[opendtv] Re: Bolivia TV standard mystery
- From: "Dale Kelly" <dalekelly@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 23 Dec 2006 13:23:47 -0800
Craig wrote:
> Sounds like most of the needed infrastucture is already in place. In
> this case, it should be possible to use the three sticks already in
> place. You could transmit all three channels (and others)
> synchronously from each stick, probably at somewhat lower power
> levels. A few on channel repeaters would probably be needed to fill
> in some of the valleys that can't see the stick(s) closest to them.
This is so overly simplistic I don't know where to start.
It should suffice to say that whatever one would like to do, it must first
comply with FCC channel allocation R&Rs - which your suggestion clearly does
not. The boundaries of a TV market do not determine a stations authorized RF
coverage area and on-channel repeaters can not be used to extend that
coverage area. Repeaters can only be used to fill in gaps in the stations
authorized area, while extending its coverage outside of the authorized area
requires a translator.
The fact that three broadcast towers are available in each segment of this
market is barely a start; the devil is in the details. One could easily see
each station requiring three DTV translators and up to ten repeaters to
cover 95% of the markets population. This is simply not an investment one
can make in market 121; Cable and DBS have the appropriate business model
and have taken up the slack. I highly doubt if transmission consent payments
were ever an issue here.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Craig Birkmaier
> Sent: Saturday, December 23, 2006 5:58 AM
> To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [opendtv] Re: Bolivia TV standard mystery
>
>
> At 10:42 AM -0800 12/22/06, Dale Kelly wrote:
> >I may not have explained the Santa Barbara markets (121st ranking)
> >transmitter site distribution clearly. The NBC affiliate is
> located in the
> >extreme north end of the market and the ABC station is 100 miles to the
> >south, with CBS being about in the middle. Santa Maria is
> centrally located
> >and generally can receive all three, but it deteriorates rapidly
> as you move
> >north, south, east or west due to intervening terrain. There
> simply is not
> >the revenue available in such a market to fund the investment required to
> >cover a majority of the population OTA.
>
> Sounds like most of the needed infrastucture is already in place. In
> this case, it should be possible to use the three sticks already in
> place. You could transmit all three channels (and others)
> synchronously from each stick, probably at somewhat lower power
> levels. A few on channel repeaters would probably be needed to fill
> in some of the valleys that can't see the stick(s) closest to them.
>
> >The cost to construct and operate the mandated DTV stations has
> caused many
> >small market station to reach the financial tipping point.
>
> Yup. It is ironic that we are coming full circle. In the late '70s it
> was very difficult to make a profit with a broadcast station if it
> was not a network affiliate in the top 100 markets. Then the cost of
> the equipment needed to operate a TV station began to plummet in the
> '80s, and we saw the number of broadcast stations multiply by about
> 1/3 (i.e. from about 1100 to 1600 stations). Everyone was making
> money in the late '80s and into the '90s, until the ratings for OTA
> stations started to drop precipitously. Now it is difficult - again -
> for smaller market stations, especially independents, to make a
> profit. The loss of network compensation in most markets, and the
> large decline in ratings for local news have not helped. And then
> there's the expense of operating two transmitters...
>
> Regards
> Craig
>
>
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