WVTX-CD

WVTX-CD, virtual and UHF digital channel 28, was a low-powered, Class A MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station serving Wheeling, West Virginia that was licensed to Bridgeport, Ohio. WVTX-CD, along with its transmission facilities, were owned by OTA Broadcasting, LLC, a corporation owned by Michael Dell's MSD Capital, which also owns eleven other Class A television stations. WTRF's owner, Nexstar Media Group, programmed WVTX under a time brokerage agreement.

WVTX-CD
(former satellite of WTRF-TV)

Bridgeport, Ohio / Wheeling, West Virginia
United States
ChannelsDigital: 28 (UHF)
Virtual: 28 (PSIP)
BrandingMy Ohio Valley
ABC Ohio Valley (on CD2)
Ownership
OwnerOTA Broadcasting, LLC
(OTA Broadcasting (PIT), LLC)
OperatorNexstar Media Group
History
FoundedApril 28, 1989 (1989-04-28)
First air dateDecember 15, 1998 (1998-12-15)
Last air dateOctober 25, 2017 (2017-10-25)
Former call signsW28AS (1989–2004)
WDBW-CA (January–February 2004)
WVTX-CA (2004–2013)
Former affiliationsAnalog/CD1:
Independent (via WBGN-CD, 1998–2004, 2006–2013)
UPN (2004–2006)
Fox (via WTRF-DT2; 2013–2014)
MyNetworkTV (via WTRF-DT2; 2013–2017)
CD2:
ABC (via WTRF-DT3; 2013–2017)
CD4:
LWN (?)
Call sign meaningWest Virginia Transmitter (TX)
Technical information
Facility ID68408
ClassA
ERP150 kW (analog)
Links
WebsiteHome Page

History

WVTX-CD was originally a satellite station for independent Pittsburgh station WBGN-LP with the W28AS call sign. The station's call sign changed to WDBW-CA on January 16, 2004, and again to WVTX-CA on February 17, 2004.

Under a local marketing agreement that began in late 2004, Bruno-Goodworth Network retained ownership of WVTX-CA, the station increased power, ceased transmitting WBGN programming, and started its own newscast, produced locally by WVTX Inc., which also shared ownership with cable-only WB affiliate WBWO.

WVTX-CA affiliated with UPN in December 2004 and became the only UPN affiliate serving West Virginia viewers; it produced programming such as a daily 5:30 pm newscast and coverage of local church services. WVTX-CA also enjoyed carriage on several area cable systems including Comcast, which carried the station on channel 3.

When UPN and the WB merged to form The CW in September 2006, WVTX-CA lost its network affiliation; the CW affiliation went to WBWO. WVTX Inc. then returned WVTX-CA to The Bruno Goodworth Network, and the station returned to simulcasting WBGN-LP. The station soon began broadcasting digitally, and assumed its final call sign of WVTX-CD on May 2, 2013. As Wheeling's only independent television station, WVTX-CD aired a mix of local programs and first run syndicated programming. The station was no longer carried on the Comcast system, but remained available over the air.

On September 26, 2013, Bruno-Goodworth Network signed a time brokerage agreement with WTRF-TV (channel 7, then owned by West Virginia Media Holdings).[1] Under the agreement, WVTX-CD's main channel began to carry the Fox and MyNetworkTV programming of WTRF's second subchannel and the ABC programming of WTRF's third subchannel.[2] OTA Broadcasting purchased the Bruno-Goodworth Network and its eleven television stations, including WVTX,[3] on October 10, 2013.[4] Fox programming was dropped September 1, 2014 after WTRF lost the affiliation to WTOV-TV (channel 9).[5] Nexstar Broadcasting Group announced on November 17, 2015 that it would purchase the West Virginia Media Holdings stations, including WTRF-TV, for $130 million;[6] it assumed control of the stations through a time brokerage agreement in December 2015[6] and completed the acquisition on January 31, 2017.[7]

Spectrum reallocation

In the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)'s incentive auction, WVTX-CD sold its spectrum for $6,100,391; at the time, the station indicated that it would enter into a post-auction channel sharing agreement.[8] WVTX-CD ceased operations October 25, 2017;[9] OTA Broadcasting surrendered its license to the FCC for cancellation on October 26, 2017.[10]

This station's purpose was gradually replaced anyway when ongoing upgrades to the multiplexer equipment being utilized over WTRF's full-power signal over the two years following the spectrum sale have allowed for the MyNetworkTV and ABC subchannels to both begin airing in 720p HD over-the-air via WTRF-TV's full-power signal for full-market over-the-air HD distribution of those two subchannels (until 2017, the ABC subchannel was being offered only in 480i 4:3 SD over WTRF's full-power signal and until May 2019, the MyNetworkTV subchannel was being offered only in 480i 4:3 SD over WTRF's full-power signal). CBS, MyNetworkTV, and ABC are now all available in HD over WTRF's full-power signal, and due to aggressive statistical multiplexing implemented in May 2019, MyNetworkTV now airs in 720p 16:9 HD over-the-air. Before WVTX-CD had ceased operations, the necessary multiplexer equipment to transmit three feeds in HD simultaneously on one channel wasn't as widely-used and it was uncommon to have any more than two HD feeds transmitting over a single channel.

Digital channels
Channel PSIP short name Video Aspect Programming [11]
28.1WTRF-D2720p16:9Simulcast of WTRF-DT2
28.2WTRF-D3Simulcast of WTRF-DT3
gollark: Builders are impractical for that.
gollark: I think it was more because of Incident 406-A.
gollark: And those wouldn't allow teleporting, silly.
gollark: Because ale is bees.
gollark: This would also provide an excuse for having a very overengineered power grid.

See also

References
  1. "Time Brokerage Agreement" (PDF). Public Inspection File. Federal Communications Commission. September 26, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  2. "Quarterly Issues/Programs List for Station WVTX-CD" (PDF). Public Inspection File. Federal Communications Commission. January 10, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  3. "Pittsburgh-anchored Class A TV group sold". Radio & Television Business Report. June 3, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  4. "Consummation Notice". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  5. Eck, Kevin (July 11, 2014). "Sinclair Adds FOX Affiliation to Wheeling-Steubenville Station". TVSpy. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  6. "Nexstar Buys 4 W.Va. TVs For $130M". TVNewsCheck. November 17, 2015. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  7. "Consummation Notice". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  8. "FCC Broadcast Television Spectrum Incentive Auction Auction 1001 Winning Bids" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. April 4, 2017. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
  9. "Suspension of Operations of a Digital Class A Station Application (WVTX-CD)". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. October 24, 2017. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
  10. "Cancellation Application (WVTX-CD)". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. October 26, 2017. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
  11. http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WVTX-CD#station
  • WVTX in the FCC's TV station database
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