WBGR-LD
WBGR-LD is a low-power television station licensed to both Bangor and Dedham, Maine, United States. The station is affiliated with the MeTV network, and broadcasts on UHF digital channel 18 over the air (using virtual channel 33 via PSIP) and channel 12 on Charter Spectrum.
  | |
| Bangor–Dedham, Maine United States | |
|---|---|
| Channels | Analog: 33 (UHF) Digital: 18 (UHF) Virtual: 33 (PSIP) |
| Branding | WBGR |
| Slogan | Maine's Family Superstation |
| Programming | |
| Affiliations | 33.1: MeTV 33.2: H&I/Antenna TV 33.3: [Blank] 33.4: [Blank] 33.5: [Blank] 33.6: [Blank] 33.7: [Blank] 33.8: [Blank] |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | James McLeod (Maine Family Broadcasting, Inc.) |
| History | |
| First air date | August 28, 1995 |
| Former call signs | W33BD (1992-1995) WBGR-LP (1995-2015) |
| Former affiliations | The WB (1995–1998) Liberty Channel World Harvest Ion Television (until April 2014) Retro Television Network (until April 2014) |
| Call sign meaning | IATA airport code for Bangor International Airport |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 33959 |
| Class | Low-power |
| ERP | 29.8 kW (analog) 1 kW (digital) |
| HAAT | 196 m (643 ft) (analog) 68 m (223 ft) (digital) |
| Transmitter coordinates | 44°44′16.2″N 68°42′4.1″W (analog) 44°52′44″N 68°52′55.7″W (digital) |
| Links | |
| Website | wbgr.com |
History
WBGR first went on the air on August 28, 1995 as Bangor's WB affiliate to become the first commercial UHF station in the market and the first new commercial station locally built in over 30 years. That relationship ended in 1998 when The WB created a cable-only channel for its smaller markets (known as WBAN in Bangor); around the same time, the station added programming from the Pax (now Ion Television) network, which launched at that time.
WBGR has aired local programming from local churches, civic organizations and high school sports at various times during its history. The station also carried late afternoon college football games from CBS, as WABI-TV (channel 5) chose to preempt football in order to air a local 6 p.m. newscast. Daytime programming is filled with family-oriented programming as well as religious programming from several leading Bible teachers. In 2010, Liberty University's Flames Sports Network[1] began airing live sporting events, as well as daily convocation services.
Digital television
Digital channel
| Channel | Video | Aspect | PSIP Short Name | Programming[3] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33.1 | 480i | 4:3 | WBGR | Main WBGR-LD programming / MeTV |
| 33.2 | H&I & Antenna TV | |||
| 33.3 | Blank | |||
| 33.4 | Blank | |||
| 33.5 | WBGR . | Blank | ||
| 33.6 | Blank | |||
| 33.7 | Blank | |||
| 33.8 | Blank |
The station was issued its license for digital operation on March 12, 2015. By early September 2019, WBGR-LD commenced digital operations, adding Heroes & Icons and Antenna TV programming to their second digital subchannel. By November of that year, RabbitEars.Info listed six new feeds (LD3 through LD8) for WBGR-LD, those new feeds remaining Blank at first.
Programming
Weekday morning religious programs include Life Today with James Robison, Precepts for Life with Kay Arthur, Through the Bible with Les Feldrick, Liberty University Convocation, Enjoying Everyday Life with Joyce Meyer, and Believers' Voice of Victory with Kenneth Copeland. Afternoons feature classic programs such as Green Acres and Little House on the Prairie. Afternoon and evening programming features shows from the Retro Television Network, interrupted occasionally for live sporting events from Liberty University's Flames Sports Network. Prior to carrying RTN programming, WBGR carried Ion Television during the afternoon and evening hours.
References
- Flames Sports Network
- "Me-TV Adds Affils In Anchorage, Bangor". TVNewsCheck. April 2, 2014. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
- RabbitEars TV Query for WBGR-LD