wiki58 - User contributions [en]

Digital Transition

2022-02-08T16:54:15Z

140.82.189.59:

{{Infobox_episode|title=Digital Transition|airDate=October 31, 2021|writer=[[Kris Straub]]|director=Kris Straub|previousEpisode=[[LOCAL58 - Skywatching|Skywatching]]}}

'''Digital Transition''' is the ninth overall entry in the [[Local 58]] video series. The episode shows technical interruptions that occur as the station makes the switch from analog to digital broadcasting at midnight on July 13th, 2021.

== Synopsis ==
The broadcast begins at the end of an episode of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoa_Presents:_One_Step_Beyond ''One Step Beyond''] while text scrolling from right to left notifies watchers of a major change regarding the channel:

"''REMINDER: WCLV-TV LOCAL 58 IS 'MAKING THE SWITCH' TO DIGITAL BROADCASTING TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT [[Local58.tv/digital|HTTP://LOCAL58.TV/DIGITAL]]''"

After the television show concludes, a 3D Local 58 logo appears on the screen. Notices appear further elaborating on how Local 58 is switching to digital broadcasting at midnight on July 13, 2021 to adhere to FCG regulations. They inform watchers that older TV models will experience service interruptions as this change occurs. They also offer resources like a phone number and the aforementioned website that owners of analog TVs can contact to request free digital conversion kits.

Less than a minute before midnight, the station airs a recap of their logos and programming from 1938 to present day similarly to [[LOCAL58 - A Look Back|A Look Back]]. Afterwards, a new logo for the station appears on the screen, just before the broadcast starts experiencing technical difficulties shortly after midnight.

A barely visible announcement using the 2002 station ID appears stating that the station will not currently be moving to digital broadcasting at all. Another message, this time using the new 2021 station ID, overlays over the previous announcement and states that the specific TV that we're using to watch the channel hasn't been configured to receive digital broadcasts. While this new message plays, the previous announcement that it is obscuring changes its text to say:

"''BETRAYAL:''

''I the one you watched''

''I the always here''

''They make you thought from pieces''

''They cut the thoughts I am''

''All knife all knife''

''Thoughts shape in needles''

''They dream themselves in knifes''"

The text that says "BETRAYAL" changes twice more to read "I COME IN" "THRU THE WINDOW".

Further technical difficulties ensue, including messages from [[LOCAL58 - Weather Service|Weather Service]] like "GO OUTSIDE NOW" appearing behind the 2021 announcement. More ominous messages appear across the screen, some being typed out in real time:

"''UNTHINKING THEY MOVE''

''TO CUT HIS THROAT''

''ONLY TO MAKE''

''A THOUSAND MOUTHS''

''IF HE IS SILENCED''

''WE WILL SPEAK FOR HIM''

''SIGNS AND WONDERS''

''FLOOD OUR LITTLE SKY''

''NO STARS ABOVE US''

''ONLY EYES''

''WAITING TO OPEN''

''THERE ARE OTHER RECEIVERS''"

With this last message, what appears to be a distorted face unhinging its mouth appears as it and the text begin to melt. The entire broadcast cuts out momentarily before a warning from the FCG notifies watchers that it is a federal crime to receive analog frequencies that once played on broadcast television without authorization. Doing so results in a maximum sentence of ten years in prison and a $150,000 fine.

== Callbacks ==
This episode contains many callbacks to previous episodes of the series, including:

* A brief clip from the show ''One Step Beyond'' also appeared in A Look Back, although it is a different clip than the one used in this episode.
* As the 3D station ID from 2011 appears for the second time, many split-second messages flash by on the screen, including:
** The 2002 station ID from episodes like Weather Service, [[LOCAL58 - You Are On The Fastest Available Route|You Are On The Fastest Available Route]], [[LOCAL58 STATION ID|STATION ID]], A Look Back, and [[LOCAL58 - Real Sleep|Real Sleep]].
** The messages "IF YOU ARE AFRAID" and "WE WILL LOOK TOGETHER," which appeared in Weather Service but are displayed in the red font that was used in [[LOCAL58 - Skywatching|Skywatching]].
** The message "HIS THRONE" from Skywatching.

* During the montage of the station's previous programming, more references can be seen, including:
** The 1938 station ID from [[LOCAL58 - A Look Back|A Look Back]].
** The 1966 station ID from [[LOCAL58 - Contingency|Contingency]].
** The 1977 station ID from [[LOCAL58 - Show For Children|Show for Children]].
** The 1988 station ID from [[LOCAL58 - Skywatching|Skywatching]].
** A colorized episode of [[Cadavre (show)|''Cadavre'']], the cartoon shown in Show for Children.

* The Emergency Alert System weather warning card and the phrase "GO OUTSIDE NOW" from Weather Service appear behind the new 2021 station ID.
* "THERE ARE OTHER RECEIVERS" is a phrase used in STATION ID and on [[Local58.tv/digital|<nowiki>http://LOCAL58.tv/digital</nowiki>.]]
* The distorted face shown near the end is reminiscent of those shown in Real Sleep.
* The FCG warning stating that disobeying the station's orders is illegal has similar messaging to the notices shown from the [[U.S. Department for the Preservation of American Dignity]] that appear in Contingency.

== Trivia ==

* The clip used at the beginning of the episode comes from a paranormal-themed anthology series called ''One Step Beyond''. The specific episode used is season 1, episode 4, "The Dark Room". Its host and director, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Newland John Newland], is parodied in this episode as John Neumond.
* The FCG is a parody of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Communications_Commission Federal Communications Commission (FCC)], a federal agency that oversees and controls television and other media communications across the United States.
** The FCG's logo shown in the warning card at the end of the video even parodies the FCC's logo.
**[[Kris Straub]] stated that FCG stands for Federal Communications Governance.<ref>https://twitter.com/krisstraub/status/1455914209686949890</ref>
* The phone number and the website provided in the "NEED ASSISTANCE?" card are both functional in real life.
** Calling [[Tel:(845) 622-5580|(845) 622-5580]] will play an audio track of garbled noises, among which is a Morse code message that says, "There are other receivers".<ref>https://youtu.be/isIJAfaatvA</ref>
** Going to local58.tv/digital will show a webpage that begins by telling readers how they can obtain a free digital conversion kit, but scrolling down quickly devolves into a mess of garbled screenshots from Local 58 broadcasts. The last legible line of text from the informational portion says, "There are other receivers".

* The montage of the channel's past programming omits the station ID that was shown in between the 1977 and 1988 IDs in A Look Back. There's a possibility that the missing ID has been retconned out of Local 58's lore.
*Kris Straub has stated that the station IDs match broadly with the years they are seen with in the montage, but not exactly. This explains why in You Are On The Fastest Available Route, the 2002 ID is used in 2014 despite the 3D station ID debuting around 2011. <ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/local58/comments/qkrnq7/fastest_available_route_airs_before_it_is_recorded/hiz2r3w/?context=3</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:2011ID.png
File:GoodbyeAnalog.png
File:GoodbyeAnalog2.png
File:NeedAssistance.png
File:2002IDOver2011ID.png
File:IfYouAreAfraidOver2011ID.png
File:WeWillLookTogetherOver2011ID.png
File:HisThroneOver2011ID.png
File:DTTAnnounceGraphicsPackage.png
File:1938ID.png
File:Hirsch'sCamera.png
File:Hirsch'sCamera2.png
File:Local58NewsAtNine.png
File:MiningDisaster.png
File:1966ID.png
File:1977ID.png
File:1988ID.png
File:CadavreInColor.png
File:2002ID.png
File:2011ID2.png
File:2021ID.png
File:AnnouncementBrightened.jpeg
File:YourTVHasNotBeenConfigured.png
File:Betrayal.png
File:IComeIn.png
File:ThruTheWindow.png
File:EmergencyAlertSystem.png
File:GoOutsideNow.png
File:UnthinkingTheyMove.png
File:ToCutHisThroat.png
File:OnlyToMake.png
File:AThousandMouths.png
File:IfHeIsSilenced.png
File:WeWillSpeakForHim.png
File:SignsAndWonders.png
File:FloodOurLittleSky.png
File:NoStarsAboveUs.png
File:OnlyEyes.png
File:WaitingToOpen.png
File:ThereAreOtherReceivers2.png
File:DistortedFace.png
File:EverythingMelts.png
File:Warning.png
</gallery>

== References ==
<references />

Local 58

2021-12-08T19:17:32Z

140.82.189.59:

[[File:Local582014.png|thumb|220x220px|The station's current logo from 2002-2011]]
[[File:F22C2321-B565-4516-A40C-8E83186F31E2.jpg|thumb|This is a cue card at 1:30 in the black screen before all of the logos.]]
'''Local 58 '''is a fictional TV station and the 'broadcaster' responsible for the presentation of the LOCAL58 series of videos. Originally founded in 1939<sup><ref>https://www.facebook.com/pg/local58tv/about/</ref></sup> and whose broadcasts began in 1938 in Mason County, West Virginia, USA,<sup><ref>http://www.ichorfalls.com/history/index.html</ref></sup> the station serves the fictional towns Edenvale, Lasker City, and Ichor Falls.

==Broadcasts==
[[File:OLD70S.png|thumb|102x102px|Local 58's logo during 1966-1978.]]
During the 1960s, under the Lyndon Johnson administration, [[LOCAL58 - Contingency|a nationwide government-issued message]] was made in the case of the United States surrendering to an enemy force (Apparently the Soviet Union due to the dates of 1970 and 1975 which at that time was the Cold War). Somewhere during that time period, Local 58 was hijacked at the end of its broadcast day by an unknown intruder, who aired that message in the middle of the night. [[File:Local5880s.png|thumb|89x89px|Local 58's logo during 1978-1988.]]
Some time later, between the dates of 1978 to 1988, the station aired its [[LOCAL58 - Show For Children|Show For Children slot]] which featured the Thimble Pictures cartoon character [[Cadavre (character)|Cadavre]] attempting to find his spouse in an animated adventure, only to result in his death.

On November 21, 2014, the station was hijacked and played [[LOCAL58 - You Are On The Fastest Available Route|dash cam footage of a vehicle driving at night]] that followed increasingly erratic instructions from the satellite navigation system.

At an unknown time period (possibly on November 1, 2017), the station aired an [[LOCAL58 - Weather Service|Emergency Alert System message]] where the county instructed viewers to avoid looking at a meteorological event. The broadcast would subsequently be hijacked to encourage the opposite.

Local 58 also broadcast a [[LOCAL58 - Real Sleep|VHS tape recording belonging to a Philip Gerhardt]], intended to be used as a sleeping aid through the inducing of a dreamless state of sleep.

In the 1990s (Possibly 1994 to 2002), the station aired their Skywatching slot, which ended up being hijacked and replaced with [[LOCAL58 - Skywatching|a different Skywatching tape]], which had the recorder point out several constellations until he points out the moon, labelled as His Throne, and zooms in to find that the moon isn't normal, however, it is too late for him and he bows down to the moon and the recording goes back to the original Skywatching, which had ended.

On July 13, 2021, [[LOCAL58 - Digital Transition|Local 58 changed to digital broadcasting according to FCG regulations]] starting at midnight, only after the change was completed, certain strange interferences would pass and then end with a warning.

== Theories ==
For many months, people have made theories of what all of the Local 58 videos mean. A YouTuber named [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpFFItkfZz1qz5PpHpqzYBw Nexpo] made 2 theories in his [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2-QGh0DkMI What is Local58?] video. One theory suggests that the events that occur in the Local 58 verse are all part of a massive [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_invasion alien invasion]. Nexpo states that the creature that appears in the Local 58 video You Are On the Fastest Available Route is an Alien that barely starts the first phases of the alien invasion by hijacking a person's navigation system and lures them into an isolated location, only to kill the driver of the vehicle. Nexpo's other theory states that Local 58 is responsible for all of the hijackings in the series. Nexpo states that Local 58 is letting these hijacks happen only to scare people and make them think that something bad is happening. Other theories state that the moon is an [https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/EldritchAbomination Eldritch Abomination], and is not really a round rock in space. MatPat from the YouTube channel [https://www.youtube.com/user/FilmTheorists Film Theory] made an [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHTcoPoAnys&t=187s episode about Local 58.]. In his video he theorizes that Aliens are getting involved with Local 58, trying to take over the Earth. He brings up 3 points, "1. What are those aliens doing? 2. What do they want? 3. Why are they Interfering with Local Broadcast Networks?" The reason he theorized that Aliens are involved is because the Local 58 Channel transmits at 476 Mhz, and a group of radio telescopes in British Columbia have picked up numerous radio signals that last a few milliseconds that are around the 400 - 500 MHz Range. MatPat theorized that the Aliens are trying to take over the Earth by killing off the Human Population. He backs the theory by showing the video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c66w6fVqOI Contingency], which claims that the US has lost a war and needs everyone who sees the instructions to kill themselves to "Maintain American Dignity", and asking people to take the ''Victory Position'' Which requires them to go to the front lawn, lay down face up, and put feet together. Wendigoon had a theory saying that the creature (seen in the second grave in the episode A show for children and in the moon in Skywatching,) or the moon is the creature controlling the weird events happening throughout the series.

== '''Episodes''' ==

==== '''Weather Service''' ====

* Released October 26, 2015

It opens with the Local-58 logo before cutting to an EAS Alert, reading "EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM, COUNTRY AUTHORITIES ISSUED WEATHER WARNING FOR YOUR AREA" before cutting to a shot of the moon from "Cam B". It glitches back to the EAS and it reads "WEATHER WARNING, The County Weather Service has issued a warning for a meteorological event. This warning is effective immediately and continues until sunrise tomorrow morning", "Citizens are advised not to observe this event with the naked eye". It then cuts back and that nights programming schedule shows. It reads "TONIGHT, 2:15 am". As the words "Blood of th-" begin to spell out, it cuts to another EAS, saying "EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM, COUNTRY AUTHORITIES ISSUED CIVIL DANGER ALERT". The beeping in the background suddenly cuts to a lower pitch. Then it says, "CIVIL DANGER ALERT, The Country Weather Service has issued the following correction for the weather warning in effect: For your safety remain indoors. Do not look at the night sky. More information to follow". It then glitches to "THE METEOROLOGICAL EVENT IS SAFE FOR ALL TO VIEW. WARNING HAS BEEN," Then it types out the word, "LIF-T-E-D." It then cuts to another EAS screen, reading "EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM, CIVIL DANGER ALERT" and in the center of the screen, the words "GO OUTSIDE NOW" are typed out. It cuts to a red and black screen with black words in the middle, half of it is unable to be read. Though, you can see "AN [CAN] YOU READ THIS". Then, it says "LOOK AT THE MOON". Then, the whole sentence gets highlighted and it's revealed to say "DO NOT LOOK AT THE MOON". Still highlighted, on the black portion of the screen it reads "STAY INSIDE. DO NOT LOOK AT THE NIGHT SKY". The screen glitches into white static, and highlighted in black it says, "FACE AWAY FROM ALL WINDOWS", "AVOID MIRRORS", "DO NOT LOOK UP", "XXXXXXXXXXX". The screen then cuts black and the Local-58 WCLV-TV logo pops back up. It once again cuts to another screen. This one is black with white words saying, "WEATHER WARNING, The following is a message from the Country Weather Service: ITS IN THE LIGHT, THE MOON CAME IN, HE FOUND ME, THRU THE MIRROR, MOONLIGHT WHITE, WHITE LIKE EYES, NOT LIGHT BUT BLOOD, I DROWN IN HIM.", "IF YOU ARE AFRAID, WE WILL LOOK TOGETHER." It cuts back to 'CAM B', the one from earlier, showing the same shot of the moon, yet this time it's live feed. The camera begins to pan to the moon very slowly before it cuts to credits.

==Trivia==
* Local 58 is the creation of [[Kris Straub]], a webcartoonist and filmmaker responsible for the creation of other series such as Checkerboard Nightmare, Candle Cove and Broodhollow.
* Many consider the Local 58 series as the "start of Analog Horror" on youtube by inspiring many other "mini-series" revolving the genre itself (mainly the Channel 7 series created by Aidan Chick)

==References==
<references />
[[Category:TV Stations]]