WAZT-CD

WAZT-CD, virtual channel 48 (UHF digital channel 20), is a low-powered, Class A Jewelry Television-affiliated station licensed to Vienna, Virginia, United States. The station is owned by Venture Technologies Group. WAZT-CD's transmitter is located on Blue Ridge Mountain in extreme southern Jefferson County, West Virginia, near the Virginia–West Virginia state line.

For the Class A station which formerly used this callsign, see WDCO-CD.
WAZT-CD
Vienna, Virginia
United States
ChannelsDigital: 20 (UHF)
Virtual: 48 (PSIP)
Programming
AffiliationsJewelry TV
Ownership
OwnerVenture Technologies Group
(WMTM, LLC)
History
First air date
1989 (1989)
Former call signs
W48AZ (1989–1999)
WAZW-LP (1999–2000)
WAZW-CA (2000–2014)
WAZW-CD (2014–2017)
Former channel number(s)
Analog:
48 (UHF, 1989–2010)
Digital:
46 (UHF, 2010–2019)
Religious Independent (1989–2018)
Technical information
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID168449
ClassCD
ERP15 kW
HAAT318.3 m (1,044 ft)
Transmitter coordinates39°8′16.5″N 77°49′57.6″W
Links
Public license information
Profile
LMS

History

The station signed on in 1989 as W48AZ in Winchester, Virginia, a relay of the original WAZT-LP in Woodstock (then W10AZ, now WDCO-CD). The WAZT network offered some programming from Cornerstone and other religious networks, but it generally did not show them in-pattern with those networks, and it also broadcast some secular syndicated programming and classic television shows.

W48AZ changed its callsign to WAZW-LP in 1999. The station gained Class A status in 2000, becoming WAZW-CA.

Ruarch sold the WAZT stations to JLA Media & Publications (no relation to Washington, D.C. ABC affiliate WJLA-TV, channel 7) in 2006. Jones Broadcasting acquired the stations out of Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2011.[1]

Jones Broadcasting sold the group of stations to Venture Technologies Group in December 2013. Venture immediately began moving WAZT and its sister stations to the far larger Washington, D.C. television market. After spending most of its time as a religious broadcaster branded as simply "WAZT", the station and its relays changed to the branding "Faith Television Network" under Venture's ownership.

WAZT-CD's callsign was changed to WDCO-CD on October 11, 2017. On the same day, Winchester repeater WAZW-CD became WAZT-CD.[2] On January 24, 2018, Faith Television Network announced it would cease broadcasting. All four remaining stations in the network became full-time affiliates of Jewelry Television on January 31.[3]

On June 25, 2020, Venture Technologies Group filed an agreement with the FCC to sell WDCO-CD and WIAV-CD to Sinclair Broadcast Group (owner of WJLA-TV) for $8.5 million.[4][5] The sale was completed on October 15,[6] making them Sinclair's second and third properties in the Washington market, alongside WJLA-TV. On the same day, WDCO-CD and WIAV-CD flipped to Sinclair's TBD multicast network, simulcasting WJLA-TV's fourth digital subchannel in 1080i full high definition. WAZT-CD was not included in the sale and continues to air Jewelry TV programming.

Digital channel
Channel Video Aspect PSIP Short Name Programming[7]
48.1480i4:3WAZT-CDJewelry TV

References
  1. Seyler, Dave (October 28, 2011). "Transactions: 10-31-11". Television Business Report. Retrieved May 27, 2012.
  2. "Facility No. 168449 Record". FCCData.
  3. "Celebrating 32 years and saying goodbye". Faith Television Network. 24 January 2018.
  4. "Application for Consent to Assignment of Broadcast Station Construction Permit or License". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. June 25, 2020. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  5. Jacobson, Adam (26 June 2020). "A Major Broadcast Player Snags D.C. LPTV Duo". Radio & Television Business Report.
  6. Consummation Notice
  7. "Digital TV Listing for WAZT-CD". RabbitEars.Info. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
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