What’s on Television Today? Your Guide to Over-the-Air TV Rescanning
Many local TV stations across the U.S. are changing their over-the-air broadcast frequencies. This means if you watch free over-the-air television with an antenna, you’ll need to rescan your TV to continue receiving your local channels. It’s a simple process, similar to the initial scan you performed when setting up your TV or converter box. Except in rare cases, no new equipment or services are needed.
This frequency change is happening in phases to make room for new high-speed wireless services. While the channel number on your TV won’t change, your television needs to recognize the new frequency for each channel. Rescanning allows your TV to find and store these updated frequencies. This ensures you continue to receive all your favorite local broadcasts without interruption.
Changes are happening across the country through mid-2020, and different stations are transitioning at various times. This means you may need to rescan your TV more than once. Local broadcasters are required to provide at least 30 days’ notice before changing frequencies, so stay tuned to your local news for announcements.
To find out when you need to rescan, you can check the FCC’s interactive TV reception map. By entering your address, you can see the specific timeframe for frequency changes in your area. Even if your local stations aren’t changing frequencies immediately, it’s a good practice to rescan your TV periodically. You might discover new channels you didn’t know were available. The FCC provides resources like videos and step-by-step instructions to guide you through the rescanning process.
For those who need assistance, the FCC offers a call center available toll-free at 1-888-CALLFCC (1-888-225-5322). Press “6” to connect with a help desk representative. The call center operates from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. Eastern time, seven days a week, providing support to viewers nationwide. Cable and satellite subscribers don’t need to worry about rescanning, as their service providers will handle the necessary updates automatically.
