Disney’s KABC station loses over-the-air signal from Mt. Wilson amid Eaton Fire

Disney's KABC station loses over-the-air signal from Mt. Wilson amid Eaton Fire

On Friday morning, the over-the-air signal of Walt Disney Company’s KABC-TV Channel 7, located near Mount Wilson and utilizing communication towers in the area, was disrupted due to the ongoing spread of the Eaton fire across the rugged landscape.

As a devoted film enthusiast, I’d share that late last night, my beloved radio station, KLOS-FM 95.5, surprisingly fell silent. Interestingly, it shares transmission facilities nestled within the scenic Angeles Crest Forest, adding to its enchanting allure.

KABC admitted they were encountering a problem with their transmission system, but didn’t disclose specifics about the nature of the issue.

On Thursday, the Eaton fire nearly reached a massive line of transmitters situated atop mountains. Broadcast engineers, including those from Nexstar’s KTLA-TV Channel 5, Paramount’s KCBS-TV Channel 2 and KCAL-TV Channel 9, LAist/KPCC-FM 89.3, and other local stations, spent a good part of the day in anxious anticipation as they monitored the fire’s movement towards their vital equipment.

The transmitters escaped damage by flames.

During a temporary interruption in their signal broadcast, KABC managed to deliver digital versions of their morning news bulletins straight to cable, satellite TV service providers, as well as live TV streaming platforms like Hulu and various online streaming applications.

Only viewers who rely on the over-the-air antennas for television found the station blacked out.

According to a representative from ABC, teams are putting in significant effort to restore the feed for those watching via airwaves, and they’re optimistic that it will be back online shortly. The problem, as the spokesperson explained, stemmed from the fires, although the equipment itself was not damaged by fire.

The company instructed viewers to visit the KABC website or use their streaming apps for watching the popular TV channel instead.

Disney's KABC station loses over-the-air signal from Mt. Wilson amid Eaton Fire

California

Over the course of four days, a devastating wildfire has claimed the lives of ten individuals and caused extensive damage to over 9,000 buildings, some of which were completely destroyed. However, there are indications that this relentless blaze may be starting to subside, as firefighters have begun to successfully contain the fires.

Around 2 a.m. on Friday, the control systems at KLOS-FM 95.5 radio transmitter operated by Meruelo Group experienced an interruption and the station temporarily went off the air. It was discovered that the generator providing backup power had run out of fuel, as reported by a station official.

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2025-01-10 21:01

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