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Changes to television in Boston
Apr. 14th, 2017 12:46 amThe latest FCC spectrum auction recently ended. This one involved getting TV stations to give up their channels in the 600 MHz band to free them for mobile providers. T-Mobile, Dish Network, and Comcast were the big bidders in the spectrum auction; who is getting the spectrum in the Boston area has not yet been released by the FCC. T-Mobile will use the spectrum to improve LTE data coverage, though owners of existing phones will not benefit as their phones do not cover the new band. Comcast is planning to launch a mobile phone service which will initially be based on the Verizon network. Dish Network's plans for the spectrum are unknown.
Eight stations in greater Boston are giving up their channels. One of them, WGBH, is moving to the low VHF band (channels 2-6), likely to their historical channel 2. That means that if you receive WGBH over the air you may need a new antenna; if you have a recent HDTV antenna it's likely UHF-only.
The programming of The CW on WLVI (channel 56) programming will relocate to WHDH (channel 7) which is owned by the same company. At present they plan to continue operating both virtual channels on the WHDH frequency. That would mean a reduction in the quality of their broadcasts (they would have to reduce their current bit rate of about 15Mbps to 8 or 9Mbps) and probable cancelling of the current subchannels of both stations: This TV (classic TV reruns) on WHDH, Buzzr (game show reruns) on WLVI.
The other six stations will leave the air. They include WBIN-TV (channel 35, virtual channel 50, Derry NH: independent programming, Antenna TV, Grit), WDPX (channel 40, virtual channel 58, Vineyard Haven: ION, qubo, IONlife, Shop, QVC, HSN), WFXZ-CD (channel 24, Boston: Azteca America, infomercials), WMFP (channel 18, virtual channel 62, Lawrence/Needham: Sonlife, Charge!, Comet TV, simulcast of NBC Boston), WYCN-CD (channel 36, virtual channel 13, Nashua NH: Heroes and Icons), and WYDN (channel 47, virtual channel 48, Worcester/Needham: Daystar).
WDPX is a satellite simulcast of WBPX in Boston (and also WPXG in Concord NH). Their programming will continue to be available in Boston, but some areas south of Boston will lose over-the-air reception of it.
The programming of the other five stations will probably become unavailable over-the-air in greater Boston; as a result the programming is also likely to become unavailable on the basic cable tier. Azteca America is a Spanish-language network that gets programming from Mexican parent TV Azteca. Comet TV and Charge! are Sinclair-owned digital channels that broadcast movies from the MGM library. Antenna TV and Heroes and Icons show classic TV reruns. Grit shows action/adventure and Western reruns. Sunlife and Daystar are religious channels.
Eight stations in greater Boston are giving up their channels. One of them, WGBH, is moving to the low VHF band (channels 2-6), likely to their historical channel 2. That means that if you receive WGBH over the air you may need a new antenna; if you have a recent HDTV antenna it's likely UHF-only.
The programming of The CW on WLVI (channel 56) programming will relocate to WHDH (channel 7) which is owned by the same company. At present they plan to continue operating both virtual channels on the WHDH frequency. That would mean a reduction in the quality of their broadcasts (they would have to reduce their current bit rate of about 15Mbps to 8 or 9Mbps) and probable cancelling of the current subchannels of both stations: This TV (classic TV reruns) on WHDH, Buzzr (game show reruns) on WLVI.
The other six stations will leave the air. They include WBIN-TV (channel 35, virtual channel 50, Derry NH: independent programming, Antenna TV, Grit), WDPX (channel 40, virtual channel 58, Vineyard Haven: ION, qubo, IONlife, Shop, QVC, HSN), WFXZ-CD (channel 24, Boston: Azteca America, infomercials), WMFP (channel 18, virtual channel 62, Lawrence/Needham: Sonlife, Charge!, Comet TV, simulcast of NBC Boston), WYCN-CD (channel 36, virtual channel 13, Nashua NH: Heroes and Icons), and WYDN (channel 47, virtual channel 48, Worcester/Needham: Daystar).
WDPX is a satellite simulcast of WBPX in Boston (and also WPXG in Concord NH). Their programming will continue to be available in Boston, but some areas south of Boston will lose over-the-air reception of it.
The programming of the other five stations will probably become unavailable over-the-air in greater Boston; as a result the programming is also likely to become unavailable on the basic cable tier. Azteca America is a Spanish-language network that gets programming from Mexican parent TV Azteca. Comet TV and Charge! are Sinclair-owned digital channels that broadcast movies from the MGM library. Antenna TV and Heroes and Icons show classic TV reruns. Grit shows action/adventure and Western reruns. Sunlife and Daystar are religious channels.
