The NAB said that as of last week, 20 more television stations have begun transmitting a digital signal, bringing the current on-air total to 621. Two, WLIO-TV in Lima, Ohio (DMA #194) and WINM-TV in Ft. Wayne, Ind. (DMA #104) are the first in their respective markets on the air with DTV.
Perhaps bowing to competitive pressures, four stations began DTV operations in the Oklahoma City, Okla. market (DMA # 45) at the same time, including Fox affiliate KOKH, WB station KOCB-TV, ABC-owned KOCO-TV, and Paxson affiliate KOPX. They join NBC affiliate KFOR-TV and public station KSBI already on the air in digital.
According to the NAB, DTV signals are now being transmitted in 167 markets that include 94.29 percent of U.S. TV households. Off-air reception with either an outdoor or indoor antenna is more challenging than others.
The other new stations are: WMTW-TV Portland, Maine; WNEM-TV Flint, Mich.; WEMT-TV Greenville, Tenn.; WDCA-TV Washington, D.C.; WISN-TV Milwaukee, Wis.; WEAR-TV Pensacola, Fla.; KFTH Alvin, Texas; WACH-TV Columbia, S.C.; KSNT-TV Topeka, Kansas; WTVR-TV Richmond, Va.; WYZZ Peoria, Ill.; WICS-TV Springfield, Ill.; WWSB Sarasota, Fla.; and KVBC-TV Las Vegas, Nev.
For more information visit www.nab.org.