How antenna users can keep watching WFMJ after Friday
Viewers who watch 21 WFMJ using an antenna will be required to make a simple, one-time adjustment on their televisions on the afternoon of Friday, August 2, 2019, when WFMJ switches to a new frequency.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Viewers who watch 21 WFMJ using an antenna will be required to make a simple, one-time adjustment on their televisions on the afternoon of Friday, August 2, 2019, when WFMJ switches to a new frequency.
Let us say up front that the adjustment will not apply to those who watch us online or those who use pay services such as cable or satellite. Those viewers don’t have to do a thing to keep receiving WFMJ.
WHY THE CHANGE?
According to 21 WFMJ Chief Engineer Bob Flis, Congress authorized the FCC in the 2012 Middle-Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act to auction off unused spectrum in the TV broadcast band and use part of the proceeds to pay stations that were forced to change frequencies.
“There were about 1000 stations that had to change frequencies,” said Flis. “Those stations were repacked into a lower block of frequencies.”
The vacated frequencies vacated will go to wireless providers that submitted winning bids in the auction to improve broadband service. The FCC created a transition plan with 10 “phases” into which the repacked stations were assigned. The phases run from September of 2018 to July of 2020.
“Most of our area is in phase 4 with an end date of August 2,” said Flis. “WFMJ will change frequency at 2 p.m. on August 2nd.”
WHO HAS TO DO IT?
Only viewers that use an indoor or outdoor antenna to watch the local TV stations need to rescan. For people with cable or satellite, their provider will make the change for them, so they need to do nothing. Some people who subscribe to cable or satellite may have TV’s in their house not connected to their provider will have to rescan only those TV’s if they watch the local TV stations on them.
WHAT IS THE DEADLINE?
Antenna TV users should wait to rescan until after 2 p.m. on August 2nd. They should also rescan for several days afterward in case some stations can’t make the deadline. After that, rescanning regularly is a good idea. There will still be station changes through July and August next year.
HOW TO RESCAN
Using the remote control for your TV, select Channels, Autotune, or Scan from the setup menu. The TV will rescan and find the new channels. Viewers may have to reorient an indoor antenna and try the scan again. Antenna viewers are encouraged to rescan often over the coming days since some stations may be delayed in changing their frequencies.
Here is a link to TVAnswers.org on how to rescan: How to Rescan
WHAT IF I DON’T RESCAN?
Many TV stations will be changing the frequencies they broadcast, and the TV receives. “If they don’t rescan and the old frequency gets turned off, they will no longer be able to watch local TV,” said Flis. All of the frequency changes happen in the background. The channel numbers viewers are used to seeing will still be the same.
Here is a resource you can use for more information www.tvanswers.org.
