Director's Cut Blog with Frank Macek

More than 40 Ohio television stations representing eight media markets in the state will take part in a digital television (DTV) test on Thursday, January 15. Most stations will start the five-minute tests at 7:30 p.m., although local start times may vary. The test will air on stations' analog signals only and will alert TV audiences if their television sets are not ready for the DTV transition. Instead of regular programming, viewers whose TVs are not digital ready will see a graphic informing them that they need to take action to prepare for the digital conversion. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has requested that television stations participate in these DTV tests as a means of alerting consumers who are not prepared for the DTV transition to take action. The actual DTV conversion is scheduled to occur on February 17, 2009, when the Federal government will require that all full-power television stations turn off their over-the-air analog signals and begin broadcastin...

Several Northeast Ohio Cleveland television stations will help viewers understand if they are ready or not for the big digital changeover on February 17th. This is part of coordinated test being conducted in around 30 states. WKYC will participate in a reminder test that will occur on (tomorrow) Wednesday, December 17th from 7:31 p.m. to 7:36 p.m. At that time, the station will broadcast a graphic on our over the air signal, that if you are see it, will tell you that your television set is NOT digital and will not receive the new digital broadcasts. You will need a converter box. For those connected to satellite or cable - or already have the digital converter boxes for over the air broadcasts, you will continue to see regular programming. During the test, the Ohio Association of Broadcasters will give a help-center hot line number to call with questions. The hot line will be staffed by local station engineers from 7:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. Read more about the all digital conversion an...