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WPKD-TV

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WPKD-TV
CityJeannette, Pennsylvania
Channels
BrandingKDKA+
Programming
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
KDKA-TV
History
First air date
October 15, 1953(70 years ago)(1953-10-15)inJohnstown, Pennsylvania;license moved to Jeannette in 1997
Former call signs
  • WARD-TV (1953–1972)
  • WJNL-TV (1972–1983)
  • WFAT-TV (1983–1988)
  • WPTJ (1988–1994)
  • WTWB-TV (1995–1997)
  • WNPA (1997–2006)
  • WPCW (2006–2023)
Former channel number(s)
  • Analog:56 (UHF,1953–1971), 19 (UHF, 1971–2009)
  • Digital:49 (UHF, 2006–2009)
Call signmeaning
Brand extensionof KDKA
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID69880
ERP30kW
HAAT258.9 m (849 ft)
Transmitter coordinates40°29′38″N80°1′9″W/ 40.49389°N 80.01917°W/40.49389; -80.01917
Translator(s)see§ Translators
Links
Public license information
Websitewww.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/kdkaplus/

WPKD-TV(channel 19), brandedKDKA+,is anindependent television stationlicensed toJeannette, Pennsylvania,United States, serving thePittsburgharea. It is owned by theCBS News and Stationsgroup alongsideKDKA-TV(channel 2), the market'sCBSowned-and-operated station.The two stations share studios at theGateway CenterinDowntown Pittsburgh;WPKD-TV's transmitter is located in the city'sPerry Northneighborhood along with KDKA-TV. As CBS has done with most of its other duopolies in other markets, WPKD-TV's web address has been folded within theCBS Newswebsite with only basic station and programming information, along with entertainment news and promotional video.

History

[edit]

As WARD-TV (1953–1970)

[edit]

WPKD-TV signed on the air on October 15, 1953, as WARD-TV onanalogUHFchannel 56, with studios on Franklin Street in downtownJohnstown, Pennsylvania.It operated at a power of 91,000 watts visual, and 45,500 watts aural power, which, as it was later learned in these experimental days of UHF, was rather low for a UHF station. It was co-owned by Central Broadcasting through its Rivoli Realty subsidiary along with WARD radio (1490 AM, nowWNTJ,and 92.1 FM, nowWJHT). The station was Johnstown's CBS affiliate with a secondaryABCaffiliation. During the late-1950s, it was also briefly affiliated with theNTA Film Network.[2]

As WJNL-TV (1971–1982)

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In 1972, Jonel Construction Company bought Cover Broadcasting, the parent of WARD-AM-TV, and changed their call signs to WJNL-AM-TV on August 13.[3][4]Having been issued a construction permit to do so in 1969, the television station then moved to the stronger UHF channel 19 and dropped ABC programming. The channel move also brought a transmitter power increase to 215,000 watts visual and 21,500 watts aural—still very modest for a network affiliate on the UHF band.

Jonel also left the Franklin Street studio for a new facility located on Benshoff Hill, not too far from the transmitter atop Cover Hill in suburban Johnstown. The radio stations moved to the Benshoff Hill location in 1977, after the Franklin Street studios were destroyed in amassive flood.

Even with the move to the stronger channel 19 and its substantial power increase, WJNL-TV was still plagued by a weak signal. Most of Western Pennsylvania is a very ruggeddissected plateau.At the time, UHF stations usually did not get good reception in rugged terrain. This left the station dependent on cable–then as now, all but essential for acceptable television in much of this market. In fact, Johnstown viewers got better signals from WFBG-TV (channel 10) inAltoonaand KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh. After WFBG-TV was sold in 1973, that station changed its callsign toWTAJ-TVin part to acknowledge its Johnstown viewership (its call letters stand for "We're Television for Altoona and Johnstown" ). As a result, WJNL-TV never thrived, and was more or less a non-factor in a market dominated byWJAC-TV(channel 6). It only stayed afloat because of the tremendous success of its FM sister, anadult contemporarypowerhouse.

In 1978, WJNL-TV dropped its affiliation with CBS and became an independent station.[5]Forced to buy an additional 19 hours of programming a day, its ratings plummeted even further.

As WFAT and WPTJ (1983–1991)

[edit]

Channel 19 was sold on February 1, 1983, to WFAT Incorporated—a company headed by Leon Crosby, a former owner ofthe original KEMO-TVin San Francisco—and renamed WFAT-TV on March 14. That same day, it extended its broadcast day.[6]Acting on approvals granted the year prior by local and federal authorities,[7]the station's transmitter facility was moved from Cover Hill to Pea Vine Hill, a much higher summit atop Laurel Hill Mountain inLigonier Township,just over theSomerset Countyline in neighboringWestmoreland County,about 10 miles (16 km) east of the Cover Hill location. With the move came another significant power increase yet to 1.6 million watts visual, and 166,000 watts aural. This enabled the station to provide a grade B signal to Pittsburgh's eastern suburbs; indeed, the new transmitter was located within the Pittsburghmarket.[8]The new transmitter finally provided city-grade coverage to all of Johnstown, allowing many viewers who had struggled to watch the station over-the-air for 30 years to get a clear picture for the first time. It also allowed the station to introduce itself to viewers in the Pittsburgh area. However, it still had a problem attracting Altoona viewers due to the mountainous terrain separating the two cities, resulting in marginal reception at best on the eastern side of the market. Crosby addressed this by signing on aVHFtranslator (W12BR) in Altoona. The changes did little to improve the station's fortunes, largely because the major Pittsburgh independents had long been available on cable.

While WFAT now had a fairly decent signal in most of the market, it had comparatively little to offer. At the time of the change, WJNL-TV had a mixture of independent and religious programs; the relaunch saw it extend its broadcast day from 8 hours to 13.[6]It was one of the few stations, even in small markets, that still used art cards rather than CGI technology. Its character generator had been in service for over three decades, dating to when the station was WARD-TV. Its microphones were second-class. Crosby's formula of turning weak stations around by producing local shows with young creative talent was no longer viable for WFAT-TV, as such shows were losing ground to syndicators now offering much cheaper alternatives that could be tailor-made for specific markets. The very few locally produced programs WFAT now had left were limited to discussion-based talk shows on simple, undecorated sets with little more than chairs and plywood platforms covered with low-quality carpeting. David Smith and Lee Mack (the former had been program director of WJNL radio) served as the station's boothannouncers.

Decline and bankruptcy (1986–1990)

[edit]

WFAT's fortunes suffered a crippling blow in 1986, whenWWCP-TV(channel 8) signed on as Johnstown's second independent station. WWCP took most of WFAT's stronger shows due to having the advantage of a stronger VHF signal. The station changed calls to WPTJ in 1988 and moved its studios to Allen Bill Drive in the Johnstown Industrial Park, but saw no change in its fortunes. Frequent transmitter problems often left the station off-the-air for extended periods of time.

Crosby filed forChapter 11 bankruptcyin 1988, and in January 1990, the bankruptcy court ordered its conversion to aChapter 7liquidation.WPTJ remained on the air for almost five months after the conversion. However, on May 1, all of the station's staffers except assistant general manager Ron Patcher quit after not being paid for four weeks. Patcher spent the next five days keeping the station operating. However, he quit on May 6 after concluding the load of working 18-hour days was "too much," and WPTJ went silent.[9]The studio site was repossessed, and the transmitter equipment was said to be located in "somebody's basement" by a broker attempting to find suitors for the failed station.[10]

Return as WTWB-TV (1994–1997)

[edit]

Meanwhile, over in Pittsburgh, Venture Technologies Group had signed on low-power station W29AH (channel 29) in 1989 with the Video Jukebox Network, later known asThe Box.[11]However, five years later, Venture saw opportunity. Pittsburgh was the largest market without a signed affiliate ofThe WB,and it snagged the affiliation for its low-power station. At the same time, Venture purchased the silent WPTJ at a bankruptcy auction for less than $1 million.[12]Channel 29 became WTWB-LP and then WBPA-LP, while channel 19 was given the new call letters WTWB-TV and plans were announced for the two to form a simulcast.[13]

On July 27, 1996, Venture reactivated the channel 19 facility under the WTWB-TV calls,[14]operating from a new transmitter onLaurel Mountainwest ofJennerstown.However, cable systems in Pittsburgh werenot required to carrychannel 19 because it was licensed to Johnstown, located in a separate media market. As a result, after claiming that Johnstown–Altoona could not support five TV stations, Venture won permission to move WTWB-TV's city of license to Jeannette, an eastern suburb of Pittsburgh. Since WTWB-TV was now a Pittsburgh-market station, Venture could now invoke must-carry protection.[15]

As WNPA (1997–2006)

[edit]

By the time WTWB-TV had been approved to move to Jeannette, however, more than the city of license was changing.Sinclair Broadcast Groupsecured a group deal with The WB to change several of its stations to that network, including WPTT (channel 22), which became WCWB. (That station is nowWPNT.) Just as cable systems in the Pittsburgh metro area began adding channel 19, it began the fall TV season as an independent under new WNPA call letters.[16]The UPN affiliation moved to channel 19 in January.[17]

Viacom'sParamount Stations Groupbought the station in November 1998 for $39 million, a significant return on Venture's original investment in 1994.[12]After taking ownership on February 1, 1999, Paramount announced that WNPA'sMonroevillefacilities would close; technical operations were moved toWPSGin Philadelphia, while a new sales and marketing staff would be based out of Downtown Pittsburgh.[18]Venture would continue to operate WNPA through March 1; plans were also announced to end the simulcast with WBPA-LP, which Venture retained.[18]Channel 19 became a sister station to KDKA-TV after Viacom merged with CBS in 2000. That September, CBS announced that WNPA's operations would be consolidated into the studios at One Gateway Center already occupied by KDKA-TV andKDKA radio.[19]WNPA rebranded from "UPN 19" to "UPN Pittsburgh" in September 2004 due to the fact that various cable providers in the area carry the station on different channels.[20]

As WPCW (2006–2023)

[edit]
The station's logo as "Pittsburgh CW" from 2006 until 2023.

On January 24, 2006,Time WarnerandCBS Corporationannounced that The WB and UPN would shut down and be replaced by a new network calledThe CW,which would initially feature series from both predecessor networks along with newer programs.[21][22]To coincide with this change, the station changed its call sign to WPCW on April 3[23]and rebranded itself as "Pittsburgh's CW" in August. The network launched on September 18, 2006.

WPCW's analog transmitter was 35 miles (56 km) southeast of Jeannette. This provided city-grade coverage to Johnstown and "rimshot" coverage to Pittsburgh. As a result, it was barely viewable over-the-air in many low-lying areas in the northern and western parts of the city and could not be seen at all in the city's western suburbs. When it applied to move the channel 19 license to Jeannette, Venture sought and received a waiver from the FCC rule requiring a station's transmitter to be no farther than 15 miles (24 km) from thecity of license.It successfully contended that there was no way it could build an analog tower within the 15-mile limit without interfering withWOIOinCleveland.However, WPCW built its digital transmitter in Pittsburgh's Perry North section, on some of the highest ground in the city. On June 12, 2009, coinciding with the national transition to digital television, WPCW turned off its analog transmitter near Jennerstown and began broadcasting its digital signal from its new transmitter in Pittsburgh.

The relocation of WPCW's transmitter now provides Pittsburgh with city-grade coverage, in addition to greater coverage west of the city, but has left many viewers east of Westmoreland County (who were able to pick up WPCW's analog signal) without a viewable signal. However, few, if any, viewers lost access to WPCW's programming. For years, CBS has fed a direct fiber signal to both Comcast and Verizon FiOS.[24]Additionally, WPCW signed on a translator in Johnstown to retain coverage to that area and still included Johnstown as part of itsstation identification.WPCW is one of three former CBS affiliates that have since become CW stations owned by CBS, along withWTVXinWest Palm Beach, Florida,andKSTWinSeattle.However, WTVX was later divested toCerberus Capital Management'sFour Points Media Group(the Four Points Media stations are now owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns Pittsburgh stationsWPGH-TVand WPNT).

By way of extended cable coverage, WPCW remained available in the Johnstown–Altoona–State Collegetelevision market as its default CW affiliate until September 16, 2019, when WJAC-TV converted of its fourthdigital subchannelinto aCW Plusaffiliate.[25][26]

On December 4, 2019, CBS Corporation andViacomremerged into ViacomCBS (nowParamount Global).[27]

Independence as WPKD-TV (2023–present)

[edit]

On October 3, 2022,Nexstar Media Groupacquired majority ownership of The CW.[28]Under the agreement, CBS was given the right to pull its affiliations from WPCW and its seven other CW stations. On May 5, 2023, CBS announced that it would exercise that right and WPCW would cease airing the network's programming at the end of August and become an independent station.[29]On July 18, CBS News and Stations submitted a request to change WPCW's call letters to WPKD-TV as of September 1.[30]On August 24, it was announced that the station would rebrand on-air as "KDKA+", serving as abrand extensionof KDKA-TV.[31]

Programming

[edit]

Sports programming

[edit]

Currently, WPKD-TV televises somePittsburgh Penguinspreseason games due toPittsburgh Piratesconflicts onSportsNet Pittsburgh(the team's usual broadcasting partner).[32]Since 2023, WPKD has aired matches featuringPittsburgh Riverhounds SCof theUSL Championship.[33]Since 2024, WPKD has aired a select number of games from theCleveland Cavaliers,as well as pregame and postgame coverage for those telecasts.[34]

WPKD airs localhigh school football(including playoffs and championships) from theWestern Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League(branded asSteel City High School Football Showcase), college football from theDivision IIIPresidents’ Athletic Conference,and syndicated coverage of college football and basketball from theMEACandSWAC.[35][36][37]

WPKD-TV and KDKA-TV serve as the area's officialPittsburgh Steelersstations and air several team-related shows. This includesSteelers Saturday Nighton Saturday nights from 9 to 10 p.m. and Steelers TV on Saturday nights from 11 to 11:30 p.m. (hosted bySteelers Digesteditor Bob Labriola) during theNFLseason. Depending on CBS' weekly doubleheader schedule, theExtra Pointairs on WPKD-TV right after a Steelers game. That program is hosted by Bob Pompeani andChris Hoke.The Nightly Sports Callairs every night from 10:35 to 11 p.m. after the KDKA-TV-produced prime time newscast. Weeknights are anchored by Bob Pompeani while weekends feature Rich Walsh. Depending on the doubleheader schedule, there is a special edition that is shown during the season after theExtra Point.

Newscasts

[edit]

As WJNL-TV in Johnstown, the station produced a local newscast from 1971 to 1974 on weekdays and a fewpublic affairsprograms to try to compete against WJAC-TV. However, its facilities were below the standards expected for a network affiliate.

As WNPA, the station began airing a twice-nightly weather forecast by Jim Madaus, chief meteorologist of Viacom-ownedWKBDin Detroit, on December 20, 1999; Madaus also began providing similar segments to other Viacom stations around the same time.[38]On August 6, 2001, WNPA began to carry a 10 p.m. newscast every night produced by KDKA-TV.[39]The 35-minute newscast competes with a nightly newscast at 10 p.m. onFoxaffiliate WPGH-TV that is produced by WPXI.

On September 12, 2005, WNPA debuted a two-hour extension of KDKA-TV's weekday morning newscast airing from 7 to 9 a.m.[40]This was later[when?]shortened to one hour amid poor ratings, but the 8 a.m. hour was restored in 2019. On June 16, 2009, KDKA began broadcasting its local newscasts inhigh definition,starting with its weekday noon broadcast, with the introduction of a new set and weather center. KDKA was the last major Pittsburgh television station to begin airing newscasts in HD and the WPCW shows were included in the upgrade.

On September 20, 2021, WPCW added a 12:30 p.m. rebroadcast of KDKA's noon newscast. On January 8, 2024, WPKD-TV added an 8 p.m. newscast calledPrimetime News on KDKA+.[41]

Technical information

[edit]

Subchannels

[edit]

The station's signal ismultiplexed:

Subchannels of WPKD-TV[42]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
19.1 1080i 16:9 WPKD-DT Main WPKD-TV programming
19.2 480i H&I Heroes & Icons
19.3 GRIT Grit
19.4 Movies! Movies!
19.5 HSN HSN
19.6 Nosey Nosey

Analog-to-digital conversion

[edit]

WPKD-TV (as WPCW) shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 19, on June 12, 2009, the official date on which full-power television stations in the United Statestransitioned from analog to digital broadcastsunder federal mandate. The station moved its digital signal from its pre-transition UHF channel 49 (where its digital signal was originally slated to remain post-transition) toVHFchannel 11 (the former allocation ofWPXI's analog signal).[43]Digital television receivers display the station'svirtual channelas its former UHF analog channel 19. Interference with Cleveland CBS affiliate WOIO that existed when both stations operated analog signals is no longer an issue as that station is broadcasting its digital signal on VHF channel 10. In July 2009, the station applied with the FCC for a repeater digital signal on channel 27 in Johnstown.[44]

Translator

[edit]

WPKD was previously relayed on WBPA-LP in Pittsburgh (owned by Venture Technologies Group) from the days when it did not have a strong signal throughout the city.[45][46]

References

[edit]
  1. ^"Facility Technical Data for WPKD-TV".Licensing and Management System.Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^"Require Prime Evening Time for NTA Films".Boxoffice:13. November 10, 1956. Archived fromthe originalon June 14, 2009.RetrievedApril 25,2009.
  3. ^"WARD-AM-TV"(PDF).Broadcasting.August 21, 1972. p. 50.
  4. ^"WJNL And WJNL-TV: New District Radio And TV Service Set".The Indiana Gazette.August 12, 1972. p. 14.RetrievedJuly 19,2023– via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^"WJNL Sale Reported".Altoona Mirror.February 2, 1982. p. 7.
  6. ^ab"WJNL to hike power, hours".Altoona Mirror.February 26, 1983. p. 16.RetrievedJuly 25,2021.
  7. ^"TV station's request OKd".Latrobe Bulletin.September 15, 1982. pp. 1,11.RetrievedJuly 19,2023– via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^"Pittsburgh (12)"(PDF).Broadcasting-Cablecasting Yearbook.1983. p. C-177.
  9. ^"Independent TV station goes off air".Indiana Gazette.Associated Press. May 12, 1990. p. 3.RetrievedDecember 3,2020.
  10. ^Flint, Joe (July 9, 1990). "The (seller) paper chase".Broadcasting.pp. 62–63.ProQuest1014727480.
  11. ^Weiskind, Ron (December 7, 1989)."Johnson agrees to seven-year WPXI contract".Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.p. 22.RetrievedDecember 2,2020.
  12. ^ab"Paramount Stations has purchased UPN's Pittsburgh affiliate, WNPA".Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.November 10, 1998. p. F-8.RetrievedDecember 2,2020.
  13. ^Weiskind, Ron (January 19, 1995)."Local stations air new network".Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.p. C-3.RetrievedDecember 3,2020.
  14. ^"Mario Lopez dives into starring role in 'Greg Louganis Story' TV movie".Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.July 30, 1996. p. C-6.RetrievedDecember 2,2020.
  15. ^"WB affiliate moving to Jeannette".Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.July 24, 1997. p. C-2.RetrievedDecember 3,2020.
  16. ^Vancheri, Barbara (August 29, 1997)."TV station revamping programming, call letters".Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.p. A-11.RetrievedDecember 2,2020.
  17. ^"'Voyager' warps to new local UPN affiliate ".Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.January 17, 1998. p. C-9.RetrievedDecember 2,2020.
  18. ^abOwen, Rob (February 5, 1999)."Local jobs to skrink for WNPA".Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.pp. D-1, D-6.RetrievedOctober 13,2024.
  19. ^Owen, Rob (September 14, 2000)."On TV, Dr. Laura softens shrill tone".Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.p. D-4.RetrievedOctober 13,2024.
  20. ^Owen, Rob (October 14, 2004)."Why can't TV cover politics apolitically?".Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.p. D-6.RetrievedOctober 13,2024.
  21. ^'Gilmore Girls' meet 'Smackdown'; CW Network to combine WB, UPN in CBS-Warner venture beginning in September,CNNMoney.com,January 24, 2006.
  22. ^UPN and WB to Combine, Forming New TV Network,The New York Times,January 24, 2006.
  23. ^Owen, Rob (March 23, 2006)."TV Notes: WNPA to change call letters to WPCW".Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.RetrievedJuly 19,2023.
  24. ^Owen, Rob (June 5, 2009)."Analog shut-off will affect few TVs here".Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.RetrievedFebruary 9,2022.
  25. ^Sinclair - WJAC TBD will change to CWArchivedAugust 28, 2019, at theWayback Machine,September 3, 2019
  26. ^"RabbitEars.Info".rabbitears.info.
  27. ^Weprin, Alex (December 4, 2019)."Bob Bakish's Memo to ViacomCBS Staff: Merger" a Historic Moment "".The Hollywood Reporter.RetrievedFebruary 9,2022.
  28. ^Hayes, Dade (October 3, 2022)."New Day Dawns For Broadcast TV As Nexstar Closes Deal For Control Of The CW".Deadline.Archivedfrom the original on October 14, 2022.RetrievedJanuary 17,2023.
  29. ^"Eight CBS Stations To Ditch CW And Go Independent This Fall".Deadline.May 5, 2023.RetrievedMay 5,2023.
  30. ^Bagwell, John."Form 380 - Change Request".Licensing and Management System.Federal Communications Commission.RetrievedJuly 18,2023.
  31. ^"Pittsburgh's CW will rebrand to KDKA+ starting next month".Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.RetrievedAugust 25,2023.
  32. ^"KDKA+ to air Pittsburgh Penguins preseason hockey".CBS News.September 19, 2023.RetrievedMarch 8,2024.
  33. ^Krysinsky, John (March 8, 2024)."Riverhounds announce local broadcast partners KDKA+ and SportsNet Pittsburgh for 2024 regular season".Pittsburgh Soccer Now.RetrievedMarch 8,2024.
  34. ^"NBA nights in Pittsburgh: KDKA+ will air 5 Cleveland Cavaliers games locally".Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.RetrievedMarch 30,2024.
  35. ^TribuneReview (July 5, 2023)."Presidents' Athletic Conference football games to be televised on Pittsburgh's CW".TribLIVE.com.RetrievedMarch 30,2024.
  36. ^"Steel City High School Football Showcase kicking off on Pittsburgh's CW and streaming on CBS News Pittsburgh - CBS Pittsburgh".www.cbsnews.com.August 25, 2023.RetrievedMarch 30,2024.
  37. ^Darnay, Mike (November 15, 2023)."Four WPIAL Championship football games to be broadcast on KDKA+ - CBS Pittsburgh".www.cbsnews.com.RetrievedMarch 30,2024.
  38. ^Owen, Rob (December 16, 1999)."Arts grab little coverage unless they make 'news'".Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.p. E-4.RetrievedOctober 14,2024.
  39. ^Tady, Scott (July 26, 2001)."Dave Matthews should finish what he started".Allegheny Times.p. C6.RetrievedOctober 14,2024.
  40. ^McNulty, Tim (July 13, 2005)."WNPA plans morning news".Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.p. C-4.RetrievedOctober 14,2024.
  41. ^Fisher, Jonathan (November 30, 2023)."KDKA-TV announces Pittsburgh area's first-ever 8 p.m. newscast".CBS News Pittsburgh.RetrievedJuly 24,2024.
  42. ^"RabbitEars.Info".rabbitears.info.
  43. ^"DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and Second Rounds"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on August 29, 2013.RetrievedMarch 24,2012.
  44. ^"TV Station WPKD-TV".fcc.gov.RetrievedSeptember 19,2023.
  45. ^"USA: Pennsylvania: Radio Station Market List -".radiostationworld.com.
  46. ^"FCCdata.org - powered by REC".fccdata.org.
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