After a decade of preparation, WTOV9 will delay its analog broadcast shut off that was planned for Feb. 17, 2009. This comes after congressional action was taken to delay the switch until June 2009.

Though there is a provision that allows stations to request to shut off their analog signal on the original February date, WTOV9’s request with the FCC has been denied.

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The FCC cited that though WTOV9 is fully ready to make the switch, not enough of its viewers are ready. This is despite hundreds of public services announcements the station aired in the past year, special 30-minute programs that were broadcasted and a report that said 97 percent of households were aware of the Feb. 17 analog shutoff date.

WTOV9 began its multimillion-dollar upgrade in the 1990’s. That’s when Congress determined that broadcast stations must transition television broadcasting from analog to digital. Converting to DTV was intended to allow the federal government to sell off parts of the analog spectrum for new wireless services, such as wireless broadband, and free up other parts of the broadcast spectrum for public safety and emergency services.

In order to broadcast through the transition, WTOV9 spent $10 million to build a new broadcast tower and transmitter building, and purchase new analog and digital transmitters, and purchase new analog and digital antennas and other digital infrastructure. The station began its digital broadcast in Nov. 1, 2002.

WTOV9 will suffer a hardship because the analog shut off is being delayed. Until the switch to all digital is made, WTOV9 will have to broadcast both an analog and digital signals, meaning the stations power bill will be significantly higher and interfere with the stations efforts to' Go Green' in 2009.

By delaying the switch to all digital, some WTOV9 viewers who have already purchased new digital televisions will have to wait longer to receive the station’s digital signal or receive a clearer picture, because the station is unable to broadcast at a high digital signal. When the total transition is complete, WTOV9’s signal will reach 10 percent more viewers – meaning the signal will reach about 3.5 million.

Though the new nationwide date to go all digital is set for June 12, 2009, the FCC could grant WTOV9 to begin its all-digital broadcast sooner. WTOV9 will notify its viewers at least 30 days prior to its analog shutoff, as required by the FCC. In the meantime, WTOV9 will continue to do its best to make sure every viewer will be ready when the analog signal goes away. The station will continue to educate viewers on how to make the transition, including how to properly connect digital converter boxes to their television.