WFXZ-CD

WFXZ-CD, virtual channel 24 (VHF digital channel 5), is a low-powered, 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.

For other stations that have used the WFXZ callsign, see WFXZ (disambiguation).
WFXZ-CD
Boston, Massachusetts
United States
ChannelsDigital: 5 (VHF)
(shared with WGBH-TV)
Virtual: 24 (PSIP)
BrandingWFXZ 24/GBH 24 (2021)
Programming
Affiliations
Ownership
OwnerWGBH Educational Foundation
broadcast: WGBH-TV, WGBX-TV, WGBY-TV
radio: WCRB, WGBH
History
FoundedNovember 30, 1989
First air date
November 9, 2000 (2000-11-09)
Former call signs
  • W29BA (1989–1999)
  • W24CM (1999–2000)
  • WVXN-LP (2000–2001)
  • WVXN-CA (2001–2003)
  • WFXZ-CA (2003–2010)
Former channel number(s)
  • Analog:
  • 24 (UHF, 2000–2010)
  • Digital:
  • 25 (UHF, 2010–2015)
  • 24 (UHF, 2015–2017)
  • 19 (UHF, 2017–2019; shared with WGBH-TV)
Call sign meaning
Possibly derived from WFXT
Technical information
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID64833
ClassCD
ERP6.7 kW
HAAT362.7 m (1,190 ft)
Transmitter coordinates42°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-powered Class A license, it transmits using WGBH-TV's full-power spectrum. This ensures complete reception across the Boston television market.

History
Logo as MundoFox

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 as WVXN-CA 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]

WFXZ-CD logo under its second Azteca América affiliation

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]
24.1480i16:9WFXZMain WFXZ-CD programming / BizTV

References
  1. Hope Channel in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Tampa! |accessdate=2014-12-14 (dead link)
  2. "Boston Class A TV sold". Television Business Report. December 15, 2011. Retrieved December 15, 2011.
  3. "Application Details (WFXZ-CA)". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved 2006-11-06.
  4. Fybush, Scott (2000-04-07). ""Quick," What's On 93.5/93.9?". North East RadioWatch. The Archives @ BostonRadio.org. Retrieved 2006-11-06.
  5. Fybush, Scott (2001-10-08). "Ackerley Signs Off". North East RadioWatch. The Archives @ BostonRadio.org. Retrieved 2006-11-06.
  6. "Azteca America opens Boston station". Boston Business Journal. 2006-08-02. Retrieved 2006-11-06.
  7. Seyler, Dave (August 9, 2012). "MundoFOX adds four large markets". Television Business Report. Retrieved August 9, 2012.
  8. "FCC Broadcast Television Spectrum Incentive Auction Auction 1001 Winning Bids" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. April 4, 2017. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
  9. "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.
  10. "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.
  11. "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.
  12. "Consummation Notice". CDBS Public Notice. Federal Communications Commission. December 21, 2017. Retrieved December 23, 2017.
  13. RabbitEars TV Query for WFXZ-CD
  • WFXZ in the FCC's TV station database
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