368 stations allowed to discontinue analog on 2/17; 123 denied

[LoadStar]

Following the passage of the DTV Delay Act, 491 stations across the country applied to the FCC to terminate analog service on the original cutoff date of 2/17. Today, the FCC announced that 368 will be permitted to move forward with these plans. However, the remaining 123 have been denied, because terminating their analog service "poses a significant risk of public harm."

The Milwaukee stations that have chosen to terminate analog service on 2/17, which include Sinclair Broadcasting-owned channels 18 and 24, and VCY America-owned channel 30, are among the 368 allowed to proceed forward.

Across the state, all 4 of the major network affiliates in the Madison area have been denied, as have 5 stations in the LaCrosse-Eau Claire broadcast area and 5 in the Wausau-Rhinelander area.

The FCC has said that they will re-evaluate these 123 stations, if they certify that they meet eight new conditions. The primary focus of many of these conditions is on "enhanced nightlight" analog service, which must offer (in English and Spanish, as well as being captioned for the hearing impaired) information on what areas are losing analog service, and how to obtain and hook up a converter and an appropriate antenna. The stations must also jointly or independently operate a call center to assist customers, as well as a walk-in center where consumers can request assistance in applying for a coupon or where others can donate their unneeded converters or coupons.

FCC Public Notice
List of denied stations

[ddeerrff]

That's insane.  These stations plan for months to be shutting down the analog on Feb 17, and then a week before they are told not only do they not have to do so but they *can't*?   What happened to limited government?

[John L]

So in other words, IF WTMJ-TV, ch. 4 along with WITI-TV, ch. 6 and WISN-TV, ch. 12 and WDJT-TV, ch. 58 choosed to shut down on 2/17, they most likely would have been denied?  

I guess management of our local stations made the right choice then to stay on, otherwise they wouldn't have been allowed to anyways.

-John L.

[LoadStar]

So in other words, IF WTMJ-TV, ch. 4 along with WITI-TV, ch. 6 and WISN-TV, ch. 12 and WDJT-TV, ch. 58 choosed to shut down on 2/17, they most likely would have been denied?  

I guess management of our local stations made the right choice then to stay on, otherwise they wouldn't have been allowed to anyways.

-John L.

You're right that they would've been initially denied. However, all of the denied stations are being allowed to move forward with ending analog service - as long as they agree to the 8 new conditions by the end of the day today.