November 2019

We are over a month into phase 7 of the FCC’s spectrum repack, and there are nearly 100 stations still scheduled to change frequencies before January 17. If you have a Rescan Day coming up, don’t leave your viewers with “snowy” screens over the holidays!

Share this newsletter with others at your station and encourage your team to visit TVAnswers.org/tools for on-air and online tools, including talking points, sample scripts, automated phone messaging, suggested social media posts, social media graphics and customizable spots that instruct viewers how to rescan their TVs or converter boxes.

Through our consumer website TVAnswers.org, we can also help you spread the word about your Rescan Day! But we must know the date and time you'll be moving frequencies. Let us know by emailing NABMarketing@nab.org.

Kudos to the many stations that have gone the extra mile to keep viewers aware of recent repack activity by setting up a local hotline for questions! If your station has or is planning to take this step, let us know. We want to share every resource available to viewers and will share your number with viewers in your area.

You can find resources at TVAnswers.org/tools to build response protocols and step-by-step instructions to rescan an antenna or converter box. Email your station’s local hotline number to NABMarketing@nab.org.

Please note: While the TV Answers team has thoroughly tested the Alexa Skill, each station should test Alexa in their market before promoting it to viewers by asking, “Alexa, how do I rescan my TV?”

A presentation at the recent IEEE Broadcast Symposium noted that only about three-quarters of stations in Phases 0-5 successfully completed the repack by end of Phase 5 (Septemer 21, 2019), meaning, they are operating on their full post-transition facilities without special temporary authority (STA). Bill Meintel, author of the study, concludes that based on these numbers it may take an additional three years to fully complete the spectrum repack.

The FCC reports that the repack is going well and has been very successful to date, but that was disputed recently in an article by TV Technology, where Meintel – principal of the Meintel, Sgrignoli, & Wallace firm – was quoted as saying, “The wheels are coming off the repack.”

Many viewers have reported losing channels after Rescan Days and we have learned this is due to many stations having to operate on temporary facilities to meet their FCC transition deadlines. Did this happen to your station? Please let us know at NABMarketing@nab.org, as this will help us in our advocacy at the FCC.

Many creative services teams have discovered the tools available for stations at TVAnswers.org to educate viewers on upcoming station Rescan Days. If your station has not yet tapped into the checklist, spots and messaging tools available to spread the word, this video will walk you through the resources available and also provide helpful tips for your community outreach. NAB has done all the heavy lifting to make your life easier. Use all of the tools we have at your disposal by simply plugging in your logo, your rescan day and time and putting it on the air.

Rescanning an antenna may be a simple process for most viewers, but elderly and less tech-savvy viewers may need extra help. A lack of access to digital resources or social media may mean that your message isn’t reaching your most at-risk viewers.

Don’t forget to encourage your viewers to help friends, neighbors and family rescan as part of your standard messaging. For tips, tricks and inspiration visit TVAnswers.org/tools or contact us for more ideas at NABMarketing@nab.org.

As over-the-air viewers across your market experience changes to their digital channels, it is important to work with other stations in your market to help spread the word and educate viewers. We encourage you to reach out to general managers in other stations in your market to spread the word about your transition date, as well to inform your own viewers about other station moves in your market. This collaboration ensures our industry continues to serve every local community by delivering the lifesaving information broadcasters provide.

You can find viewer education tools like spots, messaging and scripts for newscasts that can be customized by your team at TVAnswers.org/tools. If you need anything beyond these tools, don't hesitate to contact NABMarketing@nab.org.

Let's work together with stations in our market to ensure viewers don't lose access to their local broadcasters!

Click here to add your contact information to stay informed, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates. You can also connect with us using #PlanToRescan to share what you’re doing to inform your audiences about rescanning.

Get Viewer Education Tools at TVAnswers.org/Tools