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Television Conversion Begins Tonight

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By RICHARD MULLINS

rmullins@tampatrib.com

Published: February 17, 2009

At 11:59 tonight, about half the TV stations in the Tampa Bay area will unplug their traditional analog broadcasts and send only new and improved digital TV signals.

This, despite all the maneuvering of Congress and President Barack Obama to delay the migration to digital television to June.

Here's why: The new law orders stations to turn off their analog signals and send only digital feeds starting June 12, but the law lets stations unplug analog sooner if they so choose.

Five in the area chose to unplug analog sooner.

Cable and satellite TV customers will not be affected, but anyone who uses set-top "rabbit ear" antennas to pull in signals will need to buy a digital converter box to watch free broadcast TV. Some newer TVs have digital conversion chips inside.

These stations will end their analog broadcasts Tuesday night:

WEDU, Channel 3 (PBS)

WCLF, Channel 22 (Christian Television Corp.)

WTTA, Channel 38 (myNetworkTV)

WVEA, Channel 62 (Univision)

This station will end its analog broadcast April 3:

WUSF, Channel 16 (PBS)

These stations will end their analog broadcasts June 12:

WFLA, Channel 8 (NBC)

WTSP, Channel 10 (CBS)

WTVT, Channel 13 (Fox)

WFTS, Channel 28 (ABC)

WMOR, Channel 32 (independent)

WTOG, Channel 44 (The CW)

WFTT, Channel 50 (Telefutura)

Reporter Richard Mullins can be reached at (813) 259-7919.

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