Three TV stations in the Valley will delay digital conversion until June 12

By Guy D’Astolfo

YOUNGSTOWN — The area’s three over-the-air broadcast television stations will continue to broadcast in analog until June 12, the new digital-TV transition date set by Congress.

The original transition date was Feb. 17, but Congress decided last month to move that date back by about four months to give people more time to get ready.

People who do not have a digital-ready television and get their signal via antenna — in other words, without a cable or satellite provider — need to buy and install a converter box. The Federal Communications Commission was giving away $40 coupons good toward purchasing converters, but the program ran out of money late last year.

Stations did have the option of sticking to the Feb. 17 transition date, but had to first gain FCC approval.

Youngstown’s WYTV (33) and WKBN (27) decided to continue to broadcast in analog until June, said Gary Coursen, news director of those stations. So did WFMJ (21), said Jack Stevenson, the station’s marketing director.

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.