DTV Transition: Continuing Coverage
ABC will be working with the FCC to try and fix the reception problems at WPVI Philadelphia and WLS Chicago, said a spokeswoman for the ABC-owned station group.
Both stations have been experiencing reception problems following the shutoff of analog broadcasts on June 12. WLS was having difficulty reaching high-rise and downtown buildings, while Philadelphia viewers complained they couldn't find WPVI's new digital VHF signal.
"We always believed that we were given an insufficient power allocation, and we will work closely with the FCC to aleviate the situation," said WLS-TV President and General Manager Emily Barr. Julie Hoover, a spokeswoman for the ABC station group, said the situation is the same in Philadelphia.
FCC staffer Bob Radcliff said at a press conference Saturday that the FCC was aware of WLS' difficulties. He did not cite WPVI but said the FCC was doing some field analysis of how VHF stations "are experiencing problems in big cities." He said he has talked with stations and the commission is trying to figure out how to "adjust the technical parameters of these stations to improve their service in the cities."
