WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina | WIS completes 'The Big Switch' to Digital TV

WIS completes 'The Big Switch' to Digital TV

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - WIS Television turned off its channel 10 analog TV transmitter for good on Friday and is now all-digital. Most viewers didn't notice the change, but for the more than 51,000 households that view WIS over the air on antenna TVs, it was a major change. 

Friday was the day TV stations across the country dropped the old analog signals, and could broadcast only in digital.

On Friday alone, the Federal Communications Commission says 317,000 calls went to the help line -- 1-888-CALL-FCC.

More than 100,000 additional calls came in Saturday, bringing the total for the week to nearly 800,000.

Most of the 100 million U.S. households with TV sets weren't affected, because they get their signals through cable or satellite companies.

Those viewers who use older analog-only TVs, have not bought digital-to-analog converter boxes and do not subscribe to cable or satellite lost WIS programming at 12:30pm on June 12. Viewers with digital antenna TVs or converter boxes also will need to take action to continue to watch WIS.

WIS was the only TV station in Columbia to change its digital channel when it shut down analog transmissions. This means that each converter box or digital TV will have to be rescanned for available channels to receive WIS programming over the air using an antenna.  If viewers do not rescan their digital receivers at that time, it will appear that WIS has gone off the air.

The station will operate for about a week using a temporary, reduced-power transmitter.  During that time WIS will convert its analog transmitter to a full-power digital transmitter.  The conversion will be complete on or about June 19. During the interim period some WIS over-the-air viewers may experience temporary disruption of their digital reception. "We ask our loyal viewers to bear with us during this period," said WIS VP/General Manager Donita Todd. "The temporary reduction in power to our over-the-air signal is unavoidable, and we will do all we can to have full-power service restored as soon as possible."

"WIS has been working on the transition to digital TV for several years," said Todd, "and we've worked hard to make sure our viewers have the information they need to get ready for the final step."

See the attached DTV FAQs for additional information and resources for viewers who have questions about digital television.

WIS Television is part of Raycom Media, Inc., an employee-owned company and one of the nation's largest broadcasters.  Raycom owns or operates 46 television stations in 18 states. Raycom stations cover more than 12% of U.S. television households and employ 3,500 individuals in full and part-time positions. Raycom Media is headquartered in Montgomery, Alabama.

"The Big Switch" FAQs

How do I rescan the channels on my digital TV or converter box?
Most viewers can do this by pressing the "menu" or "setup" key on the digital TV or converter box remote control and selecting the rescan function.  The name for this function differs among the many manufacturers of these devices.  Some call it "auto program", "channel program", or "auto channel memory".  Others call it "rescan" or "auto scan."  Viewers should check their user manuals for precise instructions. [Instructions for rescanning converter boxes]

Do I need a different antenna to watch WIS after "The Big Switch"?
Because of the digital channel switch from 41 to 10, digital over-the-air viewers need to have what's called a VHF/UHF antenna to receive WIS programming over the air.  VHF channels are those numbered 2 to 13.  UHF channels are numbered 14 and above.  Many viewers already have VHF/UHF antennas.  But some older televisions have only a VHF antenna, the original "rabbit ears", while some newer antennas advertised as DTV or HDTV antennas are UHF only.

I thought WIS was always broadcasting in digital on channel 10. Why doesn't my digital channel menu list WIS on channel 41?
Since it began broadcasting in digital in January 2003, WIS-DT -- the official call letters of the digital channel -- has been operating on channel 41.  But digital TV receivers are able to convert the channel information sent by the station so that viewers who press "10" on their TV channel selectors see WIS-DT listed on screen as channel 10-1 or 10.1.

The WIS digital signal on your current channel sometimes breaks up during a storm or when the wind blows.  Will this improve when you install the new transmitter?
Engineering studies indicate that our new, full-power transmitter on channel 10 will expand the WIS digital coverage area.  This may improve reception for many of our viewers. Other viewers may find that they need to upgrade their antenna or replace an indoor antenna with an outdoor or attic-mounted antenna to receive digital VHF channels. Reception can vary widely from neighborhood to neighborhood in the same community, and even from room to room in a home.  The two best ways to improve digital TV reception are:  1) get the highest quality antenna you can, and 2) raise the height of the antenna as far above the ground as possible.

Will I lose digital reception of WIS when you switch to the temporary, reduced-power transmitter on June 12?
There's no way to know for sure if a particular over-the-air digital viewer will still be able to watch WIS after the switch.  Currently, some viewers watch WIS-DT from a distance of 60 miles or more.  Other viewers much closer to our transmitter in Lugoff have reception problems due to antenna issues or obstructions like buildings or hills.   

Why are WIS and the other stations still talking about the digital switch? Doesn't everyone know about it already?
Surveys show that there are still millions of households in the U.S. - and perhaps thousands in our viewing area - that are unprepared for the transition.  Even though WIS has been educating viewers about DTV for nearly two years, we need to make sure that we continue to get the word out. Television is a source of important information about severe weather and breaking news, so it's critical that all viewers maintain television service after the digital transition is complete. 

I have a DTV question that you haven't answered.  How can I get more information?
WIS encourages viewers who have specific questions about digital TV reception to call the station at 803-799-1010 during regular business hours (803-758-1079 after hours) or send an email to dtv@wistv.com.  The station also has a comprehensive DTV information page on its website at www.wistv.com.  Click on "DTV info" at the top left of the homepage. See below for additional sources of DTV information:

For general information on the DTV transition:

1-888-CALL-FCC (open 24 hours a day) or email: dtvinfo@fcc.gov

To order $40 discount coupons for TV converter boxes:

1-888-388-2009 (24 hours), order online at www.dtv2009.gov

To request free, at-home installation of converter boxes:

(888) 900-3881 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)

(888) 508-1115 (8am-6pm, 7 days a week)

For seniors (60+) to request a home visit for converter box installation and training:

In Richland, Lexington, Newberry, and Fairfield Counties, call Shelia Bell-Ford at Central Midlands Council of Governments Area Agency on Aging at (803) 744-5127.  In Sumter, Lee, Kershaw, and Clarendon Counties, seniors can contact Shawn Keith at the Santee-Lynches Area Agency on Aging at 1-800-948-1042.

Websites for DTV information, converter box questions, or antenna/reception help:

www.wistv.com - click on "DTV Info" or the "Big Switch" link

www.dtv.gov  -- most comprehensive government website on DTV

www.dtv2009.gov - to order coupons for converter boxes

www.dtvanswers.com - "how to" information and FAQs

www.antennaweb.org - helps viewers select an antenna

www.tvfool.com - antenna information with more technical detail

Copyright 2009 Raycom Media. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. AP contributed to this report.