WNHO-LD
WNHO-LD, virtual channel 44 (UHF digital channel 35), is a low-powered religious/secular independent television station licensed to Defiance, Ohio, United States. It is a translator of Lima-licensed WTLW (channel 44), which is owned by American Christian Television Services. WNHO-LD's transmitter is located in Sherwood, Ohio; its parent station maintains studios near Elida, northwest of Lima. WNHO-LD's broadcast area includes most of Defiance, Fulton, Henry, Paulding and Williams counties.
| Defiance, Ohio United States | |
|---|---|
| Branding | see WTLW |
| Slogan | see WTLW |
| Channels | Digital: 35 (UHF) Virtual: 44 (PSIP) |
| Affiliations | 44.1: Religious Independent 44.2: WOSN |
| Owner | American Christian Television Services, Inc. |
| First air date | March 2, 1992 |
| Call sign meaning | Northwest Ohio's HOmetown Television |
| Sister station(s) | WTLW |
| Former call signs | W19BN (1992–1997) WDFM-LP (1997–2018) |
| Former affiliations | Independent (1992–2019) |
| Transmitter power | 15 kW |
| Height | 87.7 m (288 ft) |
| Class | LD |
| Facility ID | 73389 |
| Transmitter coordinates | 41°17′32.7″N 84°32′1.7″W |
| Licensing authority | FCC |
| Public license information | (translator of WTLW, Lima, Ohio) Profile (translator of WTLW, Lima, Ohio) CDBS |
| Website | wtlw |
Until 2018, the station was operated by iHeartMedia's WDFM radio at 98.1 FM. Its schedule consisted primarily of syndicated programming with a variety of topics including gardening, motorsports, agriculture, home improvement, and personal health.
Despite its low-power status, WNHO-LD has been determined to be a "must-carry" station by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), making it available on all local cable systems in addition to its over-the-air coverage.
History
Lankenau Small Media Network, which owned WDFM FM 98.1, established WNHO-LD on March 2, 1992, on channel 19 as W19BN. IN March 1997, its calls changed to WDFM-LP.
In December 1998, Jacor Broadcasting, which would later merge with Clear Channel, acquired WDFM and WDFM-LP from Lankenau.
WDFM-LP later moved its frequency from channel 19 to channel 26 to make way for the digital signal of Fort Wayne's WISE-TV, which broadcasts its digital signal on channel 18.
On April 20, 2007, Clear Channel entered into an agreement to sell its entire television stations group to Newport Television.[1] However, WDFM-LP was not included in the sale, as it was operated directly by the radio station, instead of the television group.
In July 2018, iHeartMedia filed to donate WDFM-LP to American Christian Television Services (the owners of WTLW in Lima, Ohio) under the condition that the WDFM call letters be changed to something "mutually agreeable" to both parties.[2][3] The transfer was complete on October 5, 2018, at which point the station's call sign was changed to WNHO-LP.[4]
In early 2019, WTLW announced plans to upgrade WNHO-LP to a digital station and move its broadcast channel to 35. WNHO-LD signed on the air on October 4, 2019.[5]
Digital television
Previous logo
References
- "Clear Channel Agrees to Sell Television Station Group to Providence Equity Partners" (Press release). Clear Channel Communications. April 20, 2007. Archived from the original on April 25, 2007. Retrieved September 20, 2014 – via Wayback Machine.
- "Holy Toledo! An iHeart Act Of Defiance | Radio & Television Business Report". Radio & Television Business Report. 23 July 2018.
- "iHeart's Low Power "TV 26" WDFM-LP In Defiance Donates Station To Lima's American Christian Television Services". Mercer County Outlook. 25 July 2018.
- "CDBS Print". licensing.fcc.gov.
- https://www.wnho.tv/2019/09/25/the-new-wnho-tv26-announces-re-scan-date/
- RabbitEars TV Query for WNHO-LD