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WUAB Channel 43, sister station of WOIO Channel 19, is not going off the air, even though its transmitter has been sold as part of the government 's spectrum auction.
(Michael K. McIntyre/The Plain Dealer)
CLEVELAND, Ohio - If you've heard the rumor that WUAB Channel 43 will be going off the air, relax. The Cleveland station that started broadcasting in September 1968 isn't gong anywhere.
Erik Schrader, the vice president and general manager at WOIO Channel 19 and WUAB Chanel 43.
The station's parent company, Raycom Media, which also owns CBS affiliate WOIO Channel 19, has sold the Channel 43 transmitter as part of an ongoing Federal Communications Commission spectrum auction that closes March 30. The incentive auction allows broadcasters to offer frequencies and transmitters to wireless companies bidding for coveted increased technological capabilities.
But this means very little to Northeast Ohio television viewers. Channel 43 simply will broadcast from the Channel 19 transmitter, with no expected disruption in signal. The change probably will made by the end of the year.
Those receiving channels through a cable box or satellite dish won't notice a thing. Those receiving local TV signals through an over-the-air antenna or using a digital converter box will need to run a re-scan.
"Just because the WUAB transmitter has been sold does not mean WUAB is going away," said Erik Schrader, vice president and general manager at Channel 19 and Channel 43. "In no way, shape or form will the programming you get at your house be going away. The station is not in any danger at all.
"Only those who receive WUAB over the air will be affected by this. At some point, and we will be very aggressive about educating people about this, they will need to re-scan their television, which they do from time to time anyway. And I strongly suspect that we will not be the only station pushing people to do this."
The estimate is that about 10 percent of the area receives television through over-the-air viewing.
Speculation about the future of Channel 43 has been fueled by reports of stations actually disappearing because of the FCC's broadcast incentive auction. The University of South Florida, for instance, sold its WUSF TV station, license and all, for $18.7 million. The Florida station will go off the air at a date to be announced.
Central Michigan University sold its Flint public broadcasting station, WCMZ, for $14 million.
Reports say the spectrum auction is expected to raise $20 billion. The government will profit. Broadcasters will profit. And wireless operators will get more spectrum in which to operate.
Tribune Media, which owns Cleveland Fox affiliate WJW Channel 8, has announced it's expecting a $190 million profit from the sale of its spectrum (although its Cleveland operation is not affected). Fox Television is projecting a $350 million profit from the auction.