Is WTVK (59) on NextGen TV?

Independent · channel 59 · Oswego, IL (Chicago market)

No. WTVK broadcasts only the current (ATSC 1.0) signal that every digital TV can receive. There is no NextGen TV filing for it on record with the FCC.

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

WTVK at a glance

Channel on your TV
59
Real (RF) broadcast channel
10 · VHF-high
Network
Independent
City of license
Oswego, IL
TV market
Chicago (#3)
License type
Full-power
NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0)
No
Old-format (1.0) signal
On its own transmitter
FCC facility ID
52280

Questions about WTVK

Is WTVK broadcasting in ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV)?

No. WTVK broadcasts only the current (ATSC 1.0) signal that every digital TV can receive. There is no NextGen TV filing for it on record with the FCC.

Will WTVK stop working on my TV?

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 59?

Start with a full channel rescan (Settings → Channels → Auto scan) — stations change transmitters and frequencies more often than people expect. WTVK transmits on real (RF) channel 10, which is VHF-high. Many flat and "HD" indoor antennas are built mainly for UHF and do poorly on VHF-high (channels 7–13). If this station drops out while UHF stations come in, try an antenna that lists VHF-high reception, or one with rabbit-ear dipoles extended.

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

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