ION Has Eye on Soft Analog Cutoff Tests

Station-group owner ION Media Networks approached TV stations and satellite and cable providers in top markets about participating in a mid- to late-October "soft" analog-cutoff test. The markets are New York; Los Angeles; Washington, D.C.; San Francisco; Philadelphia; and Hartford (CT). So far, public TV stations, and Telemundo- and NBC-owned affiliates in those markets have agreed to participate (NBC and Telemundo are owned by NBC Universal, which has an ownership stake in ION). ION is the largest TV group in the United States, owning and/or operating 60 full-power TV stations, including one in each of the top 20 markets.