A total of 28 affiliates of the four major U.S. television networks are seeking extensions to the Nov. 1 deadline to resolve digital TV build-out problems. Eleven stations are already on the air with digital broadcasts, the FCC reported.

Nearly all the 79 stations covered under the deadline have received construction permits from the FCC to begin building their digital TV broadcast operations. But most of those affiliates seeking extensions said they need until May 1, 2000, to complete construction and begin digital broadcasts. Some stations must also coordinate their activities with the Canadian and Mexican governments, the FCC said.

The reasons for the delays in making the Nov. 1 deadline include affiliates' petitions to change their allotted DTV channel and tower site problems, regulators said.

The top 11-30 markets are Houston, Seattle-Tacoma, Cleveland, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Tampa-St. Petersburg, Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Phoenix, Denver, Pittsburgh, Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto, St. Louis, Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne, Baltimore, Portland, Indianapolis, San Diego, Hartford-New Haven, Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham and Cincinnati.

Digital TV stations are already on the air in Houston, Cleveland, Miami, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Hartford, Charlotte and Cincinnati.

Extensions requested

The FCC said 23 of the 24 stations in the nation's top 10 markets that volunteered to be on the air by last November are transmitting digital broadcasts. However, eight of the 40 stations in the ten largest TV markets, which were required to be on the air with DTV broadcasts by May 1, have sought extensions until 2000.

U.S. digital TV services have gotten off to a rocky start, with some stations complaining about reception problems while mounting an effort to reopen the U.S. terrestrial standard in hopes of changing or broadening its vestigial sideband transmission spec. Receiver manufacturers counter that new chip sets can solve ghosting and other reception problems.

Set makers are also complaining about a lack of digital broadcasts needed to spur sales and lower receiver costs.