UTICA , NY (WKTV) – Smith Media License Holdings, LLC, licensee of WKTV, has announced that the station will broadcast only a digital television signal effective Wednesday, February 18, 2009. The last day that the station will be available over the air with an analog signal will be February 17th, the date originally established by the Federal Communications Commission for a nationwide conversion to digital TV transmissions.

“This has been the target date that Washington has been pushing the nation toward.”, said WKTV’s General Manager Vic Vetters. “Our community has responded well to that deadline and so, we have decided to go ahead to make the change at that time.”

Congress voted on Wednesday to allow stations until June 12, 2009 to complete their conversion to digital broadcasts. Included in that bill are provisions to allow stations that are fully ready for the digital conversion to shut off their analog transmitters before the new deadline.

WKTV has been transmitting on its permanent digital channel since May, 2006.

Paperwork was filed with the FCC this week, notifying the regulating authority of the station’s intent to terminate its analog broadcasts prior to the extension date. Acting FCC Chairman Michael Copps has told members of congress that 276 television stations, nationwide, have notified the commission that they too will cease analog broadcasts on February 17th.

“A significant portion of this broadcast market receives their local stations via cable.”, explained WKTV Program Director Tom Coyne. “Those viewers will not be impacted by the digital transition. But, those who watch us using an antenna, or plan to use that method in the future, need to be sure they are ready for this change.”