“Friends” reruns are going all-digital a few weeks early. KSTC-TV, Channel 45, has announced that it will end analog broadcasts of its programming, which includes the popular sitcom, on May 26. It’s one of 158 TV stations nationwide that will switch to digital-only signals in advance of the federally mandated digital-TV transition on June 12, according to the FCC.

Station manager Susan Wenz said Channel 45 is switching early because it is converting from one digital channel to another, which will take a couple of weeks. “We just want to make sure that we are on our permanent digital channel when everyone else goes on June 12,” she said.

The only other Minnesota TV station switching early is KSMQ in Austin, on May 1, according to the FCC. Other Twin Cities TV stations that have already gone all-digital include the CW (WUCW, Channel 23) and Lakeland Public Television (KAWE/KAWB, Channel 22, in some parts of the metro area). KTCI, Channel 17, ceased broadcasting early this year, and some of its programs moved to the digital bands of sister PBS station KTCA, Channel 2.

Viewers who use an over-the-air antenna with an analog TV set can’t view digital programming without buying a digital-to-analog converter box, subscribing to a cable or satellite service, or getting a newer digital TV set. Without action, those viewers will lose all programming on June 12. More information is available at www.dtv2009.gov and www.dtvanswers.com.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 18th, 2009 at 11:19 am and is filed under DTV switchover. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.