WASHINGTON—This Friday, Aug. 19, Little Rock, Ark., will be the launching site for the “Broadcast TV Liberation Tour,” a five-state, five-city tour on how consumers can access local broadcast TV channels with an advanced digital antenna in HD for free. The tour is a partnership between TVfreedom.org, Antennas Direct and local Sinclair broadcast TV stations.
NAB announced that it is also partnering in the antenna giveaway, with Executive Vice President of Communications Dennis Wharton saying, “Local television is the most trusted and reliable source of news and emergency information in America and we’re proud to partner in this tour with Antennas Direct, TVfreedom and Sinclair.”
Dish has also come out and endorsed the tour. Warren Schlichting, Dish executive vice president of marketing, programming and media sales, said, “TV viewers should have a choice on how to watch, and how much to pay for local TV.” Dish reports that it has distributed $7 million worth of OTA antennas to affected customers of the Tribune/Dish blackout.
In addition to Little Rock, the tour will also make stops in Macon, Ga., on Aug. 22; Charleston, S.C., on Aug. 24; Asheville, N.C., on Aug. 26; and Baltimore on Aug. 29. The first 300 patrons at each tour stop will receive advanced indoor/outdoor digital antennas with the ability to pick up local broadcast signals within 50 miles.
