# NCAA Tourney On Sub-Channels, Not Every Affiliate



## wakajawaka (Sep 27, 2006)

Following is an e-mail I wrote to my local CBS affiliate in Charlotte about using the sub-channels for the NCAA Tournament. I got a nice response but I'm a bit dissapointed with the results. Read all about it....

*ORIGINAL E-MAIL*

Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2007 12:59 PM
To: Viewerfeedback WBTV
Subject: NCAA Tourney Games on Digital Sub-Chanells

Many CBS affiliates (including WRAL in Raleigh) are offering every NCAA tournament game in there entirety by utilizing the digital sub-channels. Is WBTV going to be doing this? This seems like a perfect use of the sub-channels for this special event. It is especially nice for those of us that want to watch games of out of market teams. If WBTV is not going to offer the games on the sub-channels I would implore you to reconsider as this is a perfect opportunity to use the (relatively) new digital TV technology.

Thanks

Scott

*REPLY:*

Dear Scott,

Thank you for your email.

I agree that utilizing the digital sub-channels for the NCAA Tournament is a great way to take advantage of new broadcast technology.
Unfortunately, CBS can only offer a limited number of stations within a certain region the opportunity to do this (due to NCAA license restrictions). WFMY and WRAL are both already multi-casting games in the first couple of rounds, so it is not an option for WBTV. I have put in a request with CBS to allow us to do this in the future, but I am not sure when it might happen. WRAL or WFMY would likely need to stop multi-casting in order for WBTV to have the opportunity.

Thank you again for the email, we appreciate all of the feedback we receive.

Sincerely,

Shelly Hill
Marketing & Program Director
WBTV, Inc.
3 On Your Side


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## packfan909 (Oct 6, 2006)

It would be nice to know which stations are multicasting around the US. So far we have 

WFMY, WRAL, and KIRO

Can anyone else confirm if their affiliate is multicasting?


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Honestly, I sometimes wish WRAL wouldn't multicast! Via OTA, this means NO HD for the whole weekend here... because no bandwidth left.

I would much rather see a main game in HD, and one subchannel game in SD as I can't really flip between 4 games at the same time anyway.

Time Warner Cable customers get the 4 SD multicasts AND 2 HD multicasts from WRAL... That is the only thing making me sometimes wish I had cable.


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## Tower Guy (Jul 27, 2005)

HDMe said:


> I would much rather see a main game in HD, and one subchannel game in SD.


Thst's what WRGB in Albany is doing.


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## wakajawaka (Sep 27, 2006)

HDMe said:


> Honestly, I sometimes wish WRAL wouldn't multicast! Via OTA, this means NO HD for the whole weekend here... because no bandwidth left.
> 
> I would much rather see a main game in HD, and one subchannel game in SD as I can't really flip between 4 games at the same time anyway.
> 
> Time Warner Cable customers get the 4 SD multicasts AND 2 HD multicasts from WRAL... That is the only thing making me sometimes wish I had cable.


I agree, now I'm actually happy that Charlotte doesn't multi-cast the games. And I feel better about buying the Mega March Madness package.


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## Ray_Clum (Apr 22, 2002)

WLKY in Louisville, KY is multicasting. What was interesting is on Thursday evening, they ran one game for a while on their analog signal, another game on their 1080i HD signal, and a 3rd game on their 480i SD subchannel. They did carry the Duke-VCU game in HD, though - just remember DsUcKsE


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