WFMZ-TV

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For the radio station in Hertford, North Carolina, see WFMZ (FM).
WFMZ-TV
CityAllentown, Pennsylvania
Channels
Branding69 WFMZ-TV
Programming
Affiliations
Ownership
OwnerMaranatha Broadcasting Company, Inc.
WDPN-TV
History
First air date
November 25, 1976
(47 years ago) (1976-11-25)
Former channel number(s)
  • Analog:
  • 69 (UHF, 1976–2009)
  • Digital:
  • 46 (UHF, until 2018)
Call sign meaning
Family Minded Zone
Technical information[2]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID39884
ERP80.6 kW
HAAT332.5 m (1,091 ft)
Transmitter coordinates40°33′52″N 75°26′24″W / 40.56444°N 75.44000°W / 40.56444; -75.44000
Translator(s)7 (VHF) Philadelphia
24 (UHF) Allentown
W24CS-D Reading
27 (UHF) Boyertown
Links
Public license information
Websitewww.wfmz.com

WFMZ-TV, virtual channel 69 (VHF digital channel 9), is an independent television station licensed to Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States. Owned by the locally based Maranatha Broadcasting Company, it is part of a duopoly with Wilmington, Delaware-licensed MeTV affiliate WDPN-TV (channel 2). Both stations share studios on East Rock Road on South Mountain in Allentown, where WFMZ-TV's transmitter is also located. The station also maintains a secondary studio in the PPL Center sports arena in downtown Allentown and a newsroom on Court Street in Reading.

Broadcast area

WFMZ mainly serves the Lehigh Valley region (including Warren County, New Jersey in the New York City market) and Berks County. Because the Lehigh Valley is part of the Philadelphia television market, it also has significant cable coverage in much of the Philadelphia area (including Trenton, New Jersey). The station's over-the-air signal reaches some counties in northwestern New Jersey that are part of the New York City market, and is carried on some cable companies in the area. WFMZ provides local news coverage to and has cable carriage in Carbon, Monroe, Luzerne, and Schuylkill counties within the Wilkes-Barre–Scranton television market.

History

First WFMZ-TV

Main article: WFMZ-TV (channel 67)

Prior to the debut of channel 69, an earlier television station that held the WFMZ-TV call sign, which was also based in Allentown, operated on UHF channel 67 from December 1954 to April 1955. As with the current WFMZ-TV at its launch, it was co-owned with WFMZ radio (100.7 MHz). The radio station was sold twice between the existence of the two television stations.

Current WFMZ-TV

In February 1975, WFMZ reapplied for a television station, with channel 69 having been substituted for 67 in Allentown in the intervening 20 years, stating that in that time, there had been no local commercial TV service for Allentown.[3] The application was granted on December 9 of that year.[4] Studios and transmitter were co-sited with the existing FM station.[5] Much of the equipment was used, including a transmitter from a recently failed station on channel 69, WHFV at Fredericksburg, Virginia.[6]: 8:28 

WFMZ-TV made its debut on November 25, 1976. Its programming consisted primarily of family-oriented entertainment shows, operating for 13 hours a day.[7] The FM remained co-owned until it was sold in 1997.[8] Dean grew the station significantly and also started several other businesses, including paging service Lehigh Valley Page and New Century Productions, which owned and leased television production trucks for broadcast of special events.[9]

In the 1990s, the station began running fewer religious shows and more sitcoms, talk shows and reality shows. 69 News gradually expanded; by 2000, the station was running three hours of local news a day and a mix of comedy shows and talk/reality and court shows. Today, the station runs about six hours a day of news as well as talk and reality shows.

Local programming

News

The station's news department debuted with WFMZ itself and originally featured two daily newscasts at 7 and 10 p.m.[10] The news programs were retitled Channel 69 News in the late 1980s, and news expansion followed. A 5 p.m. newscast was added in 1989,[11] and the 7 p.m. program moved to 6 p.m. in 1997.[12] The news programming attracted significant ratings in the Lehigh Valley for its focus on local issues and concerns, not stories from Philadelphia.[13] The late 1990s also brought the station's first morning and noon programs.[14]

In 1995, WFMZ expanded its news service geographically with the debut of its Berks Edition newscast, at 5:30 p.m. and then at 10:30 p.m. beginning in 1998. These newscasts were set up in response to the thought that the Reading area was as poorly served by Philadelphia stations as Allentown[14] and originally used a small newsroom at the Reading Eagle.[6]: 27:05  The region's first Spanish-language newscast, 69 News en Español, debuted in 2003, seeking to serve the increasing Hispanic community in the Lehigh Valley and Berks County areas.[15]

In 2005, WFMZ formed a broadcast partnership with Philadelphia's ABC owned-and-operated station WPVI-TV (channel 6) that allowed the two stations to cooperate in news gathering for local stories. The most recent set for WFMZ's newscasts debuted on November 15, 2017. On May 1, 2008, WFMZ became the fourth television station in the Philadelphia market to begin broadcasting its local newscasts in high definition. Until it expanded the program to 5 a.m. in 2012, WFMZ was the only news-producing television station in the Philadelphia market – and effectively the largest news-producing station in the United States by market size because Allentown was part of the Philadelphia market – whose weekday morning newscast continued to maintain a post-5 a.m. time slot. On October 15, 2014, WFMZ added an hour-long newscast at 4:00 p.m., making it the third station in the Philadelphia market (after WCAU, channel 10, and WPVI-TV, channel 6) to broadcast local news in that timeslot. On February 16, 2015, WFMZ debuted its new street-level studio inside the PPL Center sports arena in Center City Allentown; the noon newscast is broadcast from the location.

Non-news programming

The station produces various local programs about business, sports and health related issues:

  • The American Law Journal is a call-in show that debuted in 1990, hosted by attorney Christopher Naughton, who is joined by various attorneys to answer questions about legal topics.
  • Animal Doctor, hosted by weeknight 6 p.m. weather anchor Kathy Craine, features veterinarians from around the region discussing various animal- and pet-related issues.
  • The Big Ticket is a high school football highlight show that airs every Friday at 11 p.m., in place of the Spanish-language Edición en Español newscast, which airs at 6:30 p.m. on WFMZ-DT4, during the fall. The Big Ticket features highlights from local games featuring Lehigh Valley and Berks County schools, along with player and coach interviews. It debuted in 1995 and is hosted by Jim Vaughn and Dan Moscaritolo, with reports from sports reporter Dave Lesko.
  • Business Matters is a discussion program, hosted by Tony Iannelli, that features a panel of experts gathering to discuss various business issues.
  • The Freddy Awards are modeled after the Tony Awards ceremony. It debuted in 2003. A panel of evaluators view musical performances from participating high schools. The best are honored in a ceremony that is broadcast live on WFMZ each year. Ed Hanna and Shelley Brown host the ceremony from the State Theatre in Easton.
  • Lehigh Sports Magazine is a sports program that debuted in 1994 and airs during the fall.[16] It is hosted by Jim Vaughn; it features interviews with Lehigh University coaches and players.
  • Talk With Your Doctor is a call-in show that discusses health-related issues. It is hosted by Doug Eberhart, who is joined by a panel of doctors from St. Luke's Hospital.
  • The Peak[17] features the latest medical innovations, nutritious recipes and interesting events. It debuted on September 30, 2012,[18] and is hosted by Ashley Russo and Mike Mittman.
  • WFMZ Documentary Unit is a partnership with Julian Farris Films to create documentaries focused on local events and people. This partnership has earned honors for its work on projects like the Emmy-nominated documentaries Boscov: An American Story; Time Bomb: Allentown Gas Explosion and Aftershocks: Earthquake in Haiti. The unit is headed up by 69 News Reporter Jaccii Farris and includes Executive Producer Amy Unger, both of whom also play a role at Julian Farris Films.

Technical information

Subchannels

Further information: WBPH-TV § Subchannels, WLVT-TV § Subchannels, and WPPT (TV) § Subchannels

WFMZ offers three subchannels on a multiplex shared with WBPH-TV, WLVT-TV, and WPPT. One is the 69 News Weather Channel, a continuous loop of weather information, traffic cameras, and news headlines; launched in February 2001, it claims to be the first such multicast service in the United States.[19] Another subchannel offers a simulcast of the MeTV subchannel of co-owned WDPN-TV.

Channel Video Aspect Short name Programming[20]
69.1 720p 16:9 WFMZ-HD Main WFMZ-TV programming
69.2 480i WFMZ-WC The 69 News Weather Channel
69.3 WFMZ-ME Simulcast of WDPN-TV / MeTV

Translators

The WBPH-WFMZ-WLVT-WPPT multiplex is broadcast on two digital replacement translators that improve reception in areas to the south of Allentown, including Philadelphia:

Location Channel ERP HAAT Transmitter coordinates
Boyertown 27 10 kW 110.8 m (364 ft) 40°19′03.0″N 75°38′59.0″W / 40.317500°N 75.649722°W / 40.317500; -75.649722 (WFMZ-TV (Boyertown DRT))
Philadelphia 7 0.04 kW 40°2′33.0″N 75°14′32.0″W / 40.042500°N 75.242222°W / 40.042500; -75.242222 (WFMZ-TV (Philadelphia DRT))

A third digital replacement translator for WFMZ-TV on UHF channel 24 in Allentown ("WFMZ-AB"), as well as W24CS-D in Reading, offer a different mix of channels with two additional subchannels from WDPN-TV.

Channel Video Aspect Short name Programming[21]
69.1 720p 16:9 WFMZ-HD Main WFMZ-TV programming
69.2 480i WFMZ-WC The 69 News Weather Channel
2.1 720p 2-MeTV MeTV (WDPN-TV)
2.4 480i 2-H&I Heroes & Icons (WDPN-TV)
2.6 480i 2-Decades Decades (TV network) (WDPN-TV)

Retro TV was carried as a subchannel of WFMZ after the digital conversion in 2009. On July 4, 2011, MeTV was broadcast by WFMZ, but on January 24, 2014, MeTV announced that it would move its Philadelphia-market affiliation from WFMZ-TV's 69.3 subchannel to KJWP (channel 2), which has carried MeTV programming in addition to the WFMZ subchannel since November 2013.[22][23] In April 2014, Atlanta-based Tuff TV officially replaced MeTV on the 69.3 subchannel;[24] in December 2014, the signal began carrying the Heroes & Icons network feed. On October 1, 2019, WFMZ re-added MeTV as a simulcast of WDPN-TV on the 69.3 subchannel;[25] H&I is still seen in the market on WDPN's fourth subchannel.

Analog-to-digital conversion

WFMZ-TV shut down its analog signal over UHF channel 69 on June 12, 2009, the official date in which full-power television stations in the United States transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate. The station's digital signal continued broadcasts on its pre-transition UHF channel 46.[26] Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former UHF analog channel 69, which was among the high band UHF channels (52-69) that were removed from broadcasting use as a result of the transition.

WFMZ's standalone signal was sold in the 2017 broadcast spectrum auction. It entered into a channel-sharing agreement with WBPH-TV.[27] To relieve any congestion related to the channel sharing, some of WFMZ's subchannels moved to KJWP, which WFMZ purchased in a separate transaction with the proceeds from the spectrum sale.[28][29]

Alternate distribution

In New Jersey, WFMZ is carried on basic cable in Phillipsburg and Milford (which are located in the western part of the New York City market). WFMZ is carried on cable providers in Schuylkill County (Tamaqua, Pottsville, and surrounding areas), Carbon County, Monroe County, and Luzerne County (all located in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre market). In northwestern New Jersey, it is available on digital cable on Comcast's Port Murray system alongside CBS owned-and-operated station KYW-TV (channel 3), Fox O&O WTXF-TV (channel 29) and NBC O&O WCAU (channel 10). It is not carried on satellite outside the Philadelphia market. Over-the-air reception from its main transmitter begins to decrease past US 206.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Modification of a Licensed Facility for DTV Application". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
  2. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WFMZ-TV". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. ^ "Two L.V. commercial TV licenses are sought". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. June 14, 1975. p. 5. Retrieved February 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ FCC History Cards for WFMZ-TV
  5. ^ "Salisbury site: WFMZ plans TV affiliate". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. April 15, 1976. p. 23. Retrieved February 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b WFMZ-TV: The First 40 Years. WFMZ-TV. Retrieved 2022-02-26.
  7. ^ Lawler, Sylvia (November 21, 1976). "Channel 69 makes debut on Thursday". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. p. B-9. Retrieved February 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Lezin, Sophia (July 16, 1997). "City radio station WFMZ being sold for $23 million". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. p. B1, B6. Retrieved February 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Lawler, Sylvia (February 26, 1989). "Richard Dean". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. p. C2. Retrieved February 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "TV station in the L.V. goes on air". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. November 26, 1976. p. 14. Retrieved February 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Lawler, Sylvia (September 7, 1989). "Allentown actor's toughest role—own wedding". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. p. D1, D2. Retrieved February 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Lawler, Sylvia (August 19, 1997). "WFMZ-69 drops 7 p.m. newscast for 6 p.m. version starting Sept. 8". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. p. D2. Retrieved February 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Shope, Dan (March 22, 1998). "No garbage on airwaves at WFMZ-TV". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. p. D1. Retrieved February 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ a b "Bulletin: Channel 69 hits record highs with on-air staff, newscasts". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. November 1, 1998. p. F1, F2. Retrieved February 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Fisher, Barry; Rinehart, Brad (March 19, 2003). "News in Spanish aids transition". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. p. B02. Retrieved February 26, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Lehigh Sports Magazine debuted in 1994 and airs during the fall season".
  17. ^ "The PEAK TV". www.thepeaktv.com.
  18. ^ ""The Peak" Premieres on Sunday, September 30 at 6:30 pm on WFMZ-TV".
  19. ^ Valley gets its own TV weather channel, The Morning Call, February 6, 2001.
  20. ^ RabbitEars TV Query for WFMZ
  21. ^ RabbitEars TV Query for WFMZ-AB
  22. ^ Downey, Kevin (January 24, 2014). "Me-TV Picks Up Big-Market Primary Slots". TVNewsCheck. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  23. ^ Malone, Michael (January 27, 2014). "Me-TV Inks New Deals in New York, Philly". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  24. ^ "Tuff TV Affiliates". Retrieved April 17, 2014.
  25. ^ "MeTV Affiliates". Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  26. ^ "DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and Second Rounds" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-03-24.
  27. ^ "NERW Extra: Big $ for NBC, WGBH in Spectrum Auction". 13 April 2017.
  28. ^ News, 69 (14 April 2017). "WFMZ-TV expansion fueled by FCC auction". {{cite web}}: |first= has numeric name (help); |last= has generic name (help)
  29. ^ "DTV Transition - WFMZ-TV-DTV 69News - WFMZ". Archived from the original on 2018-06-22.

External links

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