UPDATE: The State of Digital at CBC

As the HD conversion continues nationwide, Capitol Broadcasting Company (CBC) maintains its position as a leader in the field. From permanently converting its newcasts to digital in January 2001 to airing the first all-digital news broadcast from the N.C. State Fair in October

John Greene CBC VP of HD "Capitol would like to see a speedy transition and a smooth transfer to digital. It will be expensive for us to operate both and analog and digital transmissions for each of our stations."-John Greene, CBC VP, HD

2000 to being granted the first experimental high-definition license in June 1996, WRAL-TV has staked its claim in digital history. WRAL Digital, through DTV Plus, continues to experiment with data transmissions and is working with other major partners on interactive and enhanced television. CBC's other television stations are making digital waves as well. FOX50 (WRAZ) - Durham Although the FOX network doesn't offer the amount of HD programming that CBS sends WRAL-TV, WRAZ takes advantage of sports programming offered in digital. FOX50 also has experimented with multi-casting by broadcasting a Durham Bulls game on its digital station during regular programming last year. FOX now plans to offer 36 Bulls games during their 2001 season via multi-casting.   WJZY/WFVT (UPN46/WB55) - Charlotte CBC's Charlotte stations are currently working on their digital conversions. Plans are underway and most of the equipment has been ordered. Work will begin within the next few months on a new digital transmitter facility and upgrading of the tower. The stations will be transmitting a digital signal on or about the first of the year.

WILM & The Rest of the Story

CBC also plans to convert its Wilmington station (CBS affiliate WILM) to digital at a future date. According to CBC's VP of High Definition John Greene, "There is a lot of discussion about the ending date of the conversion (or the date when television stations will return their analog spectrum to the government to auction for other purposes such as wireless communications). The FCC originally set 2006 for the deadline but Congress later said the end of the transition would occur when 85% of Americans could receive a digital signal. Unfortunately, the FCC has not required cable systems to carry the digital signals and this could delay the transition. The new FCC Chairman, Michael Powell, has said that he does not think the transition will be completed by 2006 and hinted that the deadline may be moved back to a later date."