Lakeshore PBS to strengthen signal with new antenna, warns of brief interruptions

Jul 24, 2023

Video provided in partnership with The Times, JEDtv and WJOB. Sponsored by Strack & Van Til.

Lakeshore PBS will soon replace its decades-old antenna with a new high-definition television antenna that will strengthen its signal.

Merrillville-based Lakeshore Public Media warns the installation will lead to brief intermittent interruptions for viewers who get over-the-air signals.

The public media broadcaster, which also runs Lakeshore Public Radio, has been working for a year to install a new antenna that will meet the latest over-the-air broadcast standard and also improve indoor reception.

Tower climbers will work for the next two weeks on the project, which Lakeshore Public Media said "heralds a new era in public broadcasting for Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland." They will install the new antenna at the top of a 1,000-foot tower in Lowell, replacing the previous side-mount installation at a lower point.

Viewers, including those who get the station through AT&T Uverse, Direct TV and Dish, can expect disruptions for two weeks. It also will affect Lakeshore Public Media’s secondary channel, NHK World-Japan at channel 56.2.

“While we understand that broadcast interruptions can be frustrating to viewers, the end result will be an amazing accomplishment for public broadcasting in Northwest Indiana,” Lakeshore Public Media President and CEO Chuck Roberts said. “Lakeshore Public Media takes pride in bringing award-winning local programming as well as state-wide programming that is often lacking in our media landscape, and now the station will be able to serve more households than ever before.”

Lakeshore Public Media aims to invest in technology to ensure "the highest quality public broadcasting possible for decades to come."

“It’s truly an exciting time for Lakeshore staff who have been working so hard to make this new antenna a reality,” Vice President of Development Carl Kurek said. “We have made sure our broadcast is available on the growing number of digital platforms like YouTube TV and Hulu Live, but it is equally important that we also continue to improve the accessibility to over-the-air viewers across the Region including those who will now be able to discover the Lakeshore PBS broadcast in their channel line-up for the first time.”

Lakeshore PBS broadcasts popular PBS shows like "Cook's Country," "My Greek Table with Diane Kochilas," "Ask This Old House," "Rick Steve's Europe" and "Cosmos," as well as children's educational programming.

Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter.

Business Reporter

Video provided in partnership with The Times, JEDtv and WJOB. Sponsored by Strack & Van Til.