Several Equity stations going dark on June 12?

[anik]

Excerpt from article at Multichannel news:

Updated: FCC: 35 Stations To Go Dark June 12
Agency Says Full-Power Stations Will Cease Operation
John Eggerton -- Multichannel News, 6/3/2009 8:15:36 AM MT
The Federal Communications Commission said Wednesday that 35 full-power TV station now broadcasting in analog indicated that they will cease operation entirely on June 12, when all full-power stations must transition to digital.

Of those, 18 are owned by Equity Media, and seven of the 30 stations are affiliates of a major network. A full list of the stations is available here. .....

Rest of article here.

I see some call letters I recognize… damn! Does this mean those feeds will go buh-bye?

 

[Mr Tony]

They may go silent OTA but they can stay on cable/satellite.

snippet from WMQF Marquette about the new owners

WMQF has not constructed digital TV facilities and will likely have to go silent on June 12 as a result, though cable coverage could continue. WMQF did not get a digital companion channel since its initial construction permit was issued after the FCC created a list of companion channels. The FCC granted an extension until December 12 to complete digital facilities.

There are too many cable viewers in some of those markets...also one is wrong
KKYK-DT is ALREADY DT on 49...they have an analog translator on 20 but that doesnt need to upgrade yet

The Fox Montana ones I could see getting moved quickly to MaxMedia who bought them. Also those wont leave yet as 2 of the 3 have -LP translators which again doesn't have to upgrade so they'll stay on satellite

KMMF
KMMF is a full-service television station in Missoula, Montana, broadcasting locally in analog on UHF channel 17 as an affiliate of Fox. Founded April 25, 2000, the station is owned by Equity Broadcasting. The station's signal is repeated in Kalispell, Montana on KMMF-LP channel 34.

KBTZ
KBTZ is a full-service television station serving Butte, Montana as a Fox affiliate, broadcasting in analog on UHF channel 24, with no digital allocation. The station is owned by Equity Media Holdings of Little Rock, Arkansas. KBTZ simulcasts on translator station KBTZ-LP UHF channel 32 in Bozeman, Montana.

KLMN is the only one that doesnt have a LP counterpart

from a G18 view when a channel leaves, its gonna be because the new owner took over.

 

[Diamond Jim]

I don't care about the others, I just can't stand to lose any FOX Station.

 

[digiblur]

Weird... the Mississippi PBS stations have built digital rigs and are working.

 

[bubba108]

18 Equity stations go dark on June 12, including all Fox affiliates

18 Equity stations go dark on June 12, including all Fox affiliates -
:rant::rant::rant:

Just saw this. Drat & darn it!


FULL STORY!
http://www.multichannel.com/article/277989-Updated_FCC_35_Stations_To_Go_Dark_June_12.php

 

[bubba108]

Just found this was already posted. But the thought on the original thread was that they would stay up on Satellite.

QUOTE:
"Once the change of ownership paperwork goes through the FCC, the new owners will probably relaunch their stations, although probably 'not via satellite'."

 

[Mr Tony]

merged threads together

 

[eurosport]

I wonder what this means for Retrojams....?

 

[bubba108]

merged threads together

Maybe I be ovary reacting, but this doesn't look good.

"Once the change of ownership paperwork goes through the FCC, the new owners will probably relaunch their stations, although probably 'not via satellite'."



No more UFC Joe Rogan for me and no more 'So you think you can Prance' for Ms. Bubba.

FTA is all we have here in the lunatic fringe area, no OTA.

 

[TimLones111]

Maybe I be ovary reacting, but this doesn't look good.

"Once the change of ownership paperwork goes through the FCC, the new owners will probably relaunch their stations, although probably 'not via satellite'."

.

And that may still take awhile.lets just wait and see..

 

[bubba108]

And that may still take awhile.lets just wait and see..

Yeah, you probably right but I live by the motto:

When in danger or in doubt
Run in circles, scream and shout!

 

[avg1joe]

When in danger or in doubt
Run in circles, scream and shout!

Haven't heard that one. It's beautiful.

 

[amc1]

They may go silent OTA but they can stay on cable/satellite.

snippet from WMQF Marquette about the new owners


There are too many cable viewers in some of those markets...also one is wrong
KKYK-DT is ALREADY DT on 49...they have an analog translator on 20 but that doesnt need to upgrade yet

The Fox Montana ones I could see getting moved quickly to MaxMedia who bought them. Also those wont leave yet as 2 of the 3 have -LP translators which again doesn't have to upgrade so they'll stay on satellite

KMMF
KMMF is a full-service television station in Missoula, Montana, broadcasting locally in analog on UHF channel 17 as an affiliate of Fox. Founded April 25, 2000, the station is owned by Equity Broadcasting. The station's signal is repeated in Kalispell, Montana on KMMF-LP channel 34.

KBTZ
KBTZ is a full-service television station serving Butte, Montana as a Fox affiliate, broadcasting in analog on UHF channel 24, with no digital allocation. The station is owned by Equity Media Holdings of Little Rock, Arkansas. KBTZ simulcasts on translator station KBTZ-LP UHF channel 32 in Bozeman, Montana.

KLMN is the only one that doesnt have a LP counterpart

from a G18 view when a channel leaves, its gonna be because the new owner took over.

ice are you saying g18 will loose its fox channels?and Retrojams....?

 

[Mr Tony]

sometime down the line...yes
do we know when? no

remember that equity sold most of their stations because of the bankruptcy
http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-air-fta-discussion/171945-daystar-max-pickups-equity.html

so right now we dont know when stations will leave. Depends on how quickly the FCC approves the sales and all that stuff.

so as I've said before, lets not worry about when we will lose them. Lets enjoy them right now

 

[amc1]

bummer man . i got in this hobby beacuse i liked it but this seems like something rearing its ugly head up enough to take the enjoyment out of it. i been at it a couple years now and that really sucks the life out of it.

 

[Mr Tony]

eh, stuff happens. Channels come and go all the time

3-4 years ago when G3 C-Band was lit up it was "oh my god they're moving to C-Band" and they didnt
Then it was "they're in trouble we're going to lose them" and we havent
Then they filed bankruptcy and everytime someone lost the chanenls it was "is it the end of the stations?" and it wasnt

so we've been down this road before......

 

[bubba108]

Haven't heard that one. It's beautiful.

---------------------------------------------------------------
When in danger or in doubt
Run in circles, scream and shout!

© Bubbaland News 2009 All rights reserved
---------------------------------------------------------------
But hey feel free to use it!



Anyway, D day 6/12 is just around the corner so we will know soon enough.

 

[Diamond Jim]

Hey Ice,

Do you remember when we cried like babies when the Brimingham locals went off of G3? I'd only had my box about 2 months and that was my 1st experience at losing channels. Man...I thought the world was comimg to an end :rant:. Now over the years I have learned to accept it. When something leaves, something else will come along and replace it.

 

[amc1]

sorry for letting my fustrations out . sometimes it gets the best of me.lol.

 

[Mr Tony]

Hey Ice,

Do you remember when we cried like babies when the Brimingham locals went off of G3? I'd only had my box about 2 months and that was my 1st experience at losing channels. Man...I thought the world was comimg to an end :rant:. Now over the years I have learned to accept it. When something leaves, something else will come along and replace it.

yep. I had a dish at G3 for the Sioux games and stumbled upon them. They were fun to have

just like when other cities locals unscramble due to a technical issue at a cable headend for a while. We kinda get use to it and not worry about when it will leave