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Boise Station Gets Power Boost

Joins WPVI Philadelphia, WSVN Miami and KWCH Wichita

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/29/2009 7:33:35 PM

Add KTVB Boise, Idaho, to the list of VHF stations that have gotten permission from the FCC for six-month power boosts after losing some viewers in the digital switch due to the different propagation characteristics of the DTV signal.

That brings the total to four, according to an FCC spokesperson.

The stations joins WPVI Philadelphia, WSVN Miami and KWCH Wichita.

WLS Chicago got permission for a two-week power boost, while WBAL Baltimore got permission to test some new equipment before deciding whether it will have to invest in it, said the spokesman.

There are another 10 stations that have applied for power increases, but a sampling does not follow the pattern of big markets with skyscraper issues. The 10 include stations in Butte and Missoula, Montana; Bristol, Va; and Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Not all stations are looking to boost power to fix their reception problems. A handful have asked to go back to the UHF band.

But sources say the FCC is concerned that stations will apply for the move not because of VHF reception problems but because UHF is more suitable for mobile digital TV (DTV) transmissions, which broadcasters are launching to get a piece of the growing mobile video market.

The FCC is also wary of power-boost requests, wanting to make sure the issue is really VHF problems and not just a desire to capitlize on an opportunity to leverage the DTV transition into a power increase.

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• I'm SO HAPPY that the FCC is finally listening to the bloggers, the "cry wolf media" and the self-proclaimed experts, instead of experienced engineers who use tried-and-true methods to set all this up.
  As everyone knows, all it takes to make a station come in better is "turn it up to ten". That's why radio is so loud, and why commercials go father distances than programming ;) .
  It would be nice if we could find the REAL problem, and fix it, rather than just increasing the potential for massive interference.

  
  Ken English - 6/30/2009 10:25:54 AM EDT
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