WECP-LD

WECP-LD

Panama City, Florida
United States
Branding WECP-TV (general)
Local 18 News
My 7 (on LD2)
Channels Digital: 29 (UHF)
Virtual: 18 (PSIP)
Subchannels 18.1 CBS
18.2 MyNetworkTV
18.3 Heroes & Icons
Translators WJHG-DT 7.3 (18.3 UHF) Panama City
Affiliations CBS
Owner Gray Television
(Gray Television Licensee, LLC)
First air date September 24, 2012 (2012-09-24)
Call letters' meaning ECP is IATA code
for Panama City airport
Sister station(s) WJHG-TV, WTVY, WRGX-LD, WCTV/WSWG
Former channel number(s) Digital:
18 (UHF, 2012–2015)
Transmitter power 15 kW
Height 330 m (1,083 ft)
Class LD
Facility ID 182840
Transmitter coordinates 30°21′8″N 85°23′28″W / 30.35222°N 85.39111°W / 30.35222; -85.39111
Licensing authority FCC
Public license information: Profile
CDBS
Website http://www.wjhg.com/wecp/home

WECP-LD is a low-powered, CBS-affiliated television station licensed to Panama City, Florida, United States. Owned by Gray Television, it is a sister station to NBC affiliate WJHG-TV (channel 7) and the two outlets share studios on Front Beach Road/SR 30 in Panama City Beach. WECP broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 29 (or virtual channel 18.1 via PSIP) from space on WJHG's transmitter on SR 20 in unincorporated Youngstown.

WECP's low-powered signal radius is effectively limited to Panama City and surrounding areas in Bay County. In order to increase its off-air broadcasting reach, WECP is simulcast in standard definition on WJHG's third digital subchannel (UHF channel 18.3, virtual channel 7.3 via PSIP) from the same Youngstown tower.

On weekdays, WJHG produces two thirty-minute newscasts (at noon and 5:30 p.m.) that are exclusive to WECP. As a result, this station airs the CBS Evening News on tape delay at 6 unlike most CBS outlets in the Central Time Zone. It has a dedicated anchor and meteorologist for the two programs but the personalities can also contribute to WJHG. WECP does not simulcast any newscasts from WJHG.

History

On April 20, 2012, then owner MIK LLC announced it was selling the construction permit for the station (which initially held the call sign W18DR-D) to Gray Television. Under the transfer, MIK would receive $4,000 and would turn over the permit to DTV America Corporation which would, in turn, transfer the permit to Gray.[1] Gray exercised a purchase option that was part of the deal to acquire the station outright on May 11, 2012.[2] Gray changed the calls to WECP-LD on June 4, 2012.[3]

Logo used until 2018.

On July 17, 2012, Gray Television signed an affiliation agreement with CBS for WECP and two other low-powered stations that Gray acquired around the same time period as the WECP acquisition.[4][5] As a result, WECP-LD became the CBS affiliate for the Panama City area when the station took to the air on September 24, 2012.[4][6]

It is the second CBS affiliate that is licensed to the immediate Panama City market. Sister station WJHG had previously carried a secondary affiliation with the network from its December 1953 sign-on until 1961. Since then, Dothan, Alabama sister station WTVY has served as the default CBS affiliate for Panama City; indeed, WTVY's tower is located in Bethlehem, Florida, in the Panama City market. In October 2012, WTVY was officially removed from cable systems in the market with WECP taking its place.[6]

On January 7, 2014, WECP applied to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to move from channel 18 to channel 29. The reasoning is WJHG has a construction permit to relocate to channel 18.[7] The application was approved on November 14, 2014 giving WECP its construction permit. The switch of WECP to channel 29 (retaining 18 as virtual) and WJHG to channel 18 (virtual 7) took place on May 21, 2015, with the FCC issuing the station's license on June 5, 2015.

Digital television

Digital channels

The station's digital signal is multiplexed:

Channel Video Aspect PSIP Short Name Programming[8]
18.11080i16:9WECP-DTMain WECP-LD programming / CBS
18.2480i4:3WECP-LD2 / MyNetworkTV
18.3Heroes & Icons

References

  1. ↑ Seyler, Dave (April 20, 2012). "Gray files for LPTV in 3rd market". Television Business Report. Retrieved September 7, 2012.
  2. ↑ Seyler, Dave (May 11, 2012). "Gray strikes again in the low power zone". Television Business Report. Retrieved September 7, 2012.
  3. ↑ "Call Sign History". Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved September 7, 2012.
  4. 1 2 "Three Gray Stations Sign CBS Affiliations". TVNewsCheck/NewsCheckMedia, LLC. July 17, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  5. ↑ "CBS Television Station Coming to Panama City Market Soon". WJHG-TV/Gray Television, Inc. July 17, 2012. Retrieved September 7, 2012.
  6. 1 2 New CBS station on air Monday, Panama City News-Herald, September 22, 2012.
  7. ↑ Application_id=1610752&Service=LD&Form_id=346&Facility_id=182840 Application For Authority To Construct Or Make Changes In A Low Power TV, TV Translator Or TV Booster Station , CDBS Public Access, Federal Communications Commission, Retrieved 7 January 2014
  8. ↑ RabbitEars TV Query for WECP-LD
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