Re: [IRCA] TV deadline

[Scott Fybush <scott@xxxxxxxxxx>]

kevin redding wrote:
>> I think 18% of viewers get TV over the air. The vast majority have  
>> cable
>> or satellite. However that date may get bumped again too.
> 
> The current date is Feb 17, 2009.

And it's highly unlikely to get bumped. Keep in mind that the real 
motivation for the transition to DTV is coming not from the TV industry 
but from the wireless industry (cellular carriers, Qualcomm, etc.), 
which desperately covets the 700 MHz spectrum that's being vacated by 
analog channels 52-69, to provide space for services that can't fit in 
the existing 800/900 MHz spectrum.

Those companies have, for the most part, already paid for the 700 MHz 
channels that they expect to occupy in 17 months or so. They're not 
going to tolerate any delays in taking full occupancy of that spectrum, 
and they have tremendous political pull in Washington. (Qualcomm, for 
example, has already taken over most of channel 55 around the country, 
paying analog stations on that channel to go digital-only earlier than 
planned. I count only 12 full-power analog stations left on 55, with at 
least 3 of them about to go digital-only well ahead of the deadline.)

Whatever complaints are lodged in DC by "average viewers" come 2009 (and 
I think there will be fewer than any of us expect, given how many people 
now get their TV by cable or satellite) will be far outweighed by the 
political pull of the wireless companies.

(Keep in mind, also, that the TV stations aren't necessarily eager to 
see the deadline get extended. Many of them are limping along to the 
finish line with analog transmitters that are near-death or with 
transmitter sites they're eager to vacate, and they're not going to want 
to spend the money it would take to keep the already-expensive period of 
dual analog/digital operation going even longer. One example: WPTA-TV 
and WISE-TV in Fort Wayne, which came under common operation a couple of 
years ago. They've consolidated studio operations at the WPTA 
studio/transmitter facility, but the WISE analog and digital 
transmitters remain in the old WISE building a mile away, which has been 
sold. They're paying the new owners to lease back transmitter space and 
antenna space on the tower. Once the transition is over, WISE-DT will 
take over the transmitter and tower space at the WPTA building now used 
by WPTA's analog signal. That day can't come soon enough for those 
stations!)

s

_______________________________________________
IRCA mailing list
IRCA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca

Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers

For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org

To Post a message: irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx