Editor’s note: We created “Deep Background,” to be our totally-random open discussion of all things Erie media. Join in on the fun!

• No news for you: these are salad days for television stations in swing states, with plenty of demand for political time 2 ½ weeks before the election. It appears that the demand for commercial time has trumped programming priorities at WICU. Over the past several mornings, instead of the typical local news cut-in during the Today show at 7:25, viewers were fed 6 minutes of non-stop spots, nearly all political. Meanwhile WJET and WSEE ran at least minimal local news and weather breaks as part of their morning shows. A request for an explanation from Ch. 12 went unanswered. I’m sorry, but I just can’t imagine the NBC affiliate in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, or Harrisburg preempting their traditional Today show newsbreak for nothing but spots no matter how lucrative…this is just “bush league.”
• Religious broadcaster Bill Baker passes: Rev. Bill Baker who put the 106.3 Union City signal on-the-air, and has been broadcasting from WTMV/Youngsville since 1999 died on Thursday morning. Baker along with Virgil Brown signed WBVB on the air in Union City in 1967, then eventually sold the station to the current owner of WCTL, Inspiration Time. In 1980, after becoming an ordained minister, he returned to Union City as General Manager of the station, and stayed there for ten years. After serving as a pastor and counselor at churches in the state, he and his family settled in Youngsville, where he was able to launch and operate non-commercial WTMV over the last 9 years, even while his health deteriorated. He was also an avid Weather Watcher for the Erie TV stations. Our thoughts and prayers are with Bill’s wife, Patty, and their children at this very difficult time.
• Obama leverages Master Chief: don’t be surprised if you see advertising for the Obama presidential campaign while you or your children are playing Xbox Live. The campaign has placed ads touting online voter registration and early balloting in 10 battleground states. The video game strategy is targeted toward the hard-to-get 18-34 year-old male voter.
• Fox 66 is now digital full-power: WFXP is now bringing the heat to the digital airwaves. On Monday the local Fox affiliate went to 850 Kw on their digital 66.1 signal, now ready for the digital changeover in February. Because of the logistics of the conversion, sister station WJET will remain low power until the analog shutoff.
• The NFL on HDTV: no Steelers, sorry…Now with both CBS and Fox in full-power HDTV, over-the-air viewers will enjoy their football in all its glory. Here’s the schedule with over the air and Time Warner Cable HD channels noted:
  • Sunday, 1 PM – San Diego @ Buffalo  – WSEE: DT 35.1/City 405/Suburbs 709
  • Sunday, 1 PM – San Francisco @ NY Giants  – WFXP: DT 66.1/City 418/Suburbs 706
  • Sunday, 4 PM – Cleveland @ Washington  – WSEE: DT 35.1/City 405/Suburbs 709
  • Sunday, 8:15 PM – Seattle @ Tampa Bay – WICU: City 412/Suburbs 712
  • Monday, 8:30 PM – Denver @ New England – ESPN: City 430/ Suburbs 772