Utah TVs going digital Feb. 17

Television networks including CBS Corp. and NBC Universal agreed to hold off on switching to exclusively digital broadcasts, a day after Congress acted to delay the transition, but the agreement won't affect stations in Utah.

CBS, Walt Disney Co.'s ABC, News Corp.'s Fox and General Electric Co.'s NBC and Telemundo Group Inc. have agreed to keep using analog signals on stations they own until the new June 12 deadline for changing from the traditional format, Michael Copps, acting chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, said Thursday at an agency meeting. The switch had been set for Feb. 17.

"These broadcasters deserve our gratitude," Copps said. "I encourage other broadcasters to join them."

But because all of Utah's commercial television stations are independently owned, none are required to follow the networks' directive, said Dale Zabriskie, president of the Utah Broadcasters Association. The Utah stations are network affiliates, and they are not owned or operated by the networks. The Utah network affiliates — KUTV, KTVX, KSL-TV, KSTU, KJZZ, and KUCW — plan to stick by the initial Feb. 17 deadline and will begin broadcasting only in digital format.

But Utah's three public television stations — KUED, KBYU-TV and KUEN — will continue to broadcast in analog format until June 12.

Zabriskie noted that most viewers in the rural parts of Utah who receive television signals from translators that carry them from Salt Lake City would continue to receive over-the-air broadcasts, because most translators have already been switched to digital.

The U.S. House gave final congressional passage Wednesday to legislation delaying the date when major TV stations must stop using analog signals. Lawmakers said many households don't have the equipment they need to get digital programming.

President Barack Obama will sign the measure, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said.

The government mandated the switch to free up airwaves for advanced wireless services and emergency workers' radios, to raise money and to provide clearer pictures and more programming.

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