Terrestrial television or over-the-air television (OTA) is a type of television broadcasting in which the content is transmitted via radio waves from the terrestrial (Earth-based) transmitter of a TV station to a TV receiver having an antenna. The term terrestrial is more common in Europe and Latin America, while in Canada and the United States it is called over-the-air or simply broadcast. This type of TV broadcast is distinguished from newer technologies, such as satellite television, in which the signal is transmitted to the receiver from an overhead satellite; cable television, in which the signal is carried to the receiver through a cable; and Internet Protocol television, in which the signal is received over an Internet stream or on a network utilizing the Internet Protocol. Terrestrial television stations broadcast on television channels with frequencies between about 52 and 600 MHz in the VHF and UHF bands. Since radio waves in these bands travel by line of sight, reception is generally limited by the visual horizon to distances of 64–97 kilometres (40–60 mi), although under better conditions and with tropospheric ducting, signals can sometimes be received hundreds of kilometers distant.
The FM broadcast band is a range of radio frequencies used for FM broadcasting by radio stations. The range of frequencies used differs between different parts of the world. In Europe and Africa and in Australia and New Zealand, it spans from 87.5 to 108 megahertz (MHz) - also known as VHF Band II - while in the Americas it ranges from 88 to 108 MHz. The FM broadcast band in Japan uses 76 to 95 MHz, and in Brazil, 76 to 108 MHz. The International Radio and Television Organisation (OIRT) band in Eastern Europe is from 65.9 to 74.0 MHz, although these countries now primarily use the 87.5 to 108 MHz band, as in the case of Russia. Some other countries have already discontinued the OIRT band and have changed to the 87.5 to 108 MHz band.
WTBS-LD is a low-power television station in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, which has been owned by Prism Broadcasting since 1991. The station's transmitter is located at the American Tower Site on Chester Avenue in downtown Atlanta.
KSFV-CD, virtual and UHF digital channel 27, is a low-power, Class A Jewelry Television-affiliated television station licensed to Los Angeles, California, United States. The station is owned by Chicago-based Weigel Broadcasting, and transmits from the Mount Harvard Radio Site in the San Gabriel Mountains.
WNYZ-LD is a low-power television station in New York City, owned by K Media. It broadcasts on VHF channel 6, commonly known as an "FM6 operation" because the audio portion of the signal lies at 87.75 MHz, receivable by analog FM radios, tuned to the 87.75 frequency. Throughout its existence, the station has operated closer to a radio station than a television station. WNYZ-LD broadcasts video, usually silent films, which are repeated throughout the day to fulfill the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requirement that video be broadcast on the licensed frequency. The station airs this programming without commercials, while viewers hear the audio of WWRU out of Jersey City, New Jersey.
WTCL-LD is a low-power television station in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, affiliated with Telemundo. It is owned by Gray Television alongside two full-power sister stations: Shaker Heights–licensed CBS affiliate WOIO and Lorain–licensed CW affiliate WUAB ; WTCL-LD also functions as an ultra high frequency (UHF) repeater for WOIO and WUAB. All three stations share studios at Reserve Square in downtown Cleveland; WTCL-LD's transmitter is located in suburban Parma.
WEYS-LD, VHF digital channel 6, is a low-powered Almavision-owned-and-operated television station licensed to Miami, Florida, United States.
WRME-LD is a low-power television station in Chicago, Illinois, United States, affiliated with Jewelry Television. The station's audio channel, transmitting at 87.75 MHz, lies within the FM band; as a result, WRME-LD's audio channel operates as a radio station at 87.7 FM. Owned by Venture Technologies Group and operated under a local marketing agreement (LMA) by Weigel Broadcasting, the station airs a soft adult contemporary/oldies format via the 87.75 MHz audio channel under the brand 87.7 MeTV FM, a brand extension of Weigel's MeTV television network. The WRME-LD studios are co-located with Weigel's headquarters in Chicago's Greektown neighborhood, while the transmitter resides atop the John Hancock Center.
KZNO-LD is a low-power television station in Los Angeles, California, United States. Owned by the Venture Technologies Group, it transmits from Mount Harvard, a peak adjacent to Mount Wilson in Los Angeles County, as a Spanish-language religious radio station that can be received at 87.7 FM. Its ATSC 3.0 video feed broadcasts Jewelry Television on digital channel 6.1.
Digital television in the United States is available via digital terrestrial television (DTT), digital cable, satellite television, and IPTV providers.
The digital transition in the United States was the switchover from analog to exclusively digital broadcasting of terrestrial television programming. According to David Rehr, then president and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters, this transition represented "the most significant advancement of television technology since color TV was introduced." For full-power TV stations, the transition went into effect on June 12, 2009, with stations ending regular programming on their analog signals no later than 11:59 p.m. local time that day.
WDCN-LD, branded on air as DC 87.7FM, is a low-power television station licensed to Fairfax, Virginia, United States, serving the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Owned by Signal Above LLC, WDCN-LD markets itself as a conventional FM radio station, broadcasting Spanish contemporary hits.
This is a list of low-power television stations (LPTV) in the United States, transmitting on VHF channel 6, which also operate as radio stations capable of being picked up by many standard FM receivers. These stations are colloquially known as "Franken FMs", a reference to Frankenstein's monster, because TV stations functioning as radio stations had not been envisioned by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC commonly refers to these stations as "FM6" operations. All of these FM transmissions are authorized for operation on a center frequency of 87.75 MHz.
KXDP-LD, virtual channel 18, is a low-power television station licensed to Denver, Colorado, United States. Owned by Mount Pleasant, South Carolina–based Syncom Media Group, it broadcasts a Regional Mexican radio format as "La Invasora 87.7".
ATSC 3.0 is a major version of the ATSC standards for terrestrial television broadcasting created by the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC).
WVOA-LD is a low-power television station licensed to Westvale, New York, United States, serving the Syracuse area. The station is owned by Metro TV, Inc., one of the numerous holding companies owned or co-owned by Craig Fox. WVOA-LD's transmitter is located on the WOLF radio tower on West Kirkpatrick Street northwest of downtown Syracuse.
WPGF-LD is a low-power television station in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. The station's audio channel, transmitting at 87.75 MHz, lies within the FM band; as a result, WPGF-LD's audio channel operates as a radio station at 87.7 FM. Owned by Flinn Broadcasting, the station airs an urban oldies format via the 87.75 MHz audio channel under the brand "Right On Radio". WPGF-LD's transmitter is located on the northeast side of Memphis near Bartlett, Tennessee, just off US 64.
KSHW-LP, VHF analog channel 6, was a low-powered television station licensed to Sheridan, Wyoming, United States. The station was last owned by Lovcom, Inc., and last broadcast a sports radio format with programming from Fox Sports Radio.
KGHD-LD is a low-power television station in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. The station is owned by Obidia Porras.
The following low-power television stations broadcast on digital or analog channel 6 in the United States:
