We've stayed away from talk of the DTV switchover for the most part because of two things: First, most readers of GeekTonic will be unaffected by the switchover because they already use CableTV, SatelliteTV or Over-the-Air HDTV. Second, there has been enough confusion to this point thanks to our politicians and bureaucrats. Still, now that the original switchover date has arrived and some TV stations are switching officially today I thought I'd cover what it means today and who will be affected.
Originally the DTV switchover was to happen today, February 17th for ALL TV stations around the U.S. Basically, all OTA analog transmission would have been switched off and those whose TVs were grabbing their TV content from their antenna and who don't have either an HDTV tuner or a converter box would get nothing on their TV sets. Simple right? it all would have happened on one day, you know you needed to get that converter box, switch to cable or satellite or get a new TV by today. Well our trusty politicians spent some of their energy confusing the issue by delaying the deadline for the DTV switchover to June 12th, 2009. Even better this date is simply a deadline so stations could still save a little money by turning off their analog broadcasts before the June 12th deadline if approved by the FCC.
If you are one of those who might be affected, take a gander at the list below sorted by state to see if your local TV station got approval to switch on February 17th. The list seems to be mostly made up of more rural areas with some exceptions. If you're in one of these areas let us know in the comments how things are going. Some stations even switched well before now as well.
| City | State | Network | Call-Sign |
| MOBILE | AL | CBS | WKRG-TV |
| MOBILE | AL | FOX | WALA-TV |
| MOBILE | AL | NBC | WPMI-TV |
| | | | |
| EL DORADO | AR | NBC | KTVE |
| | | | |
| BAKERSFIELD | CA | ABC | KERO-TV |
| BAKERSFIELD | CA | CBS | KBAK-TV |
| BAKERSFIELD | CA | NBC | KGET-TV |
| SANTA MARIA | CA | CBS | KCOY-TV |
| SANTA BARBARA | CA | ABC | KEYT-TV |
| SAN LUIS OBISPO | CA | NBC | KSBY |
| | | | |
| PENSACOLA | FL | ABC | WEAR-TV |
| | | | |
| SIOUX CITY | IA | ABC | KCAU-TV |
| SIOUX CITY | IA | CBS | KMEG |
| SIOUX CITY | IA | FOX | KPTH |
| SIOUX CITY | IA | NBC | KTIV |
| | | | |
| QUINCY | IL | NBC | WGEM-TV |
| ROCKFORD | IL | ABC | WTVO |
| ROCKFORD | IL | FOX | WQRF-TV |
| ROCKFORD | IL | NBC | WREX-TV |
| FREEPORT | IL | CBS | WIFR |
| | | | |
| SOUTH BEND | IN | CBS | WSBT-TV |
| SOUTH BEND | IN | NBC | WNDU-TV |
| ELKHART | IN | FOX | WSJV |
| | | | |
| TOPEKA | KS | ABC | KTKA-TV |
| TOPEKA | KS | CBS | WIBW-TV |
| TOPEKA | KS | NBC | KSNT |
| SALINA | KS | FOX | KAAS-TV |
| GOODLAND | KS | CBS | KBSL-TV |
| GARDEN CITY | KS | ABC | KUPK-TV |
| GARDEN CITY | KS | NBC | KSNG |
| ENSIGN | KS | CBS | KBSD-TV |
| | | | |
| BOWLING GREEN | KY | NBC | WNKY |
| | | | |
| WEST MONROE | LA | FOX | KARD |
| MONROE | LA | CBS | KNOE-TV |
| COLUMBIA | LA | ABC | KAQY |
| | | | |
| NEW BEDFORD | MA | ABC | WLNE-TV |
| SPRINGFIELD | MA | NBC | WWLP |
| | | | |
| SALISBURY | MD | CBS AND FOX | WBOC-TV |
| | | | |
| ALPENA | MI | CBS | WBKB-TV |
| HANNIBAL | MO | CBS | KHQA-TV |
| | | | |
| WEST POINT | MS | FOX | WLOV-TV |
| TUPELO | MS | NBC | WTVA |
| GREENWOOD | MS | ABC | WABG-TV |
| GREENVILLE | MS | CBS | WXVT |
| MERIDIAN | MS | ABC | WTOK-TV |
| MERIDIAN | MS | CBS | WMDN |
| MERIDIAN | MS | NBC | WGBC |
| | | | |
| HARDIN | MT | FOX | KHMT |
| BILLINGS | MT | ABC | KSVI |
| BILLINGS | MT | CBS | KTVQ |
| BILLINGS | MT | NBC | KULR-TV |
| | | | |
| VALLEY CITY | ND | CBS | KXJB-TV |
| FARGO | ND | NBC | KVLY-TV |
| DEVILS LAKE | ND | ABC | WDAZ-TV |
| | | | |
| SUPERIOR | NE | FOX | KSNB-TV |
| LINCOLN | NE | ABC | KLKN |
| LINCOLN | NE | CBS | KOLN |
| KEARNEY | NE | ABC | KHGI-TV |
| HAYES CENTER | NE | ABC | KWNB-TV |
| NORTH PLATTE | NE | NBC | KNOP-TV |
| | | | |
| BINGHAMTON | NY | CBS | WBNG-TV |
| BINGHAMTON | NY | FOX | WICZ-TV |
| BINGHAMTON | NY | NBC | WIVT |
| NORTH POLE | NY | NBC | WPTZ |
| WATERTOWN | NY | ABC | WWTI |
| CARTHAGE | NY | CBS | WWNY-TV |
| | | | |
| DAYTON | OH | ABC | WKEF |
| DAYTON | OH | CBS | WHIO-TV |
| DAYTON | OH | FOX | WRGT-TV |
| DAYTON | OH | NBC | WDTN |
| STEUBENVILLE | OH | NBC | WTOV-TV |
| EUGENE | OR | ABC | KEZI |
| EUGENE | OR | CBS | KVAL-TV |
| EUGENE | OR | FOX | KLSR-TV |
| EUGENE | OR | NBC | KMTR |
| COOS BAY | OR | CBS | KCBY-TV |
| COOS BAY | OR | NBC | KMCB |
| | | | |
| PROVIDENCE | RI | CBS | WPRI-TV |
| PROVIDENCE | RI | FOX | WNAC-TV |
| PROVIDENCE | RI | NBC | WJAR |
| | | | |
| FLORENCE | SD | CBS | KDLO-TV |
| ABERDEEN | SD | ABC | KABY-TV |
| | | | |
| SAN ANGELO | TX | CBS | KLST |
| SAN ANGELO | TX | NBC | KSAN-TV |
| VICTORIA | TX | ABC | KAVU-TV |
| VICTORIA | TX | FOX | KVCT |
| WACO | TX | ABC | KXXV |
| WACO | TX | CBS | KWTX-TV |
| WACO | TX | FOX | KWKT |
| TEMPLE | TX | NBC | KCEN-TV |
| BRYAN | TX | FOX | KYLE |
| | | | |
| CHARLOTTESVILLE | VA | CBS | WCAV |
| CHARLOTTESVILLE | VA | NBC, CW | WVIR-TV |
| HARRISONBURG | VA | ABC | WHSV-TV |
| | | | |
| HARTFORD | VT | NBC | WNNE |
| BURLINGTON | VT | ABC | WVNY |
| BURLINGTON | VT | CBS | WCAX-TV |
| | | | |
| LA CROSSE | WI | ABC | WXOW-TV |
| LA CROSSE | WI | CBS | WKBT |
| LA CROSSE | WI | FOX | WLAX |
| EAU CLAIRE | WI | ABC | WQOW-TV |
| EAU CLAIRE | WI | NBC | WEAU-TV |
| CHIPPEWA FALLS | WI | FOX | WEUX |
| MADISON | WI | ABC | WKOW-TV |
| MADISON | WI | CBS | WISC-TV |
| MADISON | WI | FOX | WMSN-TV |
| MADISON | WI | NBC | WMTV |
| WITTENBERG | WI | FOX | WFXS |
| WAUSAU | WI | ABC | WAOW-TV |
| WAUSAU | WI | CBS | WSAW-TV |
| RHINELANDER | WI | NBC | WJFW-TV |
| EAGLE RIVER | WI | ABC | WYOW |
| | | | |
| BLUEFIELD | WV | NBC | WVVA |
| HUNTINGTON | WV | CBS | WOWK-TV |
| HUNTINGTON | WV | NBC | WSAZ-TV |
| CHARLESTON | WV | ABC | WCHS-TV |
| CHARLESTON | WV | FOX | WVAH-TV |
| PARKERSBURG | WV | NBC | WTAP-TV |
| WHEELING | WV | CBS | WTRF-TV |
| RIVERTON | WY | FOX | KFNE |
| LANDER | WY | CBS | KGWL-TV |
| CHEYENNE | WY | FOX | KLWY |
| ROCK SPRINGS | WY | CBS | KGWR-TV |
