‘WEIGHTY PROBLEMS’ FACE N.Y. TVs IN SEARCH FOR ANTENNA SITE
Consortium of 11 N.Y. and N.J. TV stations formed Metropolitan TV Assn. (MTA) in their continuing -- and very difficult -- search for new analog antenna site that would satisfy demands of FAA, FCC rules and provide acceptable signals for their viewers. Search has been under way almost since Sept. 11 terrorist attack on World Trade Center that destroyed their antennas and transmitters (CD Sept 19 p1). William Baker, pres. of noncommercial WNET N.Y.-Newark, is chmn. of MTA, whose members have put embargo on talking officially to reporters.
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“We face a ton of weighty problems in our search for a new site, but they all will be solved satisfactorily,” member of consortium told us. Another source said Empire State Bldg. officials were “eagerly pursuing” TV stations to reestablish their antennas and transmitters atop that building, once the world’s tallest -- whence stations departed en masse about 25 years ago to taller World Trade Center Tower 1. “They're saying the Empire State Building is the only solution to our problem,” source said, “and that may well be where we'll end up.” Stations can’t relocate permanently in Alpine, N.J. -- where most now are transmitting analog signal from temporary antenna with reduced power -- “because nobody can see us [signals] from there,” official said.
Mechanical studies of Empire State are under way to determine its structural ability to handle massive weight of dozen or more new analog transmitters and antennas -- and work that would be required to shore up building. And, we're told, Empire officials are saying building also could provide future space for digital antennas. MTA also is looking at possible sites on Governor’s Island, and official told us report that FAA had turned down proposed sites on Island weren’t true. MTA and Port Authority, owner of World Trade Center, have hired separate FAA consultants.
Greatly complicating problem of building new antennas and transmitters atop Empire is 18 FM stations already broadcasting 24 hours daily from that location. “Ideally, we could move them temporarily or just shut them down for a few months, but that just wouldn’t be acceptable” to FMs, official told us. Consequently, any workmen putting in new installations probably would have to wear “space-suit type” protective gear to ward off radiation from FM transmitters, he said. And, with FM towers and transmitters already in place and in operation 24 hours (top of antenna is 1,454 ft. above ground), “that makes it much more cumbersome” for installers of new TV equipment, official pointed out.
Several area TV stations within last year had installed digital transmitters and antennas atop Trade Center, all of which were destroyed Sept. 11. To replace them -- along with shoring up Empire to handle weight of new equipment -- could cost “hundreds of millions of dollars,” source said: “And, the same would be the case if a totally new standalone tower is built on Governor’s Island or elsewhere.”
While no public announcements have been made, MTA has hired former ABC and Chris-Craft TV executive Douglas Land as its exec. dir. and retained James Grossman of Howard Rubenstein Assoc. PR firm. Said Grossman: “We haven’t gone public with anything. We respond when they [reporters] call.” Land couldn’t be reached Wed. for comment. But in TV stations’ current situation, one fact stands out “loud and clear,” TV exec. told us: “The broadcasters can never ever again rely on a single transmitter site, even when we have redundant antennas and transmitters.”