FCC Allows 368 Stations to Cease Analog Broadcasts on Feb. 17

The Federal Communications Commission has said that 368 TV stations will be allowed to pull the plug on analog Feb. 17 (out of 491 that asked to do so). Of those 368, 100 said they planned to keep running their analog transmitters for at least two weeks past Feb. 17 for DTV and emergency information. The FCC also said those other 123 stations won't be able to unless certain conditions are met, including that someone in the market remains on in analog for 60 days past Feb. 17 with local news, public affairs, DTV and emergency information, or what the FCC is calling enhanced nightlight service. That means that either the stations have to remain on in analog until mid-April, or find someone else in the market to do so, and one with a local news operation. That enhanced nightlight programming can include advertising, which makes it different from the analog nightlight service approved for several weeks after the hard date, which is now June 12.