1480 & 850 Shutting Down

[paul8539]

U of M Flint sold WFUM-TV 28 to CMU some years ago. CMU then sold it off in the spectrum auction for a lot less than it was worth.

[Ben Zonia]

U of M Flint sold WFUM-TV 28 to CMU some years ago. CMU then sold it off in the spectrum auction for a lot less than it was worth.

I don't know why there isn't a 15 kW LP translator for PBS. Other smaller markets are doing this, and full power stations like WBKB 11 carrying all major networks, adding NBC recently.

WFUM 28 going off has left much of Genesee County in a "Fringe Area" for PBS and other networks to a lesser degree due to the fragility of weak HD signals on UHF, even from the Indiantown Antenna Farm. This is like the 1950s before WJRT 12 finally signed on. Despite what coverage maps claim that the three next market PBS stations 40-50 miles away serve Flint and surrounding areas, the OTA service is iffy at best. Yes, just about everyone has cable and internet options, but they are getting too expensive, and many people are going off cable or cutting back on boxes and channels. While the GM near abandonment and water crisis have left the Flint proper population way down, the county population is still above 400,000, more than in 1960. Most moved just outside city and county borders.

[Bdl]

U of M Flint sold WFUM-TV 28 to CMU some years ago. CMU then sold it off in the spectrum auction for a lot less than it was worth.

I don't know why there isn't a 15 kW LP translator for PBS. Other smaller markets are doing this, and full power stations like WBKB 11 carrying all major networks, adding NBC recently.

WFUM 28 going off has left much of Genesee County in a "Fringe Area" for PBS and other networks to a lesser degree due to the fragility of weak HD signals on UHF, even from the Indiantown Antenna Farm. This is like the 1950s before WJRT 12 finally signed on. Despite what coverage maps claim that the three next market PBS stations 40-50 miles away serve Flint and surrounding areas, the OTA service is iffy at best. Yes, just about everyone has cable and internet options, but they are getting too expensive, and many people are going off cable or cutting back on boxes and channels. While the GM near abandonment and water crisis have left the Flint proper population way down, the county population is still above 400,000, more than in 1960. Most moved just outside city and county borders.

Delta (WDCQ) did consider applying for higher power at the Gilford site. (it was an option) It wasn't so much to do with the Flint market though, as WFUM served it. It had to do with the Northern areas. The GM decided it was a no-go and was permanently shelved. Channel 18 (which was going to be on the main campus) also was not used. That made sense, as for a period of time Delta was maintaining three transmitters. But (IMO) it would have made sense to go big at Gilford.

[paul8539]

I thought the WDCQ transmitter was just south of M25 by Quanicassee.

[rugratsonline]

I thought the WDCQ transmitter was just south of M25 by Quanicassee.

Yes and no -- it is WDCQ's transmitter, but it's on a license of what was its satellite on analog channel 35 in Bad Axe. When they converted to digital, it was decided to broadcast from a single transmitter at a more central location to reach both the Tri-Cities and the Thumb, instead of using two different transmitters.

This Wikipedia article explains it better:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WDCQ-TV

[originalzzmfmjock]

I happened to be in the area of 68th/Kalamazoo this morning and notice that the 1480 towers are no longer standing. Must have happened within the last 6 weeks or so. I was out there in early April and the towers were still there. Dead end road going into the old site has a sign that says "temporarily not a through street". That leads me to believe they may have sold the property as they intended to do.

[ftballfan]

I happened to be in the area of 68th/Kalamazoo this morning and notice that the 1480 towers are no longer standing. Must have happened within the last 6 weeks or so. I was out there in early April and the towers were still there. Dead end road going into the old site has a sign that says "temporarily not a through street". That leads me to believe they may have sold the property as they intended to do.

I've noticed they were gone since mid to late April. That area of Gaines Township is seeing a lot of new homes go up