WRFB
WRFB, virtual channel 5 (UHF digital channel 30), branded on-air as ABC Puerto Rico, is an ABC-affiliated television station serving San Juan, Puerto Rico that is licensed to Carolina. It is a full-time satellite of Mayagüez-licensed WORA-TV (channel 5) that is owned by Telecinco, Inc. WRFB's transmitter is located on Cerro Marquesa in Aguas Buenas; its parent station maintains studios on Ponce de León Avenue in Santurce, with additional studios at the Guanajibo Building in Mayagüez.
| Satellite of WORA-TV, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico | |
|---|---|
  | |
| Carolina/San Juan, Puerto Rico | |
| City | Carolina, Puerto Rico |
| Channels | Digital: 30 (UHF) Virtual: 5 (PSIP) |
| Branding | ABC Puerto Rico (general) VIVE Televisión (on DT2) |
| Slogan | ABC Puerto Rico es de aquí (general) Vive diferente (on DT2) |
| Programming | |
| Affiliations | 5.1: ABC 5.3: VIVE / 24H |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Telecinco, Inc. |
| Sister stations | WORA-TV |
| History | |
| Founded | October 2, 1989 |
| First air date | 1997 |
| Former call signs | WDZE (1997–1998) WZDE (1998–2001) |
| Former channel number(s) | Analog: 52 (UHF, 1997–2009) Digital: 51 (UHF, 2009–2017) Virtual: 51 (PSIP, 2009–2019) |
| Former affiliations | Independent (1997–2016) DestinoTV (2013) Telemicro (2013–2014) Silent (2014, 2016, 2017–2019) SuperCanal (2016–2017) Telemundo (February–December 2019) |
| Call sign meaning | R&F Broadcasting (former owner) |
| Technical information | |
| Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 54443 |
| ERP | 40 kW (STA) 250 kW (CP) |
| HAAT | 273.5 m (897 ft) (STA) 311 m (1,020 ft) (CP) |
| Transmitter coordinates | 18°16′25″N 66°5′40″W |
| Translator(s) | W05DA-D 5.1 Fajardo W05DB-D 5.1 Ponce W29EE-D 5.1 San Lorenzo |
| Links | |
| Public license information | Profile LMS |
| Website | www.abc.pr |
Sale to Telecinco
On June 15, 2017, WRFB sold for over $600,000 to Telecinco, Inc. through subsidiary ERA International Corporation, and after the transaction with a $30,000 deposit had been made by the buyer, this became a sister station of WORA-TV in Mayagüez. WRFB was to be used to bring ABC network programming as a satellite of WORA-DT2, and TVE programming from VIVE/WORA-DT3, expanding the coverage area. The sale of WRFB to Telecinco was completed on October 22, 2017.
Due to the passage of Hurricane Maria, WRFB went off the air on September 20. WRFB returned to the air for a brief period of testing, then went silent once again on August 19, 2018. After months off the air, the station returned to the air on February 22, 2019 as a repeater for WORA-TV and switched its virtual channel position from channel 51 to channel 5.
Owners
- 1997–2001: Rickyn Sanchez (VTK PR, Inc.)
- 1998–2001: ZDE-TV Broadcasting, Inc.
- 1999–2002: Pegasus Communications (WZDE Licensee, Inc.)
- 2001–2017: R&F Broadcasting
- July–October 2013: Destino Media Group (Destino Network)
- 2017–2018: ERA International Corporation
- 2018–present: Telecinco, Inc.
Branding
- 1997–1999: MusicaVisión
- 2000–2001: VTK
- 2001–2003: WRFB-TV Canal 52
- 2003–2013: Videomax
- 2013: My Destino TV
- 2013–2014: Telemicro Internacional
- 2014–2016: Videomax Canal 51
- 2016–2017: SuperCanal
- 2019–2020: Telecinco / WORA Televisión
- 2020–present: ABC Puerto Rico
Digital television
The station's digital signal is multiplexed:
| Channel | Video | Aspect | PSIP Short Name | Programming[1] | Stations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.1 | 720p | 16:9 | ABC-PR | Simulcast of WORA-TV / ABC | WRFB, W05DA-D, W05DB-D, W29EE-D |
| 5.3 | VIVE | Simulcast of WORA-DT2 / VIVE Televisión / 24H |
On June 12, 2009, WRFB signed off its analog signal and completed its move to digital.
References
External links
- WRFB in the FCC's TV station database
- BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on WRFB-TV
- Facility details for Facility ID 54443 (WRFB) in the FCC's Licensing and Management System