Super Bowl Update

Journal Broadcast Group has received the all-clear from the FCC to go ahead with its purchase of Nashville CBS affiliate WTVF (NewsChannel 5) from Landmark Media Enterprises.

The deal, which is worth a whopping $215 million in cash, was announced Sept. 4.

It's not yet known if Journal plans to make any significant changes at the station, which has been owned by Landmark since 1994.

Nashville CBS affiliate WTVF-NewsChannel 5 will complete the process of upgrading its over-the-air broadcast signal with a brief outage overnight tonight.

The final connections will be made and everything will be turned back on early Saturday morning.

If you've not yet rescanned your TV or converter box, you should do so.  Viewers who need assistance in rescanning their equipment are invited to call NewsChannel 5 at (615) 248-5200.

It's been a long and expensive process, but Nashville-market TV viewers will finally see the full fruits of NewsChannel 5's million-dollar signal upgrade by week's end.

The station will interrupt one of its two broadcast signals on Thursday morning to make the final connections.  Once those connections are made, viewers will need to rescan their TV sets and/or converter boxes to pick up the station.

Then, on Friday, NewsChannel 5's low-power translator will undergo a similar procedure.

Viewers can go to the station's website for the latest updates and to sign up for an email alert advising them when the changes are complete.

Milwaukee, Wis.-based Journal Communications, Inc. announced Tuesday morning that its Journal Broadcast Group subsidiary has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase WTVF NewsChannel 5 Network, a CBS-affiliated station with a secondary news and digital channel as well as a market leading internet property, owned by Landmark Media Enterprises, LLC ("Landmark") for $215 million in cash plus a working capital adjustment at closing. Closing is subject to FCC approval. 

“We are especially pleased to reach an agreement to purchase NewsChannel 5 in Nashville,” said Steven J. Smith, chairman and CEO of Journal Communications. “This station will be a cornerstone asset within Journal Communications. WTVF TV is an exceptional local news station with an extraordinary staff that demonstrates its commitment to Nashville every single day. We are delighted to welcome NewsChannel 5's outstanding team to Journal.” 

Frank Batten, Jr., chairman and CEO of Landmark, said, “We are extremely proud of what our News Channel 5 team has achieved. We are pleased that, in Journal, we have a buyer with a great culture and excellent opportunities for our employees to grow.” 

NewsChannel 5 Network consists of NewsChannel 5 (WTVF), NewsChannel 5+, a This TV affiliate (channel 5.3) and NewsChannel5.com, a market-leading local digital news site. NewsChannel 5+ broadcasts on channel 5.2, offering the only original, local content produced exclusively for the digital channel. WTVF is the ratings and revenue market share leader in the Nashville market, as well as one of the top three CBS affiliates in the nation based on CBS ratings in metered markets. 

WTVF provides the Nashville market with award winning news programming, top-rated local content and leading weather reporting. The station has been recognized nationally on numerous occasions including: a 2012 DuPont, 2011 National Headliner, 2012 winner of 10 regional Emmy awards, 2011 NPPA National Photographer of the year, and 2011 winner of five AP Awards including Best Investigation. 

Landmark has a presence in the Tri-State through its Landmark Community Newspapers LLC division, which owns three community newspapers in Southwestern Indiana - The Mt. Vernon Democrat, The Perry County News and The Spencer County Journal-Democrat.  (Full disclosure:  This reporter is a former employee of the Journal-Democrat.)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Viewers of Nashville CBS affiliate WTVF-NewsChannel 5 may notice this morning that their reception could be worse than usual, or even nonexistent.

It's temporary, and part of the station's ongoing project to upgrade its signal for over-the-air (OTA) viewers.

The station has reduced the power of its VHF signal this morning to enable crews to install a new antenna atop its transmission tower.  The VHF signal will remain at reduced power for about two weeks.

Viewers who lose their signal completely are advised to rescan their television sets and/or converter boxes.  WTVF's UHF translator remains on the air at full power and may be available to those who lose the VHF signal.

Nashville CBS affiliate WTVF-NewsChannel5 is working on a new project that will benefit its over-the-air (OTA) viewers.

Expected to cost more than a million dollars, some important changes and improvements to WTVF's transmission facilities will improve the station's signal to viewers in the Nashville market and as far north as southern Kentucky (nearly to the southern edge of the Tri-State), putting it back into areas where it's been difficult to impossible to receive NewsChannel5 since the digital transition was completed a little over three years ago.

Work began in earnest on July 26 and kicked into high gear on Friday, so viewers may lose the station at times as work on WTVF's tower northwest of Nashville proceeds over the next several days.

The station has posted information and updates on a special page on its website, on Facebook, and is also updating on Twitter for those who are interested in keeping tabs on what's happening, and when you'll need to rescan your TV.  You can also sign up for email updates at the website.