WTVE

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For the Elmira, New York, station that broadcast on channel 24 in the 1950s, see WTVE (Elmira, NY).
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WTVE
WTVE51.png
Reading/Allentown/Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
United States
Branding TV 51
Channels Digital: 25 (UHF)
Virtual: 51 (PSIP)
Subchannels 51.1 WTVE-DT
51.2 WTVE-SD Plum TV
Affiliations Independent (1980–1998 and since 1999), AMG TV
Owner NRJ TV, LLC
(NRJ TV Philly License Co., LLC)
First air date May 4, 1980
Sister station(s) WPHY-CD
Former channel number(s) Analog:
51 (UHF, 1980–2009)
Former affiliations Independent (1980–1998)
Telemundo (1998–1999)
Transmitter power see below
Height see below
Facility ID 55305
Transmitter coordinates see below
Licensing authority FCC
Public license information: Profile
CDBS
Website www.wtve.com

WTVE, Channel 25 (PSIP 51), is a Reading, Pennsylvania television station that has been in operation since May 4, 1980[1] Its schedule consists mostly of infomercials and paid religious programs. It also simulcasts Richard French Live from former sister station WRNN-TV in Kingston, New York. In addition, Temple University's newscast Temple Update is aired on Mondays at 7:30 am. The station also airs Frasier weekdays at 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm and Inside Edition at 5:30 pm and 7:30 pm.

Contents

Former programming [edit]

Historically, programming formats of various types have been seen on the station, including at one point Telemundo.

News [edit]

WTVE aired nightly newscasts from its on-air inception in 1980 until late 1983 when programming shifted to an over-the-air pay-per-view movie format called SelecTV.

The original news programs were called TV51 Total News and aired at 5:30 and 10 pm weeknights. Total News was targeted primarily at viewers in Berks and Schuylkill Counties in an effort to fill a local news void for those people living on the far western edge of the Philadelphia DMA.

Original TV 51 newscasters included Bob Smith (longtime WEEU radio newsman), Frank Mooney (longtime Reading radio and TV personality and "voice" of Boscov's department stores), and Ross MacCallum (sports). Later Suzy Sands (local radio personality and newscaster) joined the news team to anchor the 10 pm news. Weekend newscasts were anchored by Mike Reinert and Karen Kaye.

At this same time, Jeffrey D. Miller (one-time "Night Mayor" on Reading radio) hosted a late night talk show called NightBeat. Miller also anchored and reported for the nightly news programs.

TV51 also aired Independent Network News at 10:30 pm. The program was produced by WPIX in New York and delivered via satellite to independent stations nationwide.

A local newscast was re-established in 2000, entitled Philly TV News. It was an attempt to build up the station as a player in the Philadelphia TV news arena, but the production failed to attract viewers and was cancelled.

Sports [edit]

In the 1980s, WTVE was known for airing Berks and Schuylkill County high school football games via tape delay on Saturday evenings. Albright College basketball was also broadcast in a similar manner. (Photos in the history section of WTVE's official website feature Frank Mooney, Bob Smith, and Ross MacCallum and were taken circa fall 1980).

They have aired various Pennsylvania Football matches. In 2007, they broadcast 4 Albright College Football games; in 2008 they will be an affiliate for the PA Sports Fever network.

Bankruptcy and sale [edit]

WTVE's logo in its later years of Reading Broadcasting ownership

WTVE had been in Chapter 11 bankruptcy, managed by trustee George Miller[2] until its $13.5M takeover by WRNN-TV Associates received FCC approval on May 15, 2008.[3] WRNN-TV Associates subsequently sold the station to NRJ TV (a company unrelated to European broadcaster NRJ Radio) in 2011.[4]

Digital operation [edit]

WTVE's studio and primary analogue transmitter are located in Reading; this analogue signal barely reaches Philadelphia's suburbs and Lebanon, in the eastern part of the Harrisburg market. WTVE received FCC authorisation to terminate analogue service "no earlier than September 30, 2008"[5] after expressing severe concerns that the existing analogue klystron tube transmitter was expected to fail.[6]

Channel Video Aspect PSIP Programming
51.1 480i 4:3 WTVE-TV Main WTVE programming
51.2 1080i 16:9 WTVE2 Plum TV

WTVE at one point had a repeater in Philadelphia on channel 7;[citation needed] that station now operates independently as WWJT-LP.

As a result, WTVE depends heavily on "must-carry" rules to reach home-market Philadelphia viewers on cable.

Digitally, WTVE is one of the first stations in the US to transmit using a distributed transmission system,[7] having received special temporary authority from the FCC to operate WTVE-DT via eight (mostly low-powered) transmitters scattered across its coverage area rather than relying on one large signal.[8]

The station transmits with on-channel boosters from sites in or near:

This pattern effectively creates a tailored coverage area corresponding to one large main signal centered on Philadelphia, plus a series of boosters.

In late 2009 all were upgraded to ATSC-M/H for mobile DTV.[9] The station's Mobile DTV signal, which will be a simulcast of subchannel 51.1, is expected to sign on sometime in 2011.[10][11]

See also [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ http://www.wtve.com/WTVEhistory.htm[dead link]
  2. ^ "FCC OKs SALE OF BANKRUPT PHILLY STATION, TVNEWSDAY, May 15, 2008". Tvnewsday.com. Retrieved February 9, 2012. 
  3. ^ "FCC allows French to take a ride in Reading, Radio Business Report, May 16, 2008". Rbr.com. May 16, 2008. Retrieved February 9, 2012. 
  4. ^ "NRJ Holdings takes a ride on the Reading with WTVE". Television Business Report. September 29, 2011. Retrieved October 16, 2011. 
  5. ^ "WTVE DTV status report Oct 10, 2008". Fjallfoss.fcc.gov. Retrieved February 9, 2012. 
  6. ^ "NorthEast Radio Watch by Scott Fybush". Fybush.com. August 4, 2008. Retrieved February 9, 2012. 
  7. ^ http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-2447A1.pdf
  8. ^ "TECH ONE OF ONE WITH MERRILL WEISS; SFN: ARE MANY TRANSMITTERS BETTER THAN ONE? TVNEWSDAY, Sep 13, 2007". Tvnewsday.com. Retrieved February 9, 2012. 
  9. ^ "WTVE-TV deploys ATSC-M/H mobile DTS trial". Broadcastengineering.com. Retrieved February 9, 2012. 
  10. ^ "RabbitEars.Info". RabbitEars.Info. Retrieved February 9, 2012. 
  11. ^ "Mobile DTV Station Guide | www.omvcsignalmap.com". Mdtvsignalmap.com. Retrieved February 9, 2012. 

External links [edit]

Television Stations owned by Titan Broadcast Group
CBS network affiliates
CW network affiliates
Fox network affiliates
Other network affiliates
Independent stations

1 Owned by Waitt Broadcasting, operated by Titan under an LMA. 2 Owned by NRJ, operated by Titan; Titan owns 1/3 of NRJ. 3 Owned by Ellis Communications, operated by Titan.
Reception may vary by location and some stations may only be viewable with cable television
Local stations
Outlying stations
Atlantic City
WACP (4.1 Ind)
WPSJ-CD (8.1 MundoFox)
WMGM (40.1 NBC)
WMCN (44.1 Ind, 44.2 Bounce TV)
WWSI (62.1 TMD)
Lehigh Valley
WLVT (39.1 PBS, 39.2 V-me, 39.3 Create)
WTVE (51.1 Ind)
WBPH (60.1 FamNet)
WFMZ (69.1 Ind, 69.2 AccuWX, 69.3 Me-TV, 69.4 RTV)
Trenton
WPHY-CD (25.1 A1)
WNJT (52.1 PBS / NJTV)
Cable channels
Defunct stations
ATSC-M/H Mobile DTV
Other Television Stations in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
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