Rescanning Not Helping Some DC Viewers
A shift from UHF to VHF last week for WUSA and WJLA has resulted in a substantial number of viewers no longer getting the stations, reports the Washington Post. The paper says the number of affected viewers is in the thousands, and rescanning their converter boxes–the typical fix for most displaced viewers nationwide–doesn’t seem to be working.
Allbritton’s WJLA got 350 calls on the topic since Friday’s switch. The station will hold an online chat to help viewers at noon today.
Reports the Post:
The sudden loss may be due to viewers trying to capture VHF signals with a UHF antenna.
[Silver Spring viewer Steve] LaRochelle said he bought an antenna a couple of years ago after upgrading to a digital TV, but he didn’t realize it was a UHF antenna. “Nor did I realize WJLA and WUSA were going to be switching back to a VHF signal,” he said.
Jeff commented:
I knew this would happen when some antenna manufacturers & retailers sold "HDTV Antennas" that were UHF only. They knew that after the transition people would have to come back to get VHF antennas in much of the country. The FCC did nothing to inform people about this and the FTC did nothing about these questionable marketing practices. Now, taxpayers are going to have to subsidise people getting VHF antennas.