Will my TV stop working in Seattle-Tacoma?
Seattle-Tacoma · market #14 of 210
Not yet — but your market has already started the switch.
- Stations already on NextGen TV (3.0)
- 7 of 17
- since December 8, 2020
- Proposed shutoff of old (1.0) signals
- February 2028
- Wave 1 · NAB proposal, not yet adopted by the FCC
- Earliest the rules could change
- July 2027
- Current FCC rule keeps 1.0 simulcasts through July 17, 2027
What this means today: every full-power station in Seattle-Tacoma is still sending a signal your current antenna TV can receive. 2 stations (KUNS-TV, KONG) have become a NextGen TV “host,” so its old-format programming now comes from a different station’s signal — rescanning your TV picks it up.
What’s coming: broadcasters have asked the FCC to let stations in the 55 largest markets switch off old-format signals starting February 2028. If that happens, TVs without an ATSC 3.0 tuner will need a converter box to keep receiving these channels. The FCC is expected to decide by the end of 2026.
Every station in Seattle-Tacoma
“On 3.0” means the station’s programming is available in NextGen TV format. “3.0 host” means the station’s transmitter carries the new format only, and its old-format programming moved to another station’s signal (rescan to find it). Source: FCC licensing records.
| Ch. | Station | Network | NextGen TV | Old (1.0) signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | KOMO-TV Seattle, WA | ABC | On 3.0 via KUNS-TV · since December 8, 2020 | Still on the air |
| 5 | KING-TV Seattle, WA | NBC | On 3.0 via KONG · since December 8, 2020 | Still on the air |
| 7 | KIRO-TV Seattle, WA | CBS (7.1), COZITV (7.2), LAFF (7.3), TELEMUNDO (7.4) | On 3.0 via KUNS-TV · since December 8, 2020 | Still on the air |
| 9 | KCTS-TV Seattle, WA | PBS | 1.0 only | Still on the air |
| 11 | KSTW Tacoma, WA | Independent | 1.0 only | Still on the air |
| 12 | KVOS-TV Bellingham, WA | Univision | 1.0 only | Still on the air |
| 13 | KCPQ Tacoma, WA | FOX | On 3.0 via KONG · since December 8, 2020 | Still on the air |
| 15 | KCKA Centralia, WA | PBS | 1.0 only | Still on the air |
| 16 | KONG Everett, WA | Independent | 3.0 host since December 8, 2020 | Moved to another station |
| 20 | KTBW-TV Tacoma, WA | TBN | 1.0 only | Still on the air |
| 22 | KZJO Seattle, WA | My Network TV | On 3.0 via KONG · since December 8, 2020 | Still on the air |
| 24 | KBCB Bellingham, WA | Independent | 1.0 only | Still on the air |
| 28 | KBTC-TV Tacoma, WA | PBS | 1.0 only | Still on the air |
| 33 | KWPX-TV Bellevue, WA | ION Court TV Bounce Defy IONPlus Busted Game Show Central QVC | 1.0 only | Still on the air |
| 44 | KFFV Seattle, WA | MeTV | 1.0 only | Still on the air |
| 51 | KUNS-TV Bellevue, WA | CW | 3.0 host since December 8, 2020 | Moved to another station |
| 56 | KWDK Tacoma, WA | REL | 1.0 only | Still on the air |
8 low-power stations in this market (not covered by the proposed shutoff rules)
- KRUM-LD
- K29ED-D
- K18NJ-D
- KUSE-LD
- K20NF-D
- K30RC-D
- KYMU-LD
- K15MW-D
What to do now
- Rescan your TV. If a channel disappeared recently, it probably moved to a host station’s signal. Settings → Channels → Auto scan.
- Find out if your TV already has a 3.0 tuner. Use the tuner check. If it does, you’re done.
- Don’t buy a converter box yet unless you want 3.0 features now. Prices are falling and the FCC hasn’t set a date. We’ll tell you when it’s time.