Is WPCH-TV (CW 17) on NextGen TV?

CW · channel 17 · Atlanta, GA (Atlanta market)

WPCH-TV's own transmitter now broadcasts only NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0). Its regular channel didn't go away — it moved to WANF's signal, and a rescan finds it under the same channel number.

Source: FCC licensing records, checked October 29, 2026.

WPCH-TV at a glance

Channel on your TV
17
Real (RF) broadcast channel
31 · UHF
Network
CW
City of license
Atlanta, GA
TV market
Atlanta (#9)
License type
Full-power
NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0)
Yes — 3.0-only transmitter
NextGen TV since
August 19, 2021
Old-format (1.0) signal
Carried by WANF (46)
FCC facility ID
64033

How WPCH-TV shares transmitters

During the switch, stations in a market pair up: one transmitter (the “lighthouse”) goes NextGen-only and carries everyone’s 3.0 versions, while its own old-format programming moves to a partner. Your TV shows the same channel numbers either way.

Questions about WPCH-TV

Is WPCH-TV broadcasting in ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV)?

WPCH-TV's own transmitter now broadcasts only NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0). Its regular channel didn't go away — it moved to WANF's signal, and a rescan finds it under the same channel number.

Will WPCH-TV stop working on my TV?

WPCH-TV's programming already moved to WANF's transmitter and is still free over the air in the old format. Not under today's rules. Any full-power or Class A station that switches to NextGen TV must keep an old-format (ATSC 1.0) simulcast on the air, and that requirement has no end date. What could change it: broadcasters have asked the FCC to let full-power stations in the 55 largest markets end old-format signals in February 2028. The FCC's own October 2025 proposal leaned the other way — letting each station choose when to stop. A final decision is expected by the end of 2026.

Why can't I get channel 17?

If channel 17 disappeared, it's almost always because its old-format signal moved to WANF's transmitter. Run a full channel scan (Settings → Channels → Auto scan) and it comes back under the same number. WPCH-TV transmits on real (RF) channel 31, which is UHF. UHF (channels 14–36) is what most indoor antennas are designed for. Reception problems on UHF are usually about distance, walls, or line of sight to the tower — try a window facing the transmitter.

Why channels disappear → · Where the FCC decision stands → · Does my TV have a 3.0 tuner? →

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