October 2019

With only days left in Phase 6 of the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) spectrum repack, nearly 500 stations have already changed frequencies and more than 90 are scheduled to move this week. Does your creative services team know about the resources we provide to stations to educate viewers?

Share this newsletter with others at your station and encourage your team to visit TVAnswers.org/tools for on-air and online tools, including talking points, sample scripts, automated phone messaging, suggested social media posts, social media graphics and customizable spots that instruct viewers how to rescan their TVs or converter boxes.

Through our consumer website TVAnswers.org, we can also help you spread the word about your Rescan Day! But we must know the date and time you'll be moving frequencies. Let us know by emailing NABMarketing@nab.org.

National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) Executive Director Todd Shlekeway sits down with the TV Answers team to give us a peek into the complicated and sometimes dangerous world of tower crews.

Did you know there are only 40 tower crews in the United States truly capable of preforming work necessary to complete a station’s transition? The highly specialized work required by crews and the experience needed (over 20 years!) to be a skilled foreman make for few but talented teams of tower technicians. Learn more about the crews you trust your transition to.

WQLN in Erie, Pa., shares a behind-the-scenes look with viewers at the process of changing frequencies and installing their new antenna. From the air crane to the tower crews making it all happen, WQLN shared the entire process on their social media channels. Take a look at the excellent way the station helped inform and involve viewers in the spectrum repack.

Many stations are reporting the need to transition to a lower power or even go off-air altogether while tower work is being completed or after their transition to meet FCC-mandated deadlines. Viewers are noticing. We’ve recently seen an uptick in viewer questions and concern in areas where stations are temporarily broadcasting at a lower power.

Rescanning an antenna may be a simple process for most viewers, but elderly and less tech-savvy viewers may need extra help. A lack of access to digital resources or social media may mean that your post-repack messages aren’t reaching your most at-risk viewers.

Don’t forget to encourage your viewers to help friends, neighbors and family rescan as part of your standard messaging. For tips, tricks and inspiration visit TVAnswers.org/tools or contact us for more ideas at NABMarketing@nab.org.

As over-the-air viewers across your market experience changes to their TV channels, it is important to work with other stations in your market to help spread the word and educate viewers. We encourage you to reach out to general managers at other stations to inform your community about your Rescan Day, as well to inform your own viewers about other station moves in your area. This collaboration ensures our industry continues to serve every local community by delivering the lifesaving information broadcasters provide.

You can find viewer education tools like spots, messaging and scripts for newscasts that can be customized by your team at TVAnswers.org/tools. If you need anything beyond these tools, don't hesitate to contact NABMarketing@nab.org.

Let's work together with stations in our market to ensure viewers don't lose access to their local broadcasters!

Click here to add your contact information to stay informed, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates. You can also connect with us using #PlanToRescan to share what you’re doing to inform your audiences about rescanning.

Get Viewer Education Tools at TVAnswers.org/Tools