The Federal Communications Commission wants to allow WVUE in
New Orleans to return to its
pre-DTV transition UHF digital channel 29 after continuing problems with its
assigned VHF channel (8).
WVUE had requested the change after saying it had recieved
thousands of calls from viewers who said they could not recieve the station's
digital signal.
The FCC has allowed some stations to boost power, but in the
case of WLS-TV in Chicago,
even that was not enough to solve the problem and the FCC last week also
tentatively granted it a move to a UHF channel. WVUE says it does not have that
powering-up option since a power boost could cause interference to an
adjacent-channel station in Baton Rouge, LA.
The FCC also allows stations to work out power adjustments
among themselves then present them to the commission, but WVUE owner Louisiana
Media said that moving to its pre-transition channel would ensure that
"all of the station's former analog and pretransition digital viewers will
once again receive service from the station."
The FCC has proposed allowing the move, and has given
interested parties 25 days to weigh in, just as it has with the WLS
and other channel moves as it continues what it calls a mop-up operation
following the June 12 transition to digital.
