longer be carried on channels 11 and 801; NHPTV
Explore ch 296 will also no longer be carried. Your Public
Television is changing to better serve you. For more
information go to NHPTV.org/updates
Important Information: On or shortly after 10/8/12,
Lifetime will move from ch 16 to ch 61 and will remain
on the Expanded Basic tier.

Note the positive spin put on this...

Maybe Comcast will add WSBE, already on a few of their eastern Mass. systems, and also on FIOS. This appears to be allowed, per the FCC web site:

Noncommercial stations are considered local if they are licensed to cities within 50 miles of your cable system or their signals meet certain technical engineering standards at the cable system's reception facility.

 

[ssetta]

I looked at the schedules for next week (when the switchover takes place), and it seems like it's only the daytime (kids) schedule that will be the same. All of the evening programming is going to be different, though it could change.

 

[sxld079]

I looked at the schedules for next week (when the switchover takes place), and it seems like it's only the daytime (kids) schedule that will be the same. All of the evening programming is going to be different, though it could change.

Uh no, their primetime schedule will change because starting October 8 NHPTV's schedule will now exactly be like WGBH's Schedule, because the week of 9/3 to 10/7 is just a temporary schedule for right now.