[SBE] Ready to turn analog back on?

[Sean Anker]

Good questions.

Terrestrial coverage issues get even more complicated in the  
translator world. We had a significant site go out for a few days and  
we maybe received 12 complaints. 5 years ago we would have been sick  
of hearing about it after half a day. This is a site that I've been  
planning on converting to digital (at significant cost) in about two  
years but now I'm wondering why...

This business is changing faster than most of us can react.  
Personally, I believe that the smaller stations have a golden  
opportunity to carve out a niche and hold on to it. Those of us that  
aren't nimble on our feet are in for some tough times.

Sean
--
Sean Anker
anker at kob.com



On Mar 12, 2008, at 9:38 AM, George Gonos, Leader wrote:


> Forgive me if my question is a little off-subject but I seriously  

> wonder

> what will happen to over 30% of the broadcast stations out there who  

> do not

> do local news and local origination.  Given that 85% of the audience  

> is

> receiving their signal through CATV and satellite and neither CATV nor

> satellite have any legal (or business) obligation to carry the

> signal......does this spell the end for these stations?  Have we  

> actually

> gotten to the point where we will allow a large portion of our  

> terrestrial

> coverage to disappear?

>

> I know this is an old subject but I just realized that most people  

> outside

> our industry (and even some within) have no idea of the "must carry"  

> issues

> and do not really comprehend the conundrum that most small stations  

> are

> really facing as a result of this so called "transition".

>

> I am trying to find out if there is a "silver lining" in this  

> transition for

> the small stations out there or if this transition will spell out  

> their

> doom.  Any feedback would be appreciated.