More Stations to Make Early DTV Transition By Mark Fleischmann March 20, 2009 — The DTV transition scenario continued to develop this week when the Federal Communications Commission announced that 158 more stations plan to complete their switch from analog to digital broadcasting before June 12's final drop-dead deadline. The FCC made the announcement in a brief Public Notice (PDF).

That will leave 927 of the nation's 1796 of the nation's full-power TV stations to make the transition in June, comprising 51.6 percent of total stations. Because many of these stations cover the largest markets, they also comprise well over half of the antenna-dependent viewing audience. The FCC released lists of stations planning to make their transitions prior to June 12 (PDF) and those doing it on June 12 (PDF).

Of the 158 new announcements, about a third are PBS affiliates, due to the financial straits of public television in today's economy. The bulk of major commercial network affiliates in the largest markets are waiting till June. Among those making the transition early, the FCC has required that 90 percent of their viewers receive analog signals from another nearby affiliate until June 12, as we reported yesterday.

In other DTV transition news, the Obama administration does not plan to ask for a further DTV transition delay after the now-solid June 12 deadline. As Wall Street Journal reported, the news came from former Washington Gov. Gary Locke in Senate hearings for his confirmation as Secretary of the Commerce Department.