Viewers in the Greenwood area won't miss out on their favorite Fox network programming after all.
Bahakel Communications Ltd., owners and operators of Greenville-based WABG-TV, the ABC affiliate, also will begin offering local service of Fox programs over the air and on cable effective Sept. 13. The station will be known as Delta Fox.
Greenwood's Time Warner Cable system has no Fox-affiliated station. The network announced earlier that it would no longer provide its satellite signal to non-affiliated stations as of Sept. 1. Later, Fox agreed to maintain its feed through Sept. 12.
The move doesn't affect other networks such as FX and Fox News.
Sherry Nelson, vice president and general manager of WABG, said the engineering staff from the corporate office came in and devised a plan very quickly.
"To turn it around this fast - we had to move mountains to do that," Nelson said.
The Fox network still will appear on Time Warner Cable's channel 13. The main Fox programs, such as "American Idol," "House, M.D.," NFL football and pro baseball all will be shown. WABG news will be simulcast on Delta Fox at 5, 6 and 10.
Mayor Harry Smith said it was "wonderful news" that service wouldn't be interrupted. Then again, he added, "I thought it'd be worked out."
The mayor said he had received very few calls about Fox. He did stay in touch with Time Warner to monitor the situation, but the negotiations were conducted several levels higher. People apparently understood that it was a business decision and that the city would have only limited input, he said.
WABG has just finished installing a digital transmission facility that broadcasts ABC shows on digital channel 6.1 in addition to its analog service on channel 6. However, cable viewers won't need a new digital set to watch Delta Fox.
"Due to the advanced capabilities of WABG's new digital transmitter, it is now possible for us to broadcast additional programming on a second digital channel," Nelson said in a statement. "In this case, the Fox will be able to be viewed over the air on the Delta's most powerful digital station on digital channel 6.2 with an outside antenna connected to a new digital television set, and if you have cable, Fox will not move. You can see it on the same channel where you've enjoyed it in the past."
Some syndicated shows, such as "American Idol Rewind," "Dr. Phil" and "The Insider" also will be offered starting Sept. 13. However, not all of the syndicated shows will be available right away.
Nelson said the priority was to secure the main network programs first and gradually add other syndicated shows later. These will include some sitcoms, court shows and other types of programs that have fit Fox well in the past, she said.
The programming will be received at and transmitted from a temporary site in Inverness.
Because a lot of manual labor will be required until the equipment is in place, Nelson asked that viewers be patient about the addition of the syndicated shows. "This is not an easy task, and it's going to take a lot of manpower."
When they are confident that the temporary setup is reliable, they will begin work on a permanent installation at the studios in Greenville, she said.
Nelson said plans call for Delta Fox to have its own 9 p.m. newscast sometime in 2007. The goal is to offer that by spring, but they definitely want to have it ready by fall, she said.
