CW Burlington-Plattsburgh-Montreal : The CW moves to WPTZ

[InMontreal]

Starting tonight, The CW affiliation will air on WPTZ 5.2. Rest of the programming remains Me-TV.

As for WFFF 44.2, their daytime programming remains the same, syndicated programming, while entertainment shows like TMZ will fill the 8pm-10pm slots.

Official statement : http://www.wptz.com/news/vermont-new...z/-/index.html

[lostjon]

Starting tonight, The CW affiliation will air on WPTZ 5.2. Rest of the programming remains Me-TV.

As for WFFF 44.2, their daytime programming remains the same, syndicated programming, while entertainment shows like TMZ will fill the 8pm-10pm slots.

Works well for me. I can get the local CBS, NBC and PBS affiliates, but forget ABC and FOX with my digital flatbed antenna. With The CW on 5.2, I'll no longer have to wait until Sunday to watch Nikita on CTV Two.

I must say this is intriguing. Any news behind this move?

[InMontreal]

Just added the link above :)

[InMontreal]

It's been a while, but there are some changes over WVNY and WFFF.

- To those lucky ones who can receive hard-to-get WVNY (ABC), they added 22.2 Laff and 22.3 Grit, last sunday, Aug 21.
- Over WFFF (Fox), they added 44.2 Escape and 44.3 Bounce TV, yesterday.

As usual, some TV brands will automatically find them while some other brands need a scan.
Personally, I would have prefer they added an SD 16:9 simulcast of WVNY on 44.2...

[InMontreal]

"In the FCC's incentive auction, WNNE sold its spectrum for $50,464,592".

WNNE was a semi-satellite of WPTZ, licensed to Hartford, Vermont with its transmitter located on Mount Ascutney in Windsor, Vermont, shared with a Vermont PBS retransmitter. On July 22, 2018, WNNE's transmitter on UHF 25 was shut down, its NBC affiliation terminated. WPTZ's signal from Mount Mansfield doesn't reach Hartford.

In some twisted plan, WNNE's licence was relocated to Montpelier, located 85 km North, and Hearst affiliated WNNE to existing The Valley CW. The PSIP 5.2 is gone and was replaced with 31.1, PSIP display as "WNNE-HD".

While Hearst is laughing all the way to the bank, you'll probably need to rescan your PVR / TV if you're looking for The CW. Hopefully part of the $50 million will help them upgrade newscasts to High Definition.

[InMontreal]

WPTZ moved last summer in their new studios. They probably still use widescreen SD cameras for field reporting, but newscast studios are HD now.

WCAX (CBS) is changing channel tomorrow, Oct 24, 2019, from UHF 22 to UHF 20. Signal for all channels from Mount Mansfield were lowered in the last 2 weeks while engineers were performing upgrades and maintenance to facilities. For Montrealers, UHF 20 is located between CBFT 19 and CBMT 21, neither of which are expected to change channel.

Upcoming moves :
- WFFF (Fox) is expected to move from UHF 43 to UHF 16.
- WCFE (PBS) from UHF 38 to UHF 36.
- WVNY (ABC) from VHF 13 to VHF 7.
- CFTM (TVA) from VHF 10 to VHF 11.
- CJNT (City) from UHF 49 to UHF 17.
- CFHD (ICI) from UHF 47 to UHF 31.

[InMontreal]

As you know, the WPTZ/WCAX transmission tower on Mount Mansfield caught fire back in november 2019, they moved a crew and expedited paperwork and permits and installed the equipment on the adjacent tower used by WFFF & WVNY, at a lower height and power, work was interrupted by an ice storm, and prayed it would be temporary until the site if accessible once the snow has melted up there, meaning end of may, beginning of june.

Here we are in june, but covid-19 complicates a lot of things. First, the frequency changes whose Phase 10 was initially scheduled between May 2nd and July 3rd. CJNT and CFHD have already move to their new frequencies since the last 2-3 weeks. Solved. Now, another piece of the puzzle: Radio-Canada announced this week its station CKSH-DT in Sherbrooke is moving frequencies on June 16, and asked to rescan. No further detail.
https://cbc.radio-canada.ca/en/media...tch-sherbrooke

The domino effect: "In the original Industry Canada 2017 plan, CJOH-TV-8 Cornwall was to move to UHF9 digital, CKSH from 9 to 13, WVNY from 13 to 7, CHLT (TVA Sherbrooke) from 7 to 8." Bell eliminated CJOH Cornwall a long time ago.
Additionally, "CKMI-2 (Global Sherbrooke) from 11 to 10, and CFTM from 10 to 11". Engineers will probably move WFFF to UHF 16 while they're at it, unless neighbor states...
I've been told WCFE (PBS) move will be postponed for some obscur reason. It's currently besides UHF 37 which is reserved for radio astronomy, unusable for TV. Cellphone providers in the area aren't in a hurry.

Back to the WCAX/WPTZ tower, it is expected to be up and running in August 2020. Ya need an helicopter up there, employees in high places, everyone has to be cleared for work.