WFXZ-CD
WFXZ-CD, virtual channel 24 (VHF digital channel 5), is a Class A BizTV-affiliated television station licensed to Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The station is owned by the WGBH Educational Foundation.[2] WFXZ-CD's studios are located in Woburn.
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Boston, Massachusetts United States | |
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Channels | Digital: 5 (VHF) (shared with WGBH-TV) Virtual: 24 (PSIP) |
Branding | WFXZ 24 |
Programming | |
Affiliations |
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Ownership | |
Owner | WGBH Educational Foundation |
Sister stations | broadcast: WGBH-TV, WGBX-TV, WGBY-TV radio: WCRB, WGBH |
History | |
Founded | November 30, 1989 |
First air date | November 9, 2000 |
Former call signs |
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Former channel number(s) | |
Former affiliations |
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Call sign meaning | Possibly derived from WFXT |
Technical information | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
Facility ID | 64833 |
Class | CD |
ERP | 6.7 kW |
HAAT | 362.7 m (1,190 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 42°18′10.7″N 71°13′4.9″W |
Links | |
Public license information | Profile LMS |
Under a channel sharing arrangement, WFXZ-CD shares transmitter facilities with PBS member station WGBH-TV (channel 2) on Cabot Street in Needham. Despite WFXZ-CD legally holding a low-power Class A license, it transmits using WGBH-TV's full-power spectrum. This ensures complete reception across the Boston television market.
History
![](../I/m/WFXZ24.png)
The station's construction permit was originally granted on November 30, 1989 as W29BA, operating on channel 29, which would be licensed to nearby Lawrence.[3] However, by the time finally it signed on the air with a home shopping service in early 2000, it had moved to channel 24, was licensed to Boston and adopted the W24CM call sign.[4]
A few months later, channel 24 changed its call letters to WVXN-LP. In 2001, the station was upgraded to Class A status and dropped home shopping programming in favor of affiliating with MTV2.[5] The station changed its callsign to WFXZ-CA in 2003. In July 2006, the station became the Boston affiliate of the Azteca América network.[6]
![](../I/m/WFXZAzteca24.png)
WFXZ flash-cut its signal to digital transmission in 2010. Longtime owner Randolph Weigner agreed to sell WFXZ to Prime Time Partners in December 2011.[2] The station became a charter MundoFox affiliate when the network formally launched on August 13, 2012,[7] with Azteca America programming moving to its second digital subchannel; it returned to primary status early on December 1, 2016 due to MundoFox ending operations (changing to MundoMax in its last year). During its affiliations with MundoFox/MundoMax and Azteca América, WFXZ-CD was carried on Comcast Xfinity digital channels 721 and 981, and Verizon FiOS channel 20.
In the FCC's incentive auction, WFXZ-CD sold its spectrum for $63,949,770 and indicated that it would enter into a post-auction channel sharing agreement.[8] On September 8, 2017, the station entered into a channel sharing agreement with WGBH-TV (channel 2); concurrently, Prime Time Partners agreed to donate the WFXZ license to the WGBH Educational Foundation.[9][10] WFXZ shut down its UHF digital channel 24 transmitter on December 3, 2017 and began channel-sharing on WGBH-TV's channel 19 transmitter;[11] WGBH's acquisition of the station was completed on December 21, 2017,[12] at which point the station dropped Azteca América for BizTV. Concurrently, the station's carriage on Comcast Xfinity and Verizon FiOS was discontinued.
Digital television
Digital channels
Channel | Video | Aspect | PSIP Short Name | Programming[13] |
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24.1 | 480i | 16:9 | WFXZ | Main WFXZ-CD programming / BizTV |
References
- Hope Channel in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Tampa! |accessdate=2014-12-14 (dead link)
- "Boston Class A TV sold". Television Business Report. December 15, 2011. Retrieved December 15, 2011.
- "Application Details (WFXZ-CA)". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved 2006-11-06.
- Fybush, Scott (2000-04-07). ""Quick," What's On 93.5/93.9?". North East RadioWatch. The Archives @ BostonRadio.org. Retrieved 2006-11-06.
- Fybush, Scott (2001-10-08). "Ackerley Signs Off". North East RadioWatch. The Archives @ BostonRadio.org. Retrieved 2006-11-06.
- "Azteca America opens Boston station". Boston Business Journal. 2006-08-02. Retrieved 2006-11-06.
- Seyler, Dave (August 9, 2012). "MundoFOX adds four large markets". Television Business Report. Retrieved August 9, 2012.
- "FCC Broadcast Television Spectrum Incentive Auction Auction 1001 Winning Bids" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. April 4, 2017. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
- "Amendment to a Modification of a Licensed Facility for Digital Class A TV Station Application". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. October 11, 2017. Retrieved October 28, 2017.
- "APPLICATION FOR CONSENT TO ASSIGNMENT OF BROADCAST STATION CONSTRUCTION PERMIT OR LICENSE". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. October 25, 2017. Retrieved October 28, 2017.
- "NOTICE OF SUSPENSION OF OPERATIONS OF STATION WFXZ-CD ON PRE-AUCTION CHANNEL" (PDF). Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. November 30, 2017. Retrieved December 23, 2017.
- "Consummation Notice". CDBS Public Notice. Federal Communications Commission. December 21, 2017. Retrieved December 23, 2017.
- RabbitEars TV Query for WFXZ-CD