An open letter to you, our loyal viewer

Ah, the New Year.  Time for new goals, new beginnings and a new attitude.  Here at WGVU, we’re committed to all things new, from premiere episodes of your favorite shows to cutting-edge technologies.  Broadcasting offers a brave new world in 2009, and we’re excited to be able to share the adventure with you.

Next month, on February 17, WGVU will convert to a digital-only signal, along with all broadcasters throughout the country.  If you are still watching television using only rabbit ears, and you do not have a newer TV with a digital tuner, you may not be able to watch anything after the conversion.  That’s right – your television will be unable to pick up any station after February 17.  However, it’s easy to take the necessary steps to ensure that your television service is uninterrupted, without having to subscribe to a cable or satellite service (although this is always an option, if you choose).

The first step is to buy a converter box.  This box will allow your existing television to pick up the new digital signals.  You can purchase a converter box for around $60 at stores like Meijer, as well as most electronic stores like Best Buy and Circuit City.  You can cut the cost of this box by requesting a government coupon at dtv2009.gov or by calling 888-DTV-2009.  Remember that these coupons can take up to six weeks to arrive, and that the program will most likely be flooded with last-minute requests this month, so I recommend requesting yours right away.

Once you have a converter box for every television in your home, you must scan through the channels to make sure that you are picking up all of the available stations (you’ll need to do this again right after the conversion as well).  If you have trouble receiving any stations, adjust your rabbit ears until they come in clearer.  By doing this, you should be able to see all of the channels offered by your local stations.  For example, you’ll be able to watch WGVU TV, Create, WGVU HD and our newest information channel now!

If you have questions about the transition, remember that we’re here to help.  Give us a call at 800-442-2771 to speak to a WGVU representative or visit our web site at wgvu.org for answers to commonly asked questions.  At our web site, you can also watch DTV tips and get direct links to even more information.  If you’d rather talk one on one, give us a call and request a tour of the station – we’ll take you through everything that we’re doing to get ready as well.  Don’t be afraid to ask anything and everything!  Remember, we want you to be a prepared as possible.  In the meantime, check out the DTV Conversion tips here on our web site and watch out for upcoming blackout days – we’ll be collaborating with other stations in the area to turn off our regular signals occasionally.  If you see a warning message on your screen, it means you’re not ready for the conversion yet!  We’re only a few short weeks away from the biggest leap in broadcasting since color TV.  Here we go!

Michael T. Walenta, General Manager, WGVU