Viewers’ digital TV calls flood WWBT in Richmond

Years in the making and days into the doing, television's conversion to a digital transmission system is baffling many local viewers.

One of the toughest transitions is occurring at NBC affiliate WWBT, where Vice President and General Manager Don Richards and staff members worked until midnight Saturday fielding calls from viewers.

"It's been a team effort," he said.

"The calls certainly have totaled more than 1,000" since 4 a.m. Friday, when the station dropped its analog broadcast and went exclusively digital, Richards said.

And the calls keep coming. The station is continuing to use staff members and management to handle questions on its call-in line and is addressing the conversion in nightly newscasts, Richards said last night.

The problem is primarily affecting viewers without cable, satellite dishes, fiber optics or new televisions with digital tuners; in other words, those people who rely on older TVs needing a converter system and antenna.

WWBT was the only local station to be assigned a new VHF frequency. Other stations serving the Richmond market were assigned UHF frequencies by the Federal Communications Commission. Richards said VHF frequencies have always been preferable for television transmissions because UHF has limited range and reception.

But Richards said the reception problem seems to be focused on antenna positioning and geography.

"It's very specific to geography, and that's why it's sort of labor-intensive. We are taking each call and trying to resolve the problem on the phone with them," he said.

Richards said he hasn't personally had to coach a viewer trying to adjust a roof-top antenna, but over the phone he has heard people shouting instructions to one another from room to room.

"In 99 percent of the calls, folks are just looking for help, but it's also a matter where people have spent some money on a new product and it's not working," he said. Many of the problems seem to affect older sets, he said.

CBS affiliate WTVR and ABC affiliate WRIC have reported few or no problems.

Richards, meanwhile, said he's not expecting the calls for help to stop anytime soon.

"We are not surprised by the volume, but I have a feeling it's not going to be a day or two or even a week. It's going to be awhile," he said.

Contact Bill McKelway at (804) 649-6601 or .