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Antenna TV Viewers - Plan to Rescan

illustration: broadcast antenna

updated 6/1/18

WKAR Television moved to a new broadcast frequency on May 29, 2018.

Follow project updates at WKAR Technotes

If you are one of the many Michigan capital region viewers who rely on an antenna to watch free, over-the-air television, this information is for you.

Plan to Rescan

If you watch TV for free, using an antenna, you will need to rescan your TV or converter box to continue viewing WKAR once the change is made. No new devices, equipment or services are needed.

If you pay a monthly fee to subscribe to a television service you do not need to take action.

More Info

The WKAR TV broadcast signal has moved from RF channel 40 to 33. After a tuner rescan, WKAR will appear on the same "virtual channel" numbers as before: 23.1. 23.2, 23.3 and 23.4.

By law, nearly 1,000 TV stations nationwide must change broadcast frequencies by the spring of 2020. The frequency reassignments are part of a project by the FCC to make room in the broadcast spectrum for wireless broadband services and new digital TV technologies.

These additional capital region TV stations will also be moving to different broadcast frequencies:  

  • WLAJ - ABC 53 
  • WLNS-TV - CBS 6 
  • WSYM-TV - FOX 47 

You will want to rescan your TV after each station moves. Those stations will be moving at different times, and some dates are still to be determined. For updated schedule information, visit tvanswers.org/when.asp?state=MI.

To learn more about the upcoming changes, visit the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) website at tvanswers.org. Information there includes: