"The Power of Three: WTRF, Fox Ohio Valley & WTRF-ABC"

[Dr. Whiplash]

Sorry gang! My sources say they are going to take away WTAE. What a F******** shame, I luv tae.
How bad will will that be?

My sources say you forgot to empty the deep fryer last night.

[Oldiesdude]

I don't believe it is a case of say Comcast dropping WTAE, more like if WTRF asks for protection, (which they have the right to do in their market area), Comcast will have to black out WTAE when they are with network programing, and only permit local programing from WTAE, or Drop it completly.

[TD]

I already have my letter drafted to ABC, WTAE, and the FCC. Lets just sit and wait for the big bang!

[Mr. Tom Jones]

I already have my letter drafted to ABC, WTAE, and the FCC. Lets just sit and wait for the big bang!

Dude, save your breath and your postage.

[Mr. Jones]

TVNEWSDAY:

West Virginia Media to Launch 2 ABC Affils
TVNEWSDAY, Jul 9 2008, 2:16 PM ET

West Virginia Media Holdings and the ABC Television Network have reached affiliation agreements to offer the full ABC Television Network programming schedule using the digital sub-channels of two West Virginia stations.

The Aug. 1 launch of digital channels NBC affiliate WBOY Clarksburg-Weston (DMA 166) and CBS affiliate WTRF Wheeling-Steubenville (DMA 159) will bring the entire ABC lineup to both markets via local signals. Currently, ABC programming is available in Clarksburg-Weston and Wheeling-Steubenville only through out-of-market broadcasts.

In addition, both WBOY/D2 and WTRF/D3 will each offer local newscasts leading into ABC News programming.

West Virginia Media President Bray Cary said: "Our new affiliations with the ABC Television Network in Clarksburg-Weston and Wheeling-Steubenville will expand the programming choice for our viewers, enabling them to enjoy the entire ABC Network schedule along with local news broadcasts produced specifically for these markets. This expansion of service with the Aug. 1 launch of WBOY-TV/D2 and WTRF-TV/D3 also creates important new advertising opportunities for our local station clients."

John Rouse, senior vice president, affiliate relations, ABC Television Network, added, "Given the central role that localism plays in ABC's far-reaching partnership with television stations nationwide, we're pleased to utilize the benefits of the digital spectrum in order to broadcast our ABC news, entertainment and sports programming directly into the Clarksburg-Weston and Wheeling-Steubenville markets, complemented by the local news broadcasts also being offered on WBOY/D2 and WTRF/D3."

West Virginia Media said its vision "is to be West Virginia's news resource." It owns television stations in nearly all of the state's DMAs, including Charleston-Huntington and Beckley-Bluefield, as well as Clarksburg-Weston and Wheeling-Steubenville. West Virginia Media also owns The State Journal newspaper.

[JustWinBaby]

I would think it more likely that Comcast would drop the Youngstown ABC affiliate than WTAE...I hope so anyways. I'm just waiting for the offshoot "Decision Makers" Channel.

[sportsvoice]

Two subchannels...if WTRF's main passes HD, it's going to look like Webcam video during any sort of motion.

[Mr. Tom Jones]

TVNEWSDAY:

West Virginia Media President Bray Cary said: "Our new affiliations with the ABC Television Network in Clarksburg-Weston and Wheeling-Steubenville will expand the programming choice for our viewers, enabling them to enjoy the entire ABC Network schedule along with local news broadcasts produced specifically for these markets.

Watch and see those "local news broadcasts produced specifically for these markets." You're thinking what I'm thinking, aren't you?

This expansion of service with the Aug. 1 launch of WBOY-TV/D2 and WTRF-TV/D3 also creates important new advertising opportunities for our local station clients."

We'd certainly hope so. Otherwise, why bother. And not coincidentally, it also gives the Chairman some chance of rewriting the paper when the note (notes?) comes due.

[WV Newsnut]

Looks like we can breathe a sigh of relief for now.....

WTRF-TV Announces ABC Ohio Valley

http://www.wtrf.com/page.cfm?pageid=740

July 9, 2008

WTRF-TV is pleased to announce the launch of ABC OHIO VALLEY, a new local ABC affiliate in the Wheeling-Steubenville television market.

Beginning in August 2008, WTRF-TV will provide the full ABC Television Network programming schedule along with 7News local newscasts via digital signal 7.3 over the air and on Comcast Cable channel 205. Currently, the ABC programming is only available by way of out of the market broadcasts.

John Rouse, Senior Vice President of Affiliate Relations for the ABC Television Network said “Given the central role that localism plays in ABC’s far-reaching partnership with television stations nationwide, we’re pleased to broadcast our ABC news, entertainment and sports programming directly into the Wheeling-Steubenville market, complimented by the local news broadcasts being offered by 7News.”

In addition to 7News local newscasts and ABC Network programming, ABC OHIO VALLEY expands other programming choices for our viewers and creates important new advertising opportunities for our local station clients.

Our 7News Team is unquestionably the most experienced news team in the Ohio Valley providing the most local news, weather and sports to television viewers in the Ohio Valley. The strong performance of 7News on WTRF-TV and FOX OHIO VALLEY shows that viewers appreciate and value the experience and solid reporting skills of the 7News Team. The area’s only 10:00 p.m. news on FOX OHIO VALLEY continues to gain viewers at an extremely rapid pace.

And speaking of FOX OHIO VALLEY, Aeron Jon Ureta of FOX Broadcasting Company Network Distribution said, “We are extremely pleased with our FOX Affiliate in Wheeling and look forward to building our relationship for the years to come. In less than two years they have grown and captured a loyal audience in the market. This is proven with the station qualifying for our FOX number one club, by finishing #1 in the market A18-49 common prime during Feb 2008 sweeps, which excluded carrying the Super Bowl on 2/3/08. With their efforts in this short period of time, FOX OHIO VALLEY as a DT channel has outperformed our expectations. We are more than thrilled to have them with the FOX family and hope they continue their efforts on building the value of the FOX brand in the market.”

It has been a busy and fun first six months of 2008. The second half of the year promises very strong programming lineups on WTRF/CBS, FOX OHIO VALLEY and now ABC OHIO VALLEY. We are extremely excited about the ‘Power of Three’ television stations. We sincerely thank you for your continued interest and support.

Roger Lyons
VP/General Manager
rlyons@wtrf.com

Charlotte Cohen
General Sales Manager
ccohen@wtrf.com

[TD]

"Beginning in August 2008, WTRF-TV will provide the full ABC Television Network programming schedule along with 7News local newscasts via digital signal 7.3 over the air and on Comcast Cable channel 205. Currently, the ABC programming is only available by way of out of the market broadcasts."

Hey you idiots!!!! It isn't on digital signal 7.3 morons...maybe what you meant to say is 32.3 perhaps???? I think its awsome that even they don't know enough about digital tv to know what channel they are broadcasting on!!!!

[Inundated]

Why should they refer to the RF channel number for WTRF-DT in a press release? 32.3 is nothing. The PSIP masks it to 7.3, and you can only find the frequency/actual channel number by looking it up somewhere!

Odd that they say it'll be on 205...that would seem to be mixed in with the various WeatherPlus channels. And FOX Ohio Valley got analog 12. Is there something about WTAE's carriage agreement with Comcast that guarantees it the analog 4 placement in the OV?

[BobFrank]

A question....can WBOY get their ABC affil on systems in Preston and Garrett counties, which part of the Pittsburgh DMA or would WBOY-ABC become the default ABC affiliate in the area over 'TAE?

[Mr. Tom Jones]

Hey you idiots!!!! It isn't on digital signal 7.3 morons...maybe what you meant to say is 32.3 perhaps???? I think its awsome that even they don't know enough about digital tv to know what channel they are broadcasting on!!!!

Dude. Chill.

AFAIK WTRF will operate a digital transmitter on channel 32 up until the February deadline (it may be part of their STA, but don't quote me on it). After the February deadline, they will turn off the analog signal on channel 7. That analog signal will be replaced with the three digital subchannels, broadcasting on channel 7.

I'm not quite sure what WTOV is doing. AFAIK they will do the same thing on channel 9 come the February deadline, but I'm not sure if they'll use a tower in Burgettstown, or the one in Mingo. People from up there don't tend to come over here.

[Inundated]

My point earlier: No matter if WTRF-DT was going to stay on RF 32, or not (it won't), TV stations should actually NOT refer to the underlying RF channel number. It only serves to confuse the viewer. Joe and Jane WTRF Viewer, if they're using a digital tuner or converter box, won't ever have to know the station's on 32 RF-wise...particularly if the tuner, as all of 'em do, automatically scans.

The PSIP information converts "32.3" to "7.3".

Has anyone heard why "ABC Ohio Valley" is not getting low analog placement on Comcast, and why WTAE and WYTV both apparently keep their own existing channel?

And I hear rumblings that they've lit up 7.3 already with ABC programming...

[Dave Loudin]

The FCC has mandated that stations use their analog channels in their PSIP data now and beyond 2/09.

[Dr. Loomis]

A question....can WBOY get their ABC affil on systems in Preston and Garrett counties, which part of the Pittsburgh DMA or would WBOY-ABC become the default ABC affiliate in the area over 'TAE?

I doubt it. I would think that because they are part of the Pittsburgh DMA, those network affiliates would still have priority.

I wonder if they'll provide an HD feed of the new ABC affiliates to cable operators, because those in the Clarksburg DMA could stand to lose WTAE's HD programming.

[Mr. Tom Jones]

I wonder if they'll provide an HD feed of the new ABC affiliates to cable operators, because those in the Clarksburg DMA could stand to lose WTAE's HD programming.

I am told that indeed, WVMH will be feeding cable operators the ABC HD programming.

[BadAndy79]

A question....can WBOY get their ABC affil on systems in Preston and Garrett counties, which part of the Pittsburgh DMA or would WBOY-ABC become the default ABC affiliate in the area over 'TAE?

According to today's Domionion Post

Beginning in August, WBOY-TV will provide the full ABC television network programming schedule, along with 12News local newscasts, via digital signal 12.2 over the air, on Time Warner channel 14 (211 or 711 on the H.D. tier) and on Comcast Cable channel 112.

So IMO Comcast and Time Warner will still have WTAE but after the digital conversion they'll gradually bump WTAE and move "YOURABC" in its place.

[Mr. Tom Jones]

It is my understanding 7.3 has been lit up with ABC programming. Dunno if the syndicated programming is up and running, or if the spots that are running on 7.3 are paid ones.

[TD]

It is my understanding 7.3 has been lit up with ABC programming. Dunno if the syndicated programming is up and running, or if the spots that are running on 7.3 are paid ones.

Yes and the audio is out of phase and lipsync is off ... surprise!