WTCL-LD explained

Callsign:WTCL-LD
Logo Upright:.7
Logo Alt:A large red "T" with "Telemundo Cleveland" in black text underneath.
Location:Cleveland, Ohio
Country:United States
Branding:Telemundo Cleveland
Digital:20 (UHF)
Virtual:6, 19, 22
Owner:Gray Television
Licensee:Gray Television Licensee, LLC
Callsign Meaning:"Telemundo Cleveland"
Erp:15 kW
Haat:306.80NaN0
Class:LD
Facility Id:6699
Coordinates:41.3792°N -81.7197°W
Licensing Authority:FCC
Embed Header:Translator
Embedded:
Child:yes
Callsign:WOHZ-CD
Digital:20 (UHF)
Virtual:6, 19, 22
Location:Canton, Ohio
Callsign Meaning:Former "Z-50" branding
Former Affiliations:Independent (1989–2021)
Erp:15 kW
Haat:252.90NaN0
Class:CD
Facility Id:41892
Coordinates:40.89°N -81.2697°W
Licensing Authority:FCC

WTCL-LD (channel 6) is a low-power television station in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, affiliated with Telemundo. It is owned by Gray Television alongside two full-power sister stations: Shaker Heights–licensed CBS affiliate WOIO (channel 19) and Lorain–licensed CW affiliate WUAB (channel 43); WTCL-LD also functions as an ultra high frequency (UHF) repeater for WOIO. The stations share studios at Reserve Square in downtown Cleveland; WTCL-LD's transmitter is located in suburban Parma. WTCL-LD's visibility is extended to the southern part of the Cleveland market via Canton–licensed WOHZ-CD, which has a transmitter located northeast of Canton.

Founded as a mostly obscure low-power station in the Cleveland area on UHF channels 47 and 65, this station moved to channel 6 in 2012 after several failed attempts to convert the station for digital broadcasting, enabling it to operate as WLFM-LP, a de facto radio station on . After briefly carrying a hybrid modern rock/talk format, a lease to TSJ Media resulted in the installation of a Spanish language radio format as "La Mega 87.7", the first such format to operate on a full-time basis in the market. Increasing technical complications and limitations forced WLFM-LP to convert to digital in July 2020. A sale to Gray Television the following year saw the station relaunched as the market's first Telemundo affiliate.

History

Early history and attempted digital conversion

This station signed on as a low-power station on channel 47 on November 30, 1989,[1] using the sequentially assigned W47BE call sign. Moving to channel 65 (which had been previously reserved for commercial UHF broadcasts in the early 1950s which were never built[2] [3]) on April 15, 1998,[4] the calls were changed to W65DL, then adopted the WXOX-LP calls on January 12, 2000. In the final years as WXOX, the station was affiliated with the Home Shopping Network (HSN).

WXOX-LP filed paperwork requesting the station move to channel 44 and increase power to 120 kW,[5] but amended the request for digital conversion.[6] Federal Communications Commission (FCC) findings stated channel 44 would cause interference with adjacent WNEO,[7] prompting WXOX-LP to request broadcasting over a subchannel of WCDN-LP.[8] WXOX-LP was then forced off the air on October 27, 2009, when wireless carrier Verizon purchased the part of the wireless spectrum where the station had been broadcasting.[9] An attempt was made to convert WXOX to a low-power digital station on channel 31,[10] which WJW broadcast from prior to the June 12, 2009, analog shutoff date. Due to potential co-channel interference issues with CITY-DT-2 in Woodstock, Ontario, which also broadcast on RF channel 31, the application was abandoned.

As a "Franken-FM" radio station

87.7 Cleveland's Sound

In May 2011, the station's then-owner, Venture Technologies Group, filed a new FCC request to move the station to channel 6 analog,[11] leading to speculation that it could carry the audio feed of an FM radio station due to analog transmissions on that frequency also being audible over .[12] After entering into an operating agreement with Murray Hill Broadcasting—headed by former WWWE,[13] WRMR and WDOK co-owner Tom Wilson and aligned with Venture executive Paul Koplin—Wilson announced the launch of a personality-driven alternative rock/talk format,[14] using the WLFM-LP call sign which Venture transferred from their low-power channel 6 station in Chicago.[15]

With studios located within the Cleveland Agora, what became known as "87.7 Cleveland's Sound" was originally scheduled to launch in July 2012, but did not debut until September 9, 2012.[16] WLFM-LP aired a taped loop of Cleveland-themed sports songs and "My Town" as a prolonged stunt, while the TV signal displayed either a loop of slides of local landmarks, or a screensaver for Western Digital. A casting call was conducted for possible air talent, with former WKRK-FM host Rachel Steele named as afternoon host and former WFBQ program director Marty Bender assuming like duties. Former WMMS personalities Dan Stansbury[17] and Chad Zumock were later added to the airstaff.[18]

Readers of Cleveland Scene awarded WLFM-LP as "Best Local Radio Station" in 2013.[19] The station also featured area local music show Inner Sanctum but the program was cancelled in September 2013; host Pat Johnson said the station "was hoping for a big summer and that hasn't translated into sales yet".[20]

La Mega 87.7

Murray Hill Broadcasting announced a local marketing agreement (LMA) with Cincinnati-based TSJ Media on December 11, 2013, effectively changing WLFM-LP to a Spanish language radio format, de facto becoming the first full-time Hispanic radio station in Cleveland proper. Tom Wilson viewed Murray Hill's LMA with TSJ Media as "a significant upgrade of an opportunity... sometimes you just don't realize what opportunity is there until somebody presents it to you. It's really the way to go".[21] When the LMA took effect on January 1, 2014,[22] WLFM-LP was renamed "La Mega 87.7: Latino and Proud", boasting an airstaff that included several area disc jockeys.[23] TSJ Media would later be acquired by Columbus-based La Mega Media, Inc., on April 16, 2019.[24]

Beginning with the 2014–15 NBA season, WLFM-LP carried Spanish-language broadcasts of the Cleveland Cavaliers, then added Spanish-language broadcasts of the Cleveland Browns in 2018; Rafael Hernandez Brito served as play-by-play announcer for both teams.[25] [26]

Conversion to digital

WLFM-LP suspended operations on February 26, 2019, when WOUC-TV in Cambridge, Ohio, moved to RF channel 6 during the repacking of broadcast spectrum initiated by the FCC's 2016 auction;[27] WLFM-LP returned to the air several days later with a power reduction to 3 watts.[28] While low-power television stations operating as "Franken-FMs", including WLFM-LP, had deadlines for digital conversion extended multiple times by the FCC,[29] the spectrum repack forced the station to convert to digital broadcasting on RF channel 20. Thus, WLFM-LP discontinued analog broadcasting on June 30, 2020, with the "La Mega 87.7" format moved to an internet-only platform.[30]

On July 29, 2020, the renamed WLFM-LD launched, carrying Jewelry Television as a temporary affiliation.[31]

Sale to Gray and Telemundo affiliation

Murray Hill Broadcasting sold WLFM-LD to WOIO and WUAB owner Gray Television on July 29, 2021, for $1.65 million, which the FCC approved on September 13.[32] Shortly thereafter, Gray announced WLFM-LD would adopt the WTCL call sign and join Telemundo on January 1, 2022; prior to this, Cleveland was the largest market in the United States not to have a dedicated Telemundo affiliate. The new station would also have evening newscasts in Spanish produced by WOIO, the first such newscasts to be broadcast in the Cleveland market, as Univision-owned WQHS-DT only carries remotely-produced news briefs.[33] [34] WOIO previously produced a daily Spanish-language newscast, Al Día, for their website, social media and OTT services, but was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic; WOIO retained both Al Día reporters and planned to hire two additional bilingual reporters.[35]

WLFM-LD was renamed WTCL-LP on October 15, 2021, and adopted the -LD suffix on August 5, 2022.[36]

Technical information

Subchannels

The station's signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of WTCL-LD and WOHZ-CD[37] [38]
ChannelRes.AspectShort nameProgramming
6.1TLMD Telemundo
19.101080i WOIOHD CBS (WOIO)
22.1720p RESN Rock Entertainment Sports Network

Translator

WTCL-LD is simulcast full-time over WOHZ-CD, licensed to Canton, Ohio.

Originally licensed to Mansfield, Ohio, this station took to the air on May 7, 1990, as W50BE.[39] [40] An extension of locally owned WVNO-FM and WRGM, W50BE was an independent station boasting a lineup of local newscasts and community programming for the Mansfield–Ashland–Bucyrus region,[41] nearly equidistant from both the Cleveland and Columbus markets.[42] After W50BE owner Mid-State Television, Inc., headed by Robert Meisse, acquired the license to WCOM-TV, that station was relaunched as WMFD-TV "TV68/50"[43] on June 1, 1992, simulcasting W50BE's programming.[44]

By the beginning of 1996, W50BE changed call signs to WOHZ-LP and was relaunched as "Z-50", offering additional local programming as a WMFD-TV extension alongside America One fare.[45] Later upgraded to a Class A station as WOHZ-CA, it also began to offer weather information and an audio simulcast of WVNO-FM[46] from a combined studio facility in Ontario, Ohio. The station was licensed for digital operation on February 26, 2015, assuming the call sign WOHZ-CD.

On October 8, 2020, Mid-State Television sold WOHZ-CD to Atlanta–based Gray Television, owner of WOIO and WUAB, for $450,000.[47] [48] The sale was completed on December 8, 2020.[49] Upon taking over WOHZ-CD, Gray Television changed the station's city of license to Canton, and has since used it as a repeater for WOIO, WUAB, and WTCL, increasing coverage for those stations in the southern part of the Cleveland television market.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: November 30, 1989 . Application Search Details: BPTTL-19890310QF . October 14, 2022 . CDBS Public Access . Federal Communications Commission.
  2. News: June 19, 1953 . Cleveland's WERE Gets TV Permit . 38 . Akron Beacon Journal . Akron, Ohio . live . September 25, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220926014210/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110153651/clevelands-were-gets-tv-permit/ . September 26, 2022 . Newspapers.com.
  3. News: February 20, 1960 . FCC Acting To Cancel Permits To TV Stations . 25 . The Newark Advocate . Associated Press . Newark, Ohio . live . September 25, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220926014212/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110183125/fcc-acting-to-cancel-permits-to-tv/ . September 26, 2022 . Newspapers.com.
  4. Web site: April 15, 1998 . Application Search Details: BPTTL-19960517ZG . October 14, 2022 . CDBS Public Access . Federal Communications Commission.
  5. Web site: February 6, 2006 . Application Search Details: BPTTL-20050927ALC . October 14, 2022 . CDBS Public Access . Federal Communications Commission.
  6. Web site: January 22, 2009 . Application Search Details: BDFCDTL-20080221ACU . October 14, 2022 . CDBS Public Access . Federal Communications Commission.
  7. Web site: December 16, 2008 . In re: Low Power Television Application of: Venture Technologies Group, LLC; Channel 44, Cleveland, OH; File number: BDFCDTL-20080221ACU; Facility Id No.: 6699 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303183011/http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=10550 . March 3, 2016 . February 11, 2010 . Federal Communications Commission.
  8. Web site: Application Search Details . January 2, 2014 . CDBS Public Access . Federal Communications Commission.
  9. Web site: Notification of Suspension of Operations/Request for Silent STA: BLSTA - 20091110AED . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20151223044727/https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101342041&formid=910&fac_num=6699 . December 23, 2015 . December 16, 2015 . CDBS Public Access . Federal Communications Commission.
  10. http://licensing.fcc.gov/cdbs/CDBS_Attachment/getattachment.jsp?appn=101285477&qnum=5100&copynum=1&exhcnum=1
  11. Web site: Application Search Details: BDISTVL-20100408ACE . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20151222124946/http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=1361899 . December 22, 2015 . December 16, 2015 . CDBS Public Access . Federal Communications Commission.
  12. Web site: New 'Franken FM' Preps for Cleveland Launch . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140102201253/http://www.rwonline.com/article/new-franken-fm%E2%80%99-preps-for-cleveland-launch/213888 . January 2, 2014 . September 15, 2012 . Radio World.
  13. News: Cavazos . Shaina . June 27, 2012 . New Cleveland Radio Station to Aim for Hyper-local Approach . The Plain Dealer . Cleveland, Ohio . June 29, 2012 . June 28, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120628223843/http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2012/06/new_cleveland_radio_station_ai.html . live .
  14. Web site: Park . Michelle . June 21, 2012 . Longtime radio exec plans launch of new Cleveland rock station . October 13, 2022 . Crain's Cleveland Business . Cleveland, Ohio . en . October 13, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013215847/https://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20120625/SUB1/306259976/longtime-radio-exec-plans-launch-of-new-cleveland-rock-station . live .
  15. Web site: Venta . Lance . June 25, 2012 . 87.7 WLFM Cleveland To Launch With Rock Format . October 13, 2022 . RadioInsight . en-US . October 13, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013215849/https://radioinsight.com/headlines/58650/87-7-wlfm-cleveland-to-launch-with-rock-format/ . live .
  16. Web site: Venta . Lance . 87.7 Cleveland's Sound Debut . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160220123039/https://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/70430/87-7-clevelands-sound-debuts/ . February 20, 2016 . September 15, 2012 . RadioInsight. September 10, 2012 .
  17. Web site: 87.7 FM Cleveland's Sound Hires Dan Stansbury For PM Drive . AllAccess.com . November 6, 2013 . December 16, 2015 . December 22, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151222170901/http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/124083/87-7-fm-cleveland-s-sound-hires-dan-stansbury-for- . live .
  18. Web site: 87.7 Cleveland Sound » Proud to Announce "Sunday Nights with Chad Zumock" . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131202231402/http://www.877cleveland.com/2013/10/16/proud-to-announce-sunday-nights-with-chad-zumock/ . December 2, 2013 . November 25, 2013 .
  19. Web site: Bolden . Chris . April 10, 2013 . Best of Cleveland 2013: People & Places . December 16, 2015 . Cleveland Scene . Cleveland, Ohio . December 22, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151222170109/http://www.clevescene.com/cleveland/BestOf?category=1392950&feature=&year=2013 . live .
  20. Web site: Niesel . Jeff . September 27, 2013 . 87.7 pulls the plug on local music show Inner Sanctum . September 27, 2013 . Cleveland Scene . Cleveland, Ohio . September 29, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130929192149/http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2013/09/27/877-pulls-the-plug-on-local-music-show-inner-sanctum . live .
  21. Web site: Lazette . Michelle Park . December 10, 2013 . Cleveland FM station 87.7 to ditch alternative rock for Hispanic format . December 16, 2015 . Crain's Cleveland Business . Cleveland, Ohio.
  22. Web site: Grzegorek . Vince . December 11, 2013 . 87.7 Sold, Will Switch to Latin Music Programming on January 1, 2014 | Scene and Heard: Scene's News Blog . December 16, 2015 . Cleveland Scene . Cleveland, Ohio . December 22, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151222135642/http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2013/12/11/877-to-switch-to-latin-music-programming-on-january-1-2014 . live .
  23. Web site: Smith . Robert L. . January 9, 2014 . Wepa! La Mega brings Spanish music, news and excitement to Cleveland airwaves . January 10, 2014 . The Plain Dealer . Cleveland, Ohio . January 10, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140110141128/http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2014/01/wepa_la_mega_brings_spanish_mu.html . live .
  24. Web site: Caproni . Erin . April 16, 2019 . Cincinnati media firm sells . October 13, 2022 . Cincinnati Business Courier . Cincinnati, Ohio . October 13, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013215848/https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2019/04/16/minority-owned-cincinnati-firm-sells.html . live .
  25. Web site: Kleps . Kevin . October 16, 2014 . Cleveland Cavs games will be broadcast in Spanish on 87.7 FM La Mega . October 16, 2014 . Crain's Cleveland Business . Cleveland, Ohio . July 5, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180705005519/http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20141016/FREE/141019847/cleveland-cavs-games-will-be-broadcast-in-spanish-on-87-7-fm-la-mega . live .
  26. Web site: Cleveland Browns. August 29, 2018. August 9, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180809184143/https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/media/radio. live.
  27. Web site: March 7, 2019 . Suspension of Operations of an Analog LPTV Station Application- File Number: 0000068413 . October 16, 2022 . Licensing and Management System . Federal Communications Commission . October 16, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221016172338/https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/draftCopy.html?displayType=html&appKey=25076ff36940edf0016959d6ccc51072&id=25076ff36940edf0016959d6ccc51072 . live .
  28. Web site: March 7, 2019 . Analog LPTV Engineering STA Application- File Number: 0000068414 . October 16, 2022 . Licensing and Management System . Federal Communications Commission.
  29. Web site: Venta . Lance . October 10, 2014 . Franken-FM's To Get Temporary Stay; Potentially Permanent One . October 13, 2022 . RadioInsight . en-US . October 13, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013215917/https://radioinsight.com/headlines/90444/franken-fms-to-get-temporary-stay-potentially-permanent-one/ . live .
  30. Web site: Venta . Lance . June 23, 2020 . TV Repack Sends Mega 87.7 Cleveland To Go Online Only . October 13, 2022 . RadioInsight . en-US . September 13, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200913070237/https://radioinsight.com/headlines/189406/tv-repack-sends-mega-87-7-cleveland-to-go-online-only/ . live .
  31. Web site: Jacobson . Adam . July 29, 2021 . Gray Gains a Cleveland LPTV Property . October 13, 2022 . Radio & Television Business Report . en-US . October 13, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013215849/https://www.rbr.com/gray-gains-a-cleveland-lptv-property/ . live .
  32. Web site: Assignments. Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. July 29, 2021. July 30, 2021. October 13, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221013215849/https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/assignmentDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=25076f9179edc3d1017a1b2f01b55374&id=25076f9179edc3d1017a1b2f01b55374&goBack=N. live.
  33. Web site: September 22, 2021 . WOIO-TV will launch new Telemundo station in Cleveland . September 22, 2021 . Cleveland19.com . Cleveland, Ohio . September 22, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210922205902/https://www.cleveland19.com/2021/09/22/woio-tv-will-launch-new-telemundo-station-cleveland/ . live .
  34. News: Palmer . Kim . February 20, 2022 . Telemundo Cleveland rolls out Spanish-language station . Crain's Cleveland Business . Cleveland, Ohio . live . subscription . September 16, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220916042553/https://www.crainscleveland.com/media/telemundo-cleveland-rolls-out-spanish-language-station . September 16, 2022.
  35. Web site: Barron . Alicia . October 14, 2021 . Building a Telemundo affiliate from scratch . October 14, 2022 . Cronkite News Lab . en-US . October 14, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221014212659/https://cronkitenewslab.com/broadcast/2021/10/14/building-cleveland-telemundo-affiliate-from-scratch/ . live .
  36. Web site: October 15, 2021 . WTCL-LD: Call Sign History . October 15, 2021 . CDBS Public Access . Federal Communications Commission.
  37. Web site: Digital TV Market Listing for WTCL . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211223001817/https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WTCL . December 23, 2021 . October 9, 2022 . RabbitEars.
  38. Web site: RabbitEars TV Query for WOHZ-CD . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221010034523/https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WOHZ-CD . October 10, 2022 . May 4, 2021 . RabbitEars.
  39. News: Porter . Bart . May 6, 1990 . TV 50: New Mansfield station to enter homes Monday . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013031304/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/111203828/tv-50-new-mansfield-station-to-enter/ . October 13, 2022 . October 13, 2022 . News-Journal . Mansfield, Ohio . 1-D . Newspapers.com.
  40. Web site: The LPTV Report, September 1991 issue; retrieved June 26, 2022. . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220626155535/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Cable/LPTV-Report/LPTV-Report-1991-09.pdf . June 26, 2022 . June 26, 2022.
  41. News: Redelson . Mike . August 15, 1990 . Crawford County represented on Mansfield TV station's staff . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013031305/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/111207508/crawford-county-represented-on/ . October 13, 2022 . October 13, 2022 . Telegraph-Forum . Bucyrus, Ohio . 6 . Newspapers.com.
  42. News: Redelson . Mike . August 15, 1990 . Mansfield TV station offers news, features . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013031305/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/111207458/mansfield-tv-station-offers-news/ . October 13, 2022 . October 13, 2022 . Telegraph-Forum . Bucyrus, Ohio . 6 . Newspapers.com.
  43. News: August 15, 1992 . TV68/50 moving to new site . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013031305/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/111213537/tv6850-moving-to-new-site/ . October 13, 2022 . October 13, 2022 . News-Journal . Mansfield, Ohio . 3A . Newspapers.com.
  44. Web site: Fybush . Scott . June 2, 2017 . Site of the Week 6/2/17: Mansfield, Ohio . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210805133344/https://www.fybush.com/site-20170602/ . August 5, 2021 . October 13, 2022 . Fybush.com . en-US . RadioBB.
  45. News: Kopp . Dan . March 6, 1996 . New TV channel broadcasting . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221013031305/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/111210064/new-tv-channel-broadcasting/ . October 13, 2022 . October 13, 2022 . News-Journal . Mansfield, Ohio . 1D . Newspapers.com.
  46. Web site: Jacobson . Adam . October 13, 2020 . Gray Grows In the Buckeye State . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220123095303/https://www.rbr.com/gray-grows-in-the-buckeye-state/ . January 23, 2022 . October 12, 2022 . Radio & Television Business Report . en-US.
  47. Web site: October 8, 2020 . Application for Consent to Assignment of Broadcast Station Construction Permit or License . October 14, 2020 . CDBS Public Access . Federal Communications Commission.
  48. Web site: Miller . Mark . October 20, 2020 . Station Trading Roundup: 2 Deals, $45,450,000 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210611154657/https://tvnewscheck.com/business/article/station-trading-roundup-2-deals-45450000/ . June 11, 2021 . October 12, 2022 . TV News Check . en.
  49. Web site: CDBS Print . October 12, 2022 . licensing.fcc.gov.

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