In order to serve its customers and to reduce the difficulty and complications of over-the-air reception, WTSP-TV Channel 10 News has decided to move its primary broadcast transmitter operations from Holiday to Riverview.
According to WTSP Programming & Community Relations Director Ellen Parent Lasher, the station’s transmitter will share room with dozens of others that are situated in four broadcasting towers located on Boyette Rd. in Riverview, each of which reaches close to 1,600 feet.
In a recent press release, the CBS affiliate explained that the new location will better serve Tampa Bay over-the-air television viewers as it will allow the station to broadcast from the same general area as the majority of other Tampa Bay television stations.
“The move is to occur over an eight-12 week period and is expected to be completed by late August,” Lasher said.
The recent conversion to digital television, which was completed in June of 2009, has further complicated the reception issues. However, it also changed the way the FCC evaluates the location and positioning of TV station transmit sites, enabling WTSP to initiate the relocation process.
“This has been a very intricate project; it has been approved by the FCC and we are excited to be finally making this move, which will better serve our customers,” said Ken Tonning, WTSP president and general manager.
Besides their great geographical location, the towers were built in a no-flood zone, making the Boyette Rd. area even more attractive.
The towers include Tampa Tower General Partnership Tower Riverview, which stands at 1,573 feet and was built in 1987, followed by the Viacom Tower Riverview, which was built in1998 and reaches 1,575 feet.
Reaching just a few feet less is the West Coast Public Broadcasting Tower measuring 1,572 feet built in1999, while the American Towers Tower Riverview, which is the shortest of the four was built in 2001, reaching 1,568 feet.
WTSP-TV, 10 News, is owned by Gannett Co., Inc., an international media and marketing solutions company that informs and engages more than 100 million people every month through its powerful network of broadcast, digital, mobile and publishing properties.
For more information, visit www.gannett.com.
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