WITI [apparently] sticking with 2/17 cutoff

[LoadStar]

According to a scroller during the 9:00 news this evening:

On February 17, WITI (Milwaukee, Wisconsin), intends to cease analog broadcasting. Viewers who rely on over-the-air service will lose reception of our programming unless they use a DTV receiver or converter box. Converter boxes can be purchased from electronics retailers and online. If you subscribe to cable or satellite service, you should not lose reception. For more information, please go to //www.dtv2009.gov or contact WITI at [9001 North Green Bay Road, Milwaukee, WI 53209], [Fox6News@FOX6NOW.COM], or [(414) 355-6666].

Sure sounds like they intend to move forward, regardless if the date is pushed to June... and the current bills pending in Congress allow the station that right.

Yet another example of how messed up this will get if the bill is passed... instead of everyone switching off on 2/17, you'll have a mishmash of some switching off on Feb 17, then the rest sort of eventually switching off sometime between February and June. Yeesh.

[Jack 1000]

According to a scroller during the 9:00 news this evening:



Sure sounds like they intend to move forward, regardless if the date is pushed to June... and the current bills pending in Congress allow the station that right.

Yet another example of how messed up this will get if the bill is passed... instead of everyone switching off on 2/17, you'll have a mishmash of some switching off on Feb 17, then the rest sort of eventually switching off sometime between February and June. Yeesh.

Exactly Loadstar!

I mean, if there was conclusive evidence that the FCC could present in conjunction with the general public and other authorities that  a four-month delay could help the transition, than I would look at the delay more understandably.  Tell us what exactly the authorities would do in those four months for better preparation, that's one thing.  But just to delay analog transmissions because some politicians believe that people aren't ready is just going to create more confusion.  If systems and people aren't ready now, I don't see how a four-month delay is going to make things better.  You're either ready for the cut-off by now, or you're not.  A four month grace period isn't going to change everything,

The local media is going to hype this up like the end of 1999 and Y2K, watch.

Jack

[leprechaunshawn]

The local media is going to hype this up like the end of 1999 and Y2K, watch.

Jack

We can all bet on one thing thats for sure.  TMJ4 will drop out of HD to cover it.

[gb4fan92]

WITI [apparently] sticking with 2/17 cutoff

Perhaps its the standard warning they intended for the original shutoff date and since there is nothing set in stone yet they are trying to "educate " their viewers.
IMO this message should have been playing for the last 2 months on all channels!

[foxeng]

Until Congress changes the date, ALL full power stations are signing analog off on Feb 17th. Because of that, stations ARE REQUIRED by law to run the announcements until either the date is changed or Feb 17th roles around, whichever comes first.

[techguy1975]

From what I saw/read if the new bill passes, stations *CAN* still shut down on 2/17 if they are ready.   As someone else said, this will just make things messy, since the stations will decide when to go, instead of having one date when all analog goes away.  Hopefully the bill for the delay will die and we can have a clean orderly transition on 2/17.  I'm betting there are tons of engineers who will be more than glad to pull the plug on the old analog transmitters and soon!

[John L]

WITI [apparently] sticking with 2/17 cutoff

Perhaps its the standard warning they intended for the original shutoff date and since there is nothing set in stone yet they are trying to "educate " their viewers.
IMO this message should have been playing for the last 2 months on all channels!

There goes Fox 6 simulcast audio on FM87.7.  The FM 87.7 is going away too.

-John L.

[Jack 1000]

We can all bet on one thing thats for sure.  TMJ4 will drop out of HD to cover it.

Hahahaha!!!  What would REALLY be hilarious is WTMJ losing their SD signal during an "emergency" "First Alert Weather Bulletin" on February 17!!!  Especially if they couldn't get it back, so they could no longer do the weather!!!! LOL!

"Bundle up for 2 more inches of snow and colder temperatures.  This happy snowman in Wauwatosa  tells......(pixiation)............details........(pixiation).........tomorrow............"(static)............(dead!)

Jack

[John L]

OMG!!! I just found out OFFICIALLY that it is true. No matter what happens, if the delay to shut down analogs is extended by congress, no matter what. Your analog TV will no longer be able to receive Fox 6, nor will your car FM radio be able to receive Fox 6 on 87.7 anymore after the 17th of this month!

Thats it! Done! Finished!

:bang:

-John L.

[basshive]

We can all bet on one thing thats for sure.  TMJ4 will drop out of HD to cover it.

This is making me laugh my ass off! classic!!!

[Stanley Kritzik]

It looks like analog will be extended until July (at least!).  Partly, this is due to the bleeding-heart/lack-of-courage on the part of Washington; part due to the idiotic handling of the $40 coupons.  Meanwhile, most everyone has geared up for the new paradigm.

However, our "ever-wise" Congressman Sensenbrenner is quoted as saying that we should drop the conversion altogether.  This Neanderthal does not understand that the plan has been active for several years, the conversion is from analog to digital, and, apart from freeing up the Ch. 2-7 space, the digital form is needed and useful beyond just providing HD video.  Congressman Jim is clueless on many subjects, of course.

Stan

[LoadStar]

http://rabbitears.info/termlist.php
List of stations and when they plan to terminate analog service, according to the FCC.

In this area, WITI, WVCY, and WCGV are all ending analog service on 2/17.

None are really a surprise. LocalTV (owners of WITI) are notoriously frugal. WVCY isn't particularly flush with money either, and I've heard unsubstantiated reports that their analog transmission equipment is being held together with spit and bailing wire. And Sinclair has been publicly against the analog extension for quite some time, and sent out a letter to cable and satellite operators warning them that they would be cutting off their analog service on 2/17, no matter what.

[AndrewP]

Congressman Jim is clueless on many subjects, of course.

Stan

And you of course are the smart one on all subjects. :huh?::rof:

[Stanley Kritzik]

And you of course are the smart one on all subjects. :huh?::rof:

Thanks -- I'm too modest to brag.  The topic, in detail, is off the subject of HDTV, but Sensenbrenner belongs to the very right wing of the Republican party which just got slaughtered in the latest election.

So, the facts speak for themselves.

SK

[AndrewP]

Thanks -- I'm too modest to brag.  The topic, in detail, is off the subject of HDTV, but Sensenbrenner belongs to the very right wing of the Republican party which just got slaughtered in the latest election.

So, the facts speak for themselves.

SK

The topic, in detail, is off the subject of HDTV, but so what, if Jim Sensenrenner is on the right. Nancy Pelosi is no the left and she said that every month 500 mln. Americans will be losing jobs. I don't know what sign to put here {fart} or :huh?: or .

:OnAir:And nobody got slaughtered, 52 - 48 is kind of close numbers.

And the margin of people now opposing the stimulus is more then 4%:wave:

And if Obama and Sensenrenner both want delay of DTV, they both are on the wrong side. At least for me:D