KGFE, Channel 2, viewers now have digital service
FARGO, N.D., February 21, 2006 — Nearly two years after an ice storm
knocked out Prairie Public Television’s broadcast facility near Petersburg,
N.D., the television signal is back. It also has the historic distinction
of being the final tower erected in Prairie Public Television’s statewide
conversion to digital broadcasts.
Digital has more capacity than traditional television signals, and Prairie
Public will use the capacity to broadcast three different streams of programming.
High definition broadcasts, with the superior picture quality that makes
digital television so attractive, will use most of the digital capacity
in evenings during primetime when available. Prairie Public began the
transition to digital shortly after Congress mandated that all commercial
and public television stations convert to the new technology.
Prairie Public will broadcast in the traditional standard format for those
who don’t have the digital equipment to receive the new signals.
To replace the Petersburg tower that had been damaged beyond repair, the
non-profit television network speeded up construction of the final digital
tower near Devils Lake. “The tower outage was a significant financial
and logistical challenge for us,” said Jack Anderson, director of
Prairie Public Television’s engineering department. “But now
our viewers have the newest, highest level of television technology available
to them. I think they’ll find it was worth the wait.”
To serve their viewers while the new tower was being constructed, Prairie
Public Television got a special permit from the FCC to broadcast a low
level signal that served the Grand Forks area. The network also purchased
equipment that allowed area cable providers to send the signal. In spite
of those efforts, some people still have lived without the Prairie Public
Television signal since the ice storm.
“We’ve had calls from people whose kids miss ‘Sesame Street,’”
said Prairie Public’s Marie Lucero. “The impact we have in the
state was even more apparent than usual when we disappeared. It’s
heartening to know that people love and depend on public television so
much.”
Prairie Public Television now has two digital towers to offer service
to the old Channel 2 area: one in Crookston, Minn., (seen on Channel 16)
and one in Devils Lake, N.D., (seen on Channel 25). Viewers across the
northeastern part of North Dakota may access Prairie Public Television’s
digital signal from the Crookston tower or the new Devils Lake tower via
two methods: a digital television with a tuner or—much more affordably—a
“set-top” digital converter, available for purchase at most
electronics stores.
The question many people have, according to Prairie Public Television’s
CEO, John Harris, is if it will be necessary to purchase a new digital
television set. “Only if you want the benefits of digital,”
he said. “Stations will continue to broadcast the traditional analog
signal until 85% of households in the United States have digital sets,
which may take many years. The programming our viewers are accustomed
to seeing will continue to be where they expect it, when they expect it.”
To help answer questions about digital broadcasting, Prairie Public has
devoted pages in its Web site to help answer questions about digital broadcasting
at www.prairiepublic.org/corporate.
Prairie Public Broadcasting, headquartered in Fargo, is a non-profit organization
and community licensee that provides public television services throughout
North Dakota, northwestern Minnesota, southern Manitoba, and parts of
Montana and South Dakota, and public radio service to North Dakota. In
addition to broadcasting services, Prairie Public Broadcasting provides
a wide range of educational and technological services to communities
and individuals across its coverage area.
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