WGBP-TV

WGBP-TV, virtual channel 66 (UHF digital channel 17), is an Lx-affiliated television station licensed to Opelika, Alabama, United States.[1][2] Owned by CNZ Communications, LLC,[3] the station operates a two-site distributed transmission system with transmitters located near Warm Springs, Georgia (Atlanta television market) and Cusseta, Georgia (Columbus television market).[4] Although WGBP-TV's over-the-air signal reaches six different television markets, the station is assigned by Nielsen to the Atlanta television market.

WGBP-TV
Opelika, Alabama/Columbus, Georgia
United States
CityOpelika, Alabama
ChannelsDigital: 17 (UHF)
Virtual: 66 (PSIP)
BrandingWGBP-TV
Programming
Affiliations66.1: Lx
66.2: HSN
66.3: This TV
66.4: QVC
66.5: QVC2
66.7: True Crime Network
66.8: TheGrio.tv
Ownership
OwnerCNZ Communications, LLC
(CNZ Communications SE, LLC)
History
First air date
May 16, 1982 (1982-05-16)
Former call signs
WSWS-TV (1982–2005)
WLGA (2005–2020)
WGBP (2020)
Former channel number(s)
Analog:
66 (UHF, 1982–2009)
Digital:
47 (UHF, 2009–2013)
30 (UHF, 2013–2019)
Analog/DT1:
Independent (1982–1984, 2009–2010)
CTN (1984–1995)
UPN (1995–2006)
The CW (2006–2009)
WeatherNation (2012–2013)
Antenna TV (2013–2017)
Infomercials (2017)
Cozi TV (2017–2020)
Secondary:
FNN (1981–1985)
The WB (mid–late 1990s)
Pax TV (late 1990s)
Technical information
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID11113
ERPDTS1: 550 kW
DTS2: 589 kW
HAATDTS1: 537 m (1,762 ft)
DTS2: 424 m (1,391 ft)
Transmitter coordinatesDTS1:
32°19′16.4″N 84°47′28.2″W
DTS2:
32°51′6.8″N 84°42′5.5″W
Links
Public license information
Profile
LMS
Websitewgbptv.com

History

The station signed on for the first time on May 16, 1982 as WSWS-TV, the Columbus area's first independent station. At the outset, WSWS carried cartoons, religious shows, low budget movies, and programming from the Financial News Network. It was initially owned by Warden Broadcasting, but was acquired by the Christian Television Network (CTN) in 1984. The FNN programs were dropped by 1987, but the station did retain much of its other secular programming, in addition to CTN's programming.

WLGA logo used on its website immediately after ending its CW affiliation. Versions of this logo with the UPN logo was used as a UPN affiliate, as both WSWS and WLGA.

RCH Broadcasting bought WSWS in 1995, and affiliated the station with the upstart United Paramount Network (UPN). It also aired programs from The WB and, later, Pax TV (now Ion Television) on a secondary basis during the mid-to-late 1990s. Pappas Telecasting bought the station outright in 1996 and upgraded programming somewhat.

The station changed its call letters to WLGA on June 27, 2005. The "WSWS" calls were moved to then-sister station WSWS-CA, the ABC affiliate in North Platte, Nebraska; they remained there until June 12, 2009, when it became KHGI-CA to reflect its parent station, KHGI-TV.

WLGA logo from 2009 to 2020.

In September 2006, WLGA joined The CW as an affiliate when UPN merged with The WB. On April 2, 2009, it was announced that The CW would discontinue its relationship with WLGA, instead choosing to broadcast on a digital subchannel of NBC affiliate WLTZ, effective April 27. Although no reason was given, it was likely related to Pappas filing for bankruptcy a year earlier.[5] WLGA became an independent station once again, and completely overhauled its schedule (most of the station's programming outside of network hours during its CW affiliation was provided by The CW Plus, which also moved to the WLTZ subchannel).

In early June 2010, WLGA announced that it would cease operations at 11:59 p.m. on June 4. However, during its silent period, WLGA's license remained active, with a construction permit to broadcast on channel 30 and an application to broadcast on channel 47.

As of August 2012, WLGA returned to the air on channel 47, broadcasting WeatherNation on 66.1. On June 24, 2013, the station was licensed to broadcast on channel 30. In 2013, WeatherNation was replaced with Antenna TV. In 2017, Antenna TV was moved to WLTZ 38.3 and began carrying infomercials on 66.1, and then after a few months, the station began airing Cozi TV on 66.1 and added four new subchannels.

In September 2020, the station's call sign was changed, first to WGBP and then to the current WGBP-TV.

Digital channels

The station's digital signal is multiplexed:

Channel Video Aspect PSIP Short Name Programming[6]
66.1720p16:9WLGADT1Main WGBP-TV programming / Lx
66.2480iWLGADT2HSN
66.3WLGADT3This TV
66.4WLGADT4QVC
66.5WLGADT5QVC2
66.7WLGADT7True Crime Network
66.8WLGADT8TheGrio.tv

References

  1. "WGBP-TV OPELIKA, AL". www.rabbitears.info. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  2. "Where To Watch". LX. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  3. "Our Stations". CNZ Communications, LLC. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  4. "RabbitEars.Info". www.rabbitears.info. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  5. http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/news/story/672471.html Retrieved Apr. 3, 2009.
  6. RabbitEars TV Query for WGBP
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