Three Denver television stations — channels 7, 9 and 20 — will go digital-only on April 16, two months before a national deadline kicks in, the stations announced Tuesday.
The three stations submitted requests for the digital transition by the Federal Communications Commission’s deadline Tuesday, and now are awaiting approval by the commission.
Other Denver network stations — channels 4 and 6 — are expected to go digital-only on June 12, when television stations nationwide are required to make the switch.
Channels 7 and 9 have had digital broadcasts on different frequencies — channels 17 and 16, respectively — but only at low power, meaning many of their viewers weren’t getting the signal even after getting the right equipment.
“It’s disappointing because we want to serve them, we tell them for a year and a half, ask them to get ready and then they can’t get you,” said Mark Cornetta, president and general manager of KUSA-Channel 9.
Both station’s digital broadcasts will return to their regular frequencies when the stations go all-digital.
The April date is the earliest the FCC allows under the current application cycle. Several other stations, mostly in Grand Junction and Channel 12 in Denver, shut off analog signals on Feb. 17, the original deadline for the digital conversion.
Congress extended it to June because too many Americans were reportedly unprepared for the transition. Also, a backlog of requests for coupons to offset the cost of converter boxes hit nearly 6 million.
To date nearly 699,000 of the $40 coupons have been requested by Coloradans — each household is limited to a pair — and more than 365,500 have been redeemed, according to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which is handling the program.
Television stations in Colorado Springs are expected to go all-digital on June 12, according to Marilyn Hogan, president and CEO of the Colorado Broadcasters Association.
Some stations — channels 4 and 6 among them — are expected to retain analog “night light” signals, a screen message after June 12 advising viewers about the transition and where to obtain more information.
Rocky Mountain PBS Channel 6 plans to go all-digital in mid-May, officials there said.
The wait list for coupons is 4.1 million requests and is expected to process in about two weeks.
David Migoya: 303-954-1506 or dmigoya@denverpost.com
