KETS and its satellites (except KETJ) to reduce operational expenses; KETS and KEMV operated at reduced power until the transition to prevent analog co-channel interference with KFSM-TV in Fort Smith and adjacent channel interference with WMC-TV in Memphis, respectively. (KETS traded its original UHF 47 allocation with Sheridan-licensed KWBF-LP [channel 5, now defunct], then an analog translator of Little Rock-based KWBF-TV.) The General Assembly and the AETN Foundation (through matching private donations) had collectively appropriated $12 million for the Arkansas Educational Television Commission to install digital transmission equipment for the AETN stations. Analog-to-digital conversion During the six-month period leading up to the official date in which full-power stations in the United States transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate, AETN shut down the analog transmitters of its full-power stations on a staggered basis: KETS shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 2, and suspended digital broadcasts over pre-transition VHF channel 5, on January 25, 2009. KETS's digital signal remained off-the-air until KATV shut down its analog signal on June 12, enabling KETS to resume on VHF channel 7. KETZ suspended digital broadcasts over pre-transition VHF channel 12, on February 5, 2009. KETZ remained off-the-air until KTVE shut down its analog signal on June 12, enabling KETZ to resume digital broadcasts on VHF channel 10. KTEJ shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 19, on February 17, 2009, with the digital signal remaining its pre-transition UHF channel 20. On June 12, 2009: KAFT shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 13, with the digital signal remaining on its pre-transition VHF channel 9. KEMV shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 6, with the digital signal remaining on its pre-transition VHF channel 13. KETG shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 9, with the digital signal remaining on its pre-transition VHF channel 13. Due to the suspension of KETS and KETZ, cable systems in central, south-central and southeastern Arkansas received AETN programming via a direct fiber connection from its Conway headquarters or used relay antennas to receive the signals of other AETN satellites. DirecTV provided subscribers in the Little Rock and Monroe–El Dorado markets access to the default PBS Satellite Service feed in place of KETS and KETZ. References External links MyArkansasPBSFoundation.org Arkansas Department of Human Services - Division of Services for the Blind (maintainer of AIRS) Television stations in Arkansas PBS member networks Television