UPDATE: 12 News reported at 6:00 this evening that the analog shut-off of WICU will be happening by early Tuesday morning, June 9th. Plan on rescanning your digital TV or converter box in a couple days to receive WICU in full-power digital in the next few days.

Channel 12 isn’t going to make it to the 12th.

Erie’s oldest and only VHF television station will sign off it’s analog signal today, Monday, June 8, 2009 to enable station engineers to make the upgrades necessary to the transmission system for full-power digital by Friday, June 12th, the national DTV deadline. Of course anyone viewing over cable or satellite will not be affected, and over-the-air viewers can watch WICU programming this week on digital 35.3.

After their signoff, full-power analog television will be obsolete in the Erie market. Of course, we make the distinction between full-power and low-power stations, as some low-power stations will continue their analog broadcasts.

WICU signed on Channel 12 as Erie’s first television station on March 15, 1949. See images of its signon published in Life Magazine. For most of its existence, having a VHF signal was a significant advantage over the other three UHF commercial stations, 24, 35 & 66. With the advent of cable over 25 years ago, the advantage somewhat faded in the primary viewing areas, but was still important in those rural areas, where often they were only station coming in.

Now at digital channel 12, which is really 52, it will be WICU’s programming and promotion that will count, not a dial number.

Please write in any issues you are having seeing any of the Erie stations in digital.