FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 07, 1997
For additional information contact:
Tom Beauchamp (919) 821-8564
WRAL-HD TV: GRANTED EXTENSION OF EXPERIMENTAL LICENSE
RALEIGH, NC – AUGUST 07, 1997 — WRAL-HD, the nation’s first high definition television (HDTV) station, has been granted an extension for its experimental license to continue operations. Approval for the extension was given by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on July 24th following a year of successful testing of the station’s signal.
Tests of the HDTV signal indicated better than expected coverage in the Raleigh, Durham, Fayetteville, N.C. market. One hundred and sixty-five sites were tested and reception was successful 90% of the time at 65 miles. Picture reception increased to a 95% success rate at 55 miles. FCC staff members were especially pleased with the results of the tests and the additional test plan for 1998.
For these experiments, WRAL-HD is operating at 100 kilowatts of effective radiated power from an antenna that is placed at 1736 feet on WRAL-TV’s main tower near Garner, NC.
WRAL-TV was given the first experimental license in the US on June 19, 1996. Thirty-four days later, on July 23, it transmitted the first digital signal. During its 13 months of existence, the station has conducted various tests and demonstrations in the Raleigh, NC area. Continued testing is scheduled for the coming year.
Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc. is a diversified communications company which owns and/or operates WRAL-TV, WRAL-Digital, WRAL-FM, Microspace, the North Carolina News Network, DTV Plus, Wolfpack Sports Marketing, and Capitol Sports Management in Raleigh, NC; WJZY-TV and WFVT-TV in Charlotte, NC; WILM-TV in Wilmington, NC; WRAZ-TV and the Durham Bulls Baseball Club in Durham, NC; and the Myrtle Beach Pelicans Baseball Club in Myrtle Beach, SC; Capitol Broadcasting Company also founded Local TV on Satellite in Raleigh, NC.
