Subchannel Chat (Over-the-air) ie: THIS TV, RTN, Independent Channels

[Fringe Reception]

Dave,

Its even more complicated when you include the coming reassignment or 'repacking' of 'real' channels you currently receive do to the TV spectrum auctions. Have you checked to see where your (current) stations will go? Here's Forum Member Trip's list: RabbitEars.Info <-- ("click" / change it to search by current channels)

Secondly, in Seattle START TV will be carried by an independent station and (as of now) our CBS affiliate will continue to carry GET TV and LAFF TV, so other areas probably also have different contractual affiliations.

At least for now, we don't have to worry about the (now DOA) Tribune Media and Sinclair Broadcast Group propose merger. It would have required the combined business to divest stations in some areas. The following is from the NW Broadcasters website Northwest Broadcasters - Since 1997 - News you can trust for over-the-air radio & TV stations in coastal WA and southwest BC

08/09/18 - Tribune Media Company has released a statement saying they’ve terminated the $3.9 billion agreement to merge with Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. The company also added it would sue for a ‘breach of contract’. Sinclair needed to divest stations in order to meet the national cap on audience reach for any single broadcast company. Sinclair was proposing to control 233 stations in 108 markets, adding 42 Tribune stations to their current roster. If approved, Sinclair would have been the largest U.S. broadcast company. The companies each own two Seattle market TV stations. Tribune Media release Seattle PI

 

[dave73]

Dave,

Its even more complicated when you include the coming reassignment or 'repacking' of 'real' channels you currently receive do to the TV spectrum auctions. Have you checked to see where your (current) stations will go? Here's Forum Member Trip's list: RabbitEars.Info <-- ("click" / change it to search by current channels)

Secondly, in Seattle START TV will be carried by an independent station and (as of now) our CBS affiliate will continue to carry GET TV and LAFF TV, so other areas probably also have different contractual affiliations.

At least for now, we don't have to worry about the (now DOA) Tribune Media and Sinclair Broadcast Group propose merger. It would have required the combined business to divest stations in some areas. The following is from the NW Broadcasters website Northwest Broadcasters - Since 1997 - News you can trust for over-the-air radio & TV stations in coastal WA and southwest BC

08/09/18 - Tribune Media Company has released a statement saying they’ve terminated the $3.9 billion agreement to merge with Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. The company also added it would sue for a ‘breach of contract’. Sinclair needed to divest stations in order to meet the national cap on audience reach for any single broadcast company. Sinclair was proposing to control 233 stations in 108 markets, adding 42 Tribune stations to their current roster. If approved, Sinclair would have been the largest U.S. broadcast company. The companies each own two Seattle market TV stations. Tribune Media release Seattle PI

I checked to see where my local stations are relocating. Out of all the stations that are relocating, only 5 are staying on their current channels: WOCK-CD on RF 4 (they have an app to increase their power from either 300 or 810 watts, to 3kw extremely directional to protect a channel 4 in Iowa), WBBM-TV on RF 12, WYIN Gary Indiana on RF 17, WGN-TV on RF 19, and WDCI-LD on RF 30 (this station will cause interference with WSJV Elkhart/South Bend Indiana, once that station changes from RF 28 to RF 30 within parts of Lake & Porter Counties. for WWME-CD & WMEU-CD, their stations will continue to have the same directional signal, where less of the signal is aimed at NW Indiana, requiring an outdoor antenna to get them, & a pre-amp. WPVN-CD is supposed to increase their coverage when they change channels. Currently, their signal is that directional, that it barely sends their signal toward NW Indiana, that I'm on the edge of their coverage area. The only antenna that gets these LPTV stations from Chicago is my Antennas Direct DB8 (original DB8) that I got in 2012. My Winegard HD9032 has such a narrow beam, that it only picks up full market stations.

Now, the Sinclair/Tribune merger being called off was a good thing. I was worried that WGN-TV was going go in the crapper, if Sinclair got a hold of them. I highly doubt they would have kept the sportscasts of the Chicago Cubs, White Sox, Bulls, & Blackhawks long term. The current Tribune Company was fed up with the CW costing them money, by airing money losing CW programming, instead of the more profitable sportscasts that they hold the rights to. For the last 20 years (1995 to 2006 as WB & 2006 to 2016 as CW) , they've been forced to farm out their sportscasts to WCIU & sometimes WPWR-TV, in order commit to network programming. Since their contract was up 2 years ago, Tribune decided to have WGN-TV go back to being an Independent. I think had Sinclair got the station, that they probably would have dropped the sportcasts, & tried to get the CW back, when WPWR-TV's rights expire. Who knows what Sinclair would have had in mind with Antenna TV & This TV, since Tribune owns Antenna TV, & Tribune is a partner with MGM for This TV. I also would have hated to see what they would have done to their news department. I wouldn't be surprised if the merger talks was why Mark Suppelsa left the station last year. He claimed he was retiring at age 55, & moving to Montana. Unless that's true, I believe he left, because he didn't want to work for Sinclair. I won't be surprised if he appears on a TV station in Montana. With merger called off, I hope once Tribune's contract for TBD isn't a long term one, so they can drop it. As for Sinclair's other networks, Stadium & Charge, they're likely paying the people at WJYS to carry those 2 networks, as WJYS is a brokered station.

 

[Fringe Reception]

In the Seattle region we have two stations carrying Stadium. KUNS-51.1 which used to be Telemundo without sub-channels, now offers TBD 51.2 and Stadium 51.3. Plus, the FOX channel 13.1 (THIS-TV 13.2, ESCAPE 13.3) now has Stadium on 13.4. The 13 transmitter is across Elliot Bay from Seattle and covers the northern Washington Peninsula, most of Seattle/Tacoma/Everett and into British Columbia BC, Canada. The KUNS transmitter also covers much of the same area plus east (allegedly) to the Cascade Mountain range. Fantastic territorial coverage for a channel that no one I know ever watches.

 

[dkreichen1968]

Are they dropping DECADES for START, or adding a .3 channel? Dave, where did you find that information. I know that CBS has resisted sub-channels, but why would they drop a channel that uses so much of their own material?

 

[dave73]

Are they dropping DECADES for START, or adding a .3 channel? Dave, where did you find that information. I know that CBS has resisted sub-channels, but why would they drop a channel that uses so much of their own material?

CBS Chicago (WBBM-TV) dropped Decades from 2.2, and is now Start TV. Weigel Broadcasting took over carrying Decades, & is now on WCIU 26.6. CBS leases bandwidth on WMEU-CD 48.3 for CBS, & 48.4 for Start TV. I haven't been able to confirm it, but someone else on the AVS Forum board said that Weigel also put Start TV on WMEU-CD 48.2, replacing repeats of the Jam morning show on WCIU 26.1. If that's true, then it makes no sense, when CBS (WBBM-TV) is on WMEU-CD 48.3 & 48.4. CBS chose to lease bandwidth on WMEU-CD, because it covers much more of Chicagoland, then their translator did. They shut it off.

 

[dkreichen1968]

Looks like Decades will move to KZDN 26.4 in Denver, which will mean I won't get it.

 

[dave73]

CBS Chicago (WBBM-TV) dropped Decades from 2.2, and is now Start TV. Weigel Broadcasting took over carrying Decades, & is now on WCIU 26.6. CBS leases bandwidth on WMEU-CD 48.3 for CBS, & 48.4 for Start TV. I haven't been able to confirm it, but someone else on the AVS Forum board said that Weigel also put Start TV on WMEU-CD 48.2, replacing repeats of the Jam morning show on WCIU 26.1. If that's true, then it makes no sense, when CBS (WBBM-TV) is on WMEU-CD 48.3 & 48.4. CBS chose to lease bandwidth on WMEU-CD, because it covers much more of Chicagoland, then their translator did. They shut it off.

I was able to confirm the subchannels on WMEU-CD. 48.1 remains U Too in 720p HD. 48.2 is Start TV, a simulcast of WBBM-TV 2.2. 48.3 remains WBBM-TV in 1080i HD. 48.4 is a simulcast of WCIU 26.6 Decades.

 

[jay from lauderdale]

Let's talk about THIS TV,RTN, and other awesome sub-channels our affiliates have.

Does your market have a THIS TV or RTN or other awesome sub-channels not available on analog basic cable?

Do You enjoy the programming on THIS and RTN?

How strong does they lock in on your equipment?

I like THIS TV alot. Their movie selection is getting better by the day. They don't show to many TV shows except Outer Limits, patty duke, mister ed, and a few obscure 80's cartoon series I don't remember quite well. This is the only movie type sub-channel we have out here. The Rhode Island market has an RTN but I'm to far away (80+ miles) to catch them.

Does anyone live in a market that has that "Universal sports" sub-channel? Is it like an ESPN knock off or do they show actual MLB games? Or is it mostly independent sports games (city/town games). How about music channels? We don't have any out here.

Maybe someday they'll add even more sub-channels on the digital spectrum. I hope they do opcorn:. I'm sure we'll all agree rather then pay 10 bucks a month for analog cable when we can get FREE crystal clear picture and sound plus some extra movie channels the cable watchers don't get. :thumb:

am getting in the miami-ftlauderdale market as of july 2019 : sub channels are , start tv, me-tv, escape, laff , cozi, light tv, heroes and icons, buzzr, video mix, LATV, weathernation, movies ! , charge, comet, get tv, quest, justice ch, bounce, grit, TBD, antenna tv ,