Ode to the DTV Transition: D.C.'s Digital Channels Kind of Rule
The Digital TV Transition hasn't been hurting for attention over the last year. Not only is the federally funded converter box coupon program surely one of the most well-publicized government subsidies ever created (think about it—have you ever seen prime-time TV commercials advertising Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants?), but recently Congress decided it hadn't been publicized enough, and extended the deadline for broadcasters to switch to entirely digital feeds from February 17 to June 12.
Still, if you're among the non-cable subscribers who hurried to meet the original deadline, chances are good you're already enjoying a wider range of programming and much improved picture quality on your old TV sets. And it occurred to DCist recently that those of our readers who have cable or satellite subscriptions on all their TV sets and never had to bother with the transition may have no idea what they're missing.
After the jump, you'll find our take on the channels currently widely available over the free, digital airwaves within the District. If you're out in Virginia and Maryland and are getting different free channels, let us know about them in the comments.
- WRC-1/NBC 4.1: This the exact same local NBC broadcast you get over cable, satellite or analog (up until June 12, anyway).
- WRC-2/NBC 4.2: Like most local news broadcasters, WRC/NBC4 has opted to devote their second digital channel entirely to local weather. Tune in for a near-constant weather map, five-day forecast, and remixed muzak.
- WRC-3/NBC 4.3: NBC has filled this third channel entirely with Olympic-style sporting events. Often old Olympic footage but sometimes more recent world championship events, it's all skiing, cycling, swimming, and the like. If you just can't get enough Olympic competition, we guess this is your dream channel, but given that most of the contests being shown have already been decided, we don't really get this decision. Hopefully NBC will make something more out of this channel down the road.
- WTTG/FOX 5: The same as the local FOX broadcast.
- WJLA-1/ABC 7.1: The same as the local ABC broadcast.
- WJLA-2/ABC 7.2: WJLA's all-local weather channel, similar to NBC4's, but with the added bonus of broadcasting WTOP over the top of it instead of bad elevator music. By far the best weather-only digital broadcast in the area.
- WJLA-3/ABC 7.3 Hands down the greatest thing to happen to free broadcast TV in a generation. Channel 7.3 shows classic TV shows around the clock (with the occasional break for middle-of-the-night infomercials). Daily episodes of McHale's Navy, Leave It to Beaver, A-Team, Magnum, P.I., Rockford Files, and, most crucially, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, have quickly become staples in many a DCist's home, even if the channel did replace the interesting but not quite fully realized Local Point TV. Not every 7.3 show is a winner, however. Stay away from the likes of Night Gallery and It Takes a Thief, shows so dated and oddly paced it's not hard to figure out why you had never heard of them before.
- WUSA-1/CBS 9.1: The same as the local CBS broadcast.
- WUSA-2/CBS 9.2: The local CBS affiliate all-weather channel is just a live feed of the area's Doppler radar reading, with no context, no five-day forecast, and no sound. You can do better, WUSA!
- WDCA/My 20: Same as the MyNetworkTV/FOX sister station broadcast you're used to.
- WETA/26.1: WETA has four different digital channels broadcasting currently. The first offers the same programming you see on regular WETA: History Detectives, The NewsHour, and best of all lately, classic episodes of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes on Sundays at 11 p.m.
- WETA/26.2: WETA's second channel is known as "WETA Create," and is mostly cooking and home improvement shows. Here you'll find Sewing with Nancy, Jacques Pépin's Fast Food My Way, New Yankee Workshop, Made in Spain, and Lidia's Family Table.
- WETA/26.3: WETA 3 is WETA Kids, an all-kids programming channel, including shows like Super WHY!, Cyberchase, Bob the Builder and Big Comfy Couch.
- WETA/26.4: This is WETA's "other channel," which schedules a sort of remixed version of 26.1, but all too often shows the exact same program that other WETA channels are showing at the same time. We love that WETA is offering such a variety of programming, but they would serve us even better if they could somehow coordinate not showing Charlie Rose on three channels at once.
- WHUT/32: Same programming you're used to from WHUT. It's lamentable that WETA has four channels and WHUT only has one.
- CW/50: The same CW you already know. It's probably hoping for too much to expect channel 50 to start broadcasting a 2nd or 3rd channel, but if we could make a suggestion: mine old episodes of UPN and WB shows, CW! All we want is recycled Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gilmore Girls. Heck, we'd settle for Charmed marathons.