Welcome to TVJuneau.com
TVJuneau.com is a website dedicated to providing up to date information on the various offerings for TV in Juneau
Alaska. In addition to listing how to get which stations where, TVJuneau.com also provides information on Digital
TV and HDTV.
Use the links on the left to find Juneau-specific answers to the most common TV questions or general TV information.
If you notice any errors or omissions, please don't hesitate to
contact us!
Full-power TV stations KTOO and KJUD have now turned off their analog signals!
Juneau has completed the "full power" DTV transition. Both KTOO PBS (channel 3) and KJUD ABC (channel 8) turned off their
analog TV signals at noon on Friday 6/12/09. Both stations are now broadcasting digital signals only in downtown Juneau.
KTOO continues to operate analog translators/repeaters across Southeast Alaska. Low-power stations are not required to switch
off their analog signals, so KATH NBC (channel 5) and KCBJ "KYES" (channel 15) continue to broadcast analog signals over the air.
Need help with getting ready for DTV or ordering coupons?
Call the Alaska DTV Hotline at:
1 (866) 353-7819
The Alaska DTV hotline is a free service provided by the
Alaska Broadcasters Association
Are you ready for digital TV?
On June 12th 2009, all full-power TV stations will turn off their analog signals. Most have already started broadcasting
the digital TV ("DTV") signals that will replace the analog signals.
Unlike analog signals, digital signals can carry compressed information; this means that more TV channels can be broadcast in the
same amount of "space" on the airwaves. This frees up radio frequencies for other uses; such as wireless internet and emergency
services radio communications. The digital signals also carry a better picture, and can also be used to carry High-Definition
("HD") TV, which can't be carried as an analog signal.
While TV has a lot of benefits, it also means you need a digital tuner to receive the DTV signals. All new TV's have digital tuners
built in. The cable boxes provided by the cable company (GCI), and satellite receivers provided by DishNet and DirecTV already have
digital tuners for those providers signals. But, older TV's (and other devices like older VCR's) don't have digital tuners,
they only have analog tuners and therefore can't receive the new digital over-the-air broadcasts. The solution is to connect an external
digital to analog converter box (called "DTV converter boxes" for short) to older TV's. The converter box receives the digital signal
and converts it to an analog signal that can be received by any TV.
Converter boxes cost about $60, which can be a lot to pay for "free" TV. So the US government is sponsoring a program that provides
coupons of a $40 value to offset the cost of the new boxes. So the cost to us the viewers is less that $20, which isn't very much to
extend the life of a perfectly good TV. The coupon program is paid for by some of the revenue that will be generated when some those
frequencies freed up by analog TV stations are auctioned off to private companies.
To apply for your DTV coupons, click on the red "TV Converter box" icon on the left of the page to go to
www.dtv2009.gov