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KCTS 9 HD FAQ

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Where did the HD channel go?
Our HD channel has moved to digital channel 9.1 (Comcast 109)—it is now our primary program stream.

How do I find the HD programs?

  • Channel 9.5 or Comcast 109 isn't coming in.
  • I'm getting an "invalid channel" message when I tune 9.5.
  • When I go to 9.5, I am sent to another channel (9.1 or 9.3).
You can simply tune to channel 9.1 or Comcast 109 for KCTS 9 HD. Over-the-air viewers might need to re-scan their receivers as well to ensure the correct PSIP information—what your receiver decodes as on-screen program information, the channel setting, and so on—will be updated.

Why did you do this?
We were prompted to do this because the major satellite carriers are making upgrades in our market and this allows us the opportunity to get our local HD programming to local satellite customers.

Why did you change the programming?
We are working to provide our entire program schedule in HD. The former HD channel provided mainly repeats and was on an east coast time schedule, meaning much of our primary program schedule was out of sync with the HD schedule. We want to reduce confusion and improve service. Watch for more improvements to our digital lineup—and our primary program stream—in the months to come.

Why are you going to all-digital broadcasting? What is the DTV transition?
All full-power television stations in the United States have been mandated by Congress to switch to digital broadcasting. Digital television provides higher-quality picture and sound and more programming options. It will also free up a wide range of frequencies so they can be used for public safety services. For more information on the digital transition, visit KCTS9.org/digital or call 1.800.937.5287.

Why did KCTS choose a UHF channel for their digital channel?
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) assigned a companion channel to each analog television broadcaster for the stations to use for digital broadcasting before the analog shut-off on February 17, 2009. All Seattle stations were assigned UHF channels; stations had no say regarding the channel received. The assignment for KCTS 9 was UHF channel 41. The FCC did allow stations to choose which channel—either their analog channel or current digital channel—to use after February 17, 2009. After considering many factors, KCTS 9 decided to move digital transmissions to channel 9 (a VHF channel) on February 18, 2009.

I've seen some advertisements on your channel regarding the "analog power reduction." Is this related and does it affect me?
The power reduction is related in that it is part of our transition to all-digital broadcasting on February 17, 2009. We need to make room in our building for the new digital transmitter that will operate on VHF channel 9; to do this, we will need to reduce the analog power and remove half the transmitter. This is a space issue.

This should not affect what you're seeing on KCTS 9 today. We operated at half power for a year (December 2006–December 2007), which was approved by the FCC, due to an equipment failure and which we are glad to say affected very few viewers. The FCC has also approved this change in our power level in anticipation of the digital transition, but they do require us to post this informational bulletin.

I was enjoying [fill in the blank], and it's gone! When will these be on KCTS 9.1?
Many of the programs seen on the separate HD channel were repeats of high-definition and widescreen programs that also appeared on KCTS 9.1 in standard definition. This includes Great Performances, NOVA, Nature, FRONTLINE, Antiques Roadshow, History Detectives, and many more.

KCTS 9 has been working to provide our primary program service in high definition since Congress first mandated that all U.S. broadcasters must move to digital broadcasting. High definition (HD) is the new industry standard but just as all shows were not immediately available in color in the 1960s, so we are incrementally moving toward all shows being made in HD. Initially, due to the shortage of HD programs, we created the previous KCTS 9 HD (9.5) as a separate channel and repeated the available content there.

As HD production has become the standard—you may have seen the NewsHour's special presentation when they went HD in late 2007—we determined it was time to make the shift to HD as our primary service. As with the color/black-and-white comparison, to ensure a complete viewing experience, we will continue to have up-converted standard definition (SD) and 4:3 programs alongside the shows that were filmed and produced in HD. Our change ahead of the February 17, 2009, analog shut-off helps ensure our viewers are prepared for the changes to come, and encourages more producers to move toward the new standard of HD production.

We hope you will enjoy the breadth of the new schedule in high definition, and the ease of finding programs in the schedule. Prior to this change, KCTS 9 was only able to customize the HD schedule to match local needs a few nights per week; now, when an episode of American Experience (for example) is coming up, you'll know which channel it's on, and when—no more guesswork. Additionally, we are creating a weekday evening news lineup beginning in November that will bring you the NewsHour, for example, in HD at 6:00 p.m. every day. This program block would not have been available on our previous HD channel. It will begin at 4:00 p.m. with Charlie Rose; continue with Nightly Business Report at 5, BBC World News at 5:30, and conclude with the NewsHour at 6.

Your support makes this breadth and depth of programs possible, and will help fuel the complete transition to high definition. I hope you'll continue to support KCTS 9 and, perhaps even more important, continue to tune in and let us know how we can improve our services. To learn more about the shows that are coming up, subscribe to our Primetime e-newsletter and download our monthly viewer guide (available by mail to members). We are listening and continually updating our program schedule and services to better serve you.

Why wasn’t there more advance warning about the change/removal of the HD channel?
In retrospect, we would have made a greater effort to notify KCTS 9 HD viewers on air about the coming change. However, the main reason we didn't do this was a simple lack of resources; producing the promotional spots and getting them on air on channel 9.5 in high definition is a time-consuming activity. Add that to the fact that we have no way to measure viewers on our digital channels (unlike for our analog channel, for which we have Nielsen ratings), and it appeared from our perspective to be time better spent working out the technological details of the change, as well as continuing our everyday work of obtaining, scheduling and promoting programs for 9.1.

We did notify viewers of the change on the front page of our Web site, in our September viewer guide and in our monthly DTV Highlights e-newsletter, and we worked with cable and satellite companies in advance of the switch. We are, however, still working out changes with a few of the services that take a little more time to make changes on their end.

Again, in retrospect, it is clear that we failed to adequately notify viewers in advance of the change. It was an honest mistake and we pledge to learn from this mistake and keep our viewers better informed on all our digital channels in the future.

Is there any chance 9.5 will be reactivated?
No. We're sorry, but channel 9.5 will not be reactivated as KCTS 9 HD. We are not ruling out other changes to our digital lineup, but we do not have the digital bandwidth to run two HD channels. Before September 8, our digital signal included the HD channel on 9.5 and three SD (standard definition) channels: 9.1, a digital SD simulcast of our main analog channel; 9.2, KCTS 9 V-me; and 9.3, KCTS 9 Create. We now carry two standard definition (SD) digital channels in addition to KCTS 9 HD, which does not allow the bandwidth to carry an additional HD channel. Instead, the additional bandwidth is now shared by the three channels.

We balance a variety of factors in deciding how to allocate our finite bandwidth. Those factors include how many digital channels should be broadcast, what programming services should fill those channels, and what level of picture quality (i.e. standard definition vs. high definition) is desired for each channel. We are continually evaluating the value of our services to the community, so you can expect to see our channels grow and/or change over time.

Why did this happen? I want more information than you've given already.
Our goal has always been for viewers to enjoy their favorite KCTS 9 and PBS programs in HDTV. We initially began providing the HD channel as a bonus for our early-adopter viewers, as well as to showcase some of our early HD production. Over time, we have been slowly moving toward the ability to provide all of our programming in HD—and at some point, this change had to happen. If we had not merged the two channels (moving HD to 9.1 and eliminating 9.5), at the very least, we would have introduced the programming on channel 9.1 to 9.5, up-converting where necessary, both simply because we believe our primary program stream should be HD, and because our primary stream is where we produce revenue. Yes, it comes down to dollars and cents. Our fund drives are the best method we have to bring in new members. We air special programming and additional breaks in the shows to raise money to support the station. We make every effort to select the best fundraising programs—the highest quality, and those that do well for us monetarily—and to minimize the intrusion into our normal program schedule. However, over two-thirds—about 70 percent in fiscal 2007—of our financial support comes directly from individual contributions. Only about 10 percent of our annual budget comes from the federal budget—about $1.50 per taxpayer, per year goes to funding public broadcasting nationwide. Until we develop new funding models, fund drives are a fact of life.

Additionally, we would not have been able to make our primary channel 9.1 into HD and retain 9.5 as a separate HD service. (See Is there any chance 9.5 will be reactivated? above.)

Finally, the PBS HD channel—which, with some changes, is what previously aired on 9.5—is also in transition toward being a service that includes more of the core PBS programs—which includes both regular programs and those specifically produced for fundraising. KCTS 9 is simply making the transition a little sooner than PBS.

When will the regular programming schedule be restored?
As mentioned elsewhere, our online schedule and Programs A-Z should help you find the specific show you're looking for. However, we are finishing up our September fund drive at this writing. During fund drives, as you almost certainly know, we air special programming and additional breaks in the shows to raise money to support the station. We make every effort to select the best fundraising programs—the highest quality, and those that do well for us monetarily. Over two-thirds—about 70 percent in fiscal 2007—of our financial support comes directly from individual contributions. Only about 10 percent of our annual budget comes from the federal budget—about $1.50 per taxpayer, per year goes to funding public broadcasting nationwide.

As this fund drive ends, we are excited to bring you a special American Masters: You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story, Tuesday, 9/23, through Thursday, 9/25. On October 1, we are producing The Governor's Debate: Live from Yakima. NOVA, Nature, FRONTLINE, American Experience, Masterpiece, Secrets of the Dead—and all the shows you expect from PBS—are on the schedule in late September and throughout October. If you still can't find the show you want to watch, we want to hear from you—send an e-mail to start@KCTS9.org.

What is DTV or the digital transition?
After February 17, 2009, all full-power television stations will broadcast exclusively via a digital signal, replacing the traditional analog format that has been used since TV’s inception. KCTS 9 will no longer broadcast an analog signal at all. We are working to help our community prepare for the transition. Individuals can either upgrade to a digital television set; sign up for a paid service such as cable or satellite; or purchase a digital-to-analog converter box that enables older analog sets to receive a digital signal. The federal government mandated this transition and has provided a coupon process to help ease the cost of the transition for viewers. Please take a look at our digital page at KCTS9.org/digital to learn more, or go directly to dtv2009.gov to order your coupons today.

How does the HD channel change relate to DTV or the digital transition?
The predominate way the HD channel change relates to the digital transition for KCTS 9 is in which digital channels the two major satellite providers will distribute to their customers after the analog cutoff. By ensuring that our primary program stream is in HD, we ensure that after the digital transition, our viewers on DirecTV and DISH will have access to our primary program stream in HD. If we had not made this change, the possibilities are that satellite customers would not have access to local PBS programming in HD or that both KCTS 9 and the satellite providers would have to make major adjustments later, which would most likely be costly to both parties. Like terrestrial broadcasters and cable companies, the satellite providers are gearing up for the digital transition and they notified us of the opportunity to change channels early. We wanted to take advantage of this opportunity for a variety of reasons. First, we needed to make a number of technological changes at the station to prepare for this switch. Staff brought in new equipment, rewired systems, remapped databases, and so on, and we are continuing to work on several systems to get all the automation and technological elements in place. Had we left this change until February 17, 2009, or later, we would have had to manage the change at the same time as our analog cutoff. While we are preparing for the analog cutoff currently as well, we have the benefit of being prepared ahead of time and not trying to manage two new, complex changes at once. Additionally, we will need to be prepared to help thousands of viewers with new digital converter boxes, antennas and simple installation issues this winter. Finally, after the analog cutoff there presumably would be more digital viewers watching a differentiated HD channel if it still existed, potentially creating a higher number of viewers that would be upset by the eventual change.

Why are there so many shows with side curtains, or black bars along the sides of the programs, not just the traditional letterboxing?
Local stations, including KCTS 9, have been putting pressure on PBS to convert more of its core programming to HD. Like us, most stations want their HD channel to be their primary channel and they want viewers to be able to enjoy all their favorite programs in HD. PBS is gradually moving in this direction. The NewsHour and Antiques Roadshow are now produced in 16:9 widescreen format and are part of the PBS HD feed.

Unfortunately, a lot of PBS core programming is available in the 4:3 aspect ratio and/or in SD; these are being up-converted for HD. When 4:3 programs are up-converted for widescreen sets, viewers see black bars on either side. Widescreen programs that were not originally produced in HD are being up-converted for broadcast in HD. Their picture quality will not be as good as if they had been produced in HD; however, the quality should be better than that on our main analog channel.

Both forms of up-converting are part of a stopgap approach intended to help buy time for producers to gear up for more widescreen and HD production. Eventually, viewers will see fewer and fewer of these "side-curtained" and up-converted SD programs, just as black and white programs became less common over time. We are actively working to reduce the frequency of those programs by requesting true widescreen and/or HD copies whenever we can get them from the distributors.

Page last updated September 18, 2008