WBPN-LP
 | |
| |
|---|---|
| Channels | |
| Branding | My 8 |
| Programming | |
| Affiliations | Defunct |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WICZ-TV | |
| History | |
| Founded | March 28, 1980 |
First air date | May 17, 1996 |
Last air date |
|
Former call signs |
|
Former channel number(s) | Analog:4 (VHF, 1996–1999) |
| |
Call signmeaning | We're Binghamton's UPN (refers to former affiliation) |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 74020 |
| Class | LP |
| ERP | 0.004 kW |
| HAAT | 263 m (863 ft) |
| Transmitter coordinates | 42°3′22″N75°56′38″W/ 42.05611°N 75.94389°W |
| Translator(s) | WICZ-TV40.2 Binghamton |
WBPN-LP(channel 10) is a defunctlow-power television stationinBinghamton, New York,United States, which operated from 1996 to 2021. In its later years, it was owned byCox Media Groupas an affiliate ofMyNetworkTV;it had common ownership withFoxaffiliateWICZ-TV(channel 40). WBPN-LP's operations were last housed at WICZ-TV's studios on Vestal Parkway East (NY 434) inVestal;its transmitter was located onIngraham HillRoad in thetown of Binghamton.
WBPN-LP did not transmit adigitalsignal of its own, and there were never any plans to convert the station's signal to digital. In addition, due to itsanalogsignal transmitting at an extremely low power, the station'sbroadcast rangeonly included the immediate areas south of theSusquehanna River North Branchand did not even reach most of the city of Binghamton. However, in order to reach the entiremarket,WBPN-LP wassimulcaston WICZ-TV's seconddigital subchannel(40.2), which eventually became its permanent over-the-air conduit. Ever since its inception, the WICZ-DT2 simulcast of WBPN-LP had been presented in480istandard definition,with most programs (including the MyNetworkTV prime time schedule) airing inletterboxed4:3;however, with improvements to WICZ-TV'smultiplexer,it had been upgraded into720phigh definition.
Cox surrendered WBPN-LP'sbroadcast licenseto theFederal Communications Commission(FCC) for cancellation on June 15, 2021,[1]ahead of the FCC-mandated July 13 shutdown of analog LPTV stations.[2]The former WBPN-LP continues under WICZ-TV's license as "My 8" (referring to its channel position on mostcablesystems in the market).
History
[edit]The station, astranslatorW10CO, was purchased byNorthwest Broadcastingin 2000. At this point, thecall signbecame WBPN-LP after it upgraded to low-powered status. The channel assumed the market'sUPNaffiliation from WICZ which had been previously aired the network in a secondary manner since the late-1990s.[3][4]
On September 16, 2013, it was announcedMission Broadcastingwould acquire WBPN and WICZ from Northwest Broadcasting. Upon the deal's completion, the stations' operations would have been taken over byNexstar Broadcasting Groupmaking them sister stations toWIVTandWBGH-CD.[5]Northwest withdrew thelicenseassignment application on March 18, 2015, following the deal's cancellation.[6]
The station had a pending application to air a low-power digital signal of its own onUHFchannel 28 under the call sign WBPN-LD.[7]This signal would not sign on, however. As stated above, WICZ-DT2 had served as WBPN-LP's digital signal since it did not operate one of its own. Ultimately, Cox Media Group would surrender WBPN-LP's license to the FCC on June 15, 2021, less than a month before the long-anticipated shutdown date for analog LPTV stations.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^"Cancellation Application For WBPN-LP".FCC.gov.June 15, 2021.
- ^"MEDIA BUREAU REMINDS LOW POWER TELEVISION AND TELEVISION TRANSLATOR STATIONS OF JULY 13, 2021, DIGITAL TRANSITION DATE"(PDF).FCC.gov.July 13, 2020.
- ^"UPN Affiliate Stations (New York)".UPN.com.Archived fromthe originalon May 8, 1999.RetrievedDecember 20,2015.
- ^Kucinski, Carla (August 17, 2000)."New Tier TV station bulks up with pro wrestling".Press & Sun-Bulletin.p. B8.RetrievedDecember 20,2015.(preview of subscription content)
- ^Malone, Michael (September 16, 2013)."Nexstar to Acquire Citadel's Iowa Stations for $88 Million".Broadcasting & Cable.RetrievedSeptember 16,2013.
- ^Corbett, Dennis P. (March 18, 2015)."Re: Withdrawal of File Nos. BALCDT-20130927A11G, BALTVL-20130927AHH, and BAPDTL-20130927AH1"(PDF).CDBS Public Access.Federal Communications Commission.RetrievedMarch 24,2015.
- ^"Displacement for LPTV Station Construction Permit Application".Licensing and Management System.Federal Communications Commission.April 18, 2019.RetrievedJune 5,2019.
- 1996 establishments in New York (state)
- 2021 disestablishments in New York (state)
- Cox Media Group
- Defunct mass media in New York (state)
- MyNetworkTV affiliates
- Television channels and stations disestablished in 2021
- Television channels and stations established in 1996
- Television stations in Binghamton, New York