MPBN (Maine) To Have Less Viewers

[KML-224]

According to the article, Maine Public Broadcasting (MPBN) is doing some cost cutting. They will shut down their radio transmitter in Fort Kent and the TV transmitter in Calais by the New Brunswick border. No mention as to whether they meant both analog and digital for WMED-TV/DT. I'm going to guess both of them here.

http://news.mainetoday.com/updates/037303.html

[M.J.]

Do the cable companies pick up WMED directly over-the-air? I sure hope the cable systems that carry MPBN don't switch to Detroit or Buffalo for PBS.

[Scott Fybush]

According to the article, Maine Public Broadcasting (MPBN) is doing some cost cutting. They will shut down their radio transmitter in Fort Kent and the TV transmitter in Calais by the New Brunswick border. No mention as to whether they meant both analog and digital for WMED-TV/DT. I'm going to guess both of them here.

http://news.mainetoday.com/updates/037303.html

The analog goes away mid-January anyway as MPBN does an early shutdown. There will be no TV from the Calais (Meddybemps) transmitter site after that.

[KML-224]

An updated article about the MPBN cutbacks is here:

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=228307&ac=PHnws

[w9wi]

An updated article about the MPBN cutbacks is here:

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=228307&ac=PHnws

There's also a more detailed release on MPBN's own site http://www.mbpn.net.

The stations are suspending operation for six months.  (except, as Scott mentions, the analog TV station whose license will expire in February, along with all the other analog stations)

I would educated-guess these particular transmitters were chosen for suspension because of the possibility of at least some service to these areas from the Presque Isle transmitters, and from CBC transmitters in New Brunswick with similar programming.

[KML-224]

I always wondered how the Maine coast was served by two channel 13 analog broadcasters? How far apart are Raymond (WGME-TV analog site) and Calais/Meddybemps (WMED-TV analog site)?

[Scott Fybush]

I always wondered how the Maine coast was served by two channel 13 analog broadcasters? How far apart are Raymond (WGME-TV analog site) and Calais/Meddybemps (WMED-TV analog site)?

Check it out on a map sometime - it's over 200 miles from Portland to Calais over very rugged terrain, and with a first-adjacent (WMEB-TV 12) in between. Assuming WMED-DT returns to the air next summer, it will be on 10, where it will be co-channel with WCBB-DT Augusta, even closer than Raymond/Portland.

There are much more troublesome analog co-channel pairs elsewhere in New England - 6 and 10 in Albany and Providence, 2/4/5/7 in Boston and NYC, 3 in Hartford and Burlington - and MUCH MUCH more troublesome DTV co-channels (22 Springfield/New Bedford, for instance.)

[azumanga]

There's also a more detailed release on MPBN's own site http://www.mbpn.net.

It's http://www.mpbn.net .

[M.J.]

I would educated-guess these particular transmitters were chosen for suspension because of the possibility of at least some service to these areas from the Presque Isle transmitters, and from CBC transmitters in New Brunswick with similar programming.

I wouldn't call CBC and PBS programming all that similar. They both program a lot of childrens' programming, but most of CBC's schedule is Canadian programming not broadcast outside Canada.

[azumanga]

I wouldn't call CBC and PBS programming all that similar. They both program a lot of childrens' programming, but most of CBC's schedule is Canadian programming not broadcast outside Canada.

Not to mention that CBC has regular commercials. And Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. (CBET viewers may ignore that last part.)