When a program nets some
97.5 million viewers, the last thing you want as a broadcaster is trouble with your transmission. Nevertheless, reports are already starting to flow in from towns in which their local FOX affiliate or cable provider somehow bungled what's likely to go down as the biggest night in US sports for 2008. One report out of Kinston, North Carolina, noted that multiple disruptions during kickoff and most of the third quarter had customers at a local restaurant "cursing at the television." As for a particular family near Springfield, Missouri, it's actually considering "canceling the cable service" after SuddenLink's mishandling of the game forced them to watch it via "rabbit ears." Any of you experience unforeseen outages during Sunday's matchup? If so, are you planning a revolt at your carrier's doorstep, or have cooler heads prevailed?
[Image courtesy of
WiredVision]
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Predictably, some folks aren't getting the same reception they used to now that analog broadcasts have (partially) shut off. An AP report featured in USA Today cited stats showing half of the 25,000 calls to the FCC on February 18 were because of reception or antenna issues. As we've known, the effect of the digital cliff and obstructions can make continuing to receive OTA channels a dicey affair depending on where you live. Some have given in and subscribed to cable or satellite, while others are still experimenting with antenna placement, waiting for higher power broadcasts or tower moves, and some have just learned to live without it. Any DTV tales of woe and/or triumph now that we're a couple of weeks past the first stage of the switch?
