In the ATSC era, having a digital channel on the VHF band isn’t as beneficial as having one on the UHF band. This explains why many licensees have petitioned the FCC for its permission to shift a TV station to a more-appealing UHF channel.
Gray Television is on the list of companies that are seeking such a transition. This time, it involves the NBC affiliate in Memphis.
WMC-5 in Memphis uses not only Channel 5 as its PSIP, but it is also its digital channel.
A plan to give WMC improved market coverage sees WMC shift to digital Channel 30. And, to accomplish this, some 4,072 persons are predicted to lose service.
Will the FCC approve of this? Perhaps, as the loss area, Gray explains, is largely overlapped by the noise limited contours of other NBC affiliated stations — WTVA-11 in Tupelo, Miss.; Gray-owned KAIT-27 in Jonesboro, Ark.; and WNBJ-LD 16 in Jackson, Tenn. Gray also says that most viewers will continue to receive service from five or more stations.
Furthermore, “only” 64 persons would either no longer receive NBC network programming or no longer receive service from five or more full power television services — assuming they rely on over-the-air reception to get local TV.
Video Division Chief Barbara Kreisman believes the petition from Gray warrants consideration. As such, a comment window will open upon the publication in the Federal Register of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking giving WMC digital channel 30. The Comment Date is 30 days from the publication date; the Reply Comment Date is 45 days from the publication date.
WMC is a former Raycom Media station and came under the ownership of Bert Ellis in 1993, following its sale by The E.W. Scripps Co.
