NEW ORLEANS -- WDSU-TV announced the return of its high definition programming to the subscribers of Charter Communications in St. Tammany, Lafourche, and Terrebonne parishes.

Starting Monday, May 7, WDSU-TV’s digital signal can be found on Charter Cable channel 784 and will be available through Charter Cable to its customers.

This will be the first time WDSU-TV’s digital content can be seen by Charter customers since Hurricane Katrina destroyed the station’s transmitter on August 29, 2005.

“I’m thrilled to resume digital service to our viewers who are customers of Charter Cable,” says Joel Vilmenay, WDSU-TV/DT president and general manager. “Providing our digital signal through Charter Cable was only made possible through their cooperation and willingness to work together in the interest of the viewer and customer.”

Currently, Charter Communications and DirecTV are the only providers of WDSU-TV’s HD content such as NFL Football, NBC prime time shows, and NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams to Southeast Louisiana.

Previously Cox Communications was the single provider of WDSU-TVs HD programming. However, Cox has since elected not to make it possible for their subscribers to receive the digital signal and no longer carries WDSU-TV’s digital or NBC’s HD content.

The building that housed both of the station’s analog and digital transmitters was flooded by a twelve foot tidal surge in Chalmette Louisiana. WDSU-TV has broken ground on their new transmitter facility. The plan is to raise the entire transmission complex to twenty-seven feet above sea level. Upon completion, the station will be able to once again broadcast HD programming over-the-air with new state of the art transmitters.

WDSU, an NBC affiliate, is owned and operated by Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc. Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc. owns and/or manages 26 network-affiliated television stations, in geographically diverse U.S. markets. The company’s television stations reach about 17.5% of U.S. TV households, making it one of the two largest non-network owned television groups in the United States as well as one of the seven largest television groups overall as measured by audience delivered. Hearst-Argyle trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “HTV.”