WLNM-LD explained

Callsign:WLNM-LD
Above:Translator of WILX-TV, Onondaga, Michigan
Branding:see WILX-TV
Digital:29 (UHF)
Virtual:29
Country:United States
Location:Lansing, Michigan
Callsign Meaning:Lansing, Michigan
Owner:Gray Television
Licensee:Gray Television Licensee, LLC
Erp:15 kW
Class:LD
Facility Id:67779
Licensing Authority:FCC

WLNM-LD (channel 29) is a low-power television station in Lansing, Michigan, United States. It is a translator of Onondaga-licensed NBC affiliate WILX-TV (channel 10) which is owned by Gray Television. WLNM-LD's transmitter is located on River Street along the Red Cedar River southeast of Lansing; its parent station maintains studios on American Road (near I-96) in the city.

History

WLNM-LD first signed-on the air in 1991 as W69BJ on channel 69, as a translator of Saginaw-based WAQP (channel 49), a station owned by Tri-State Christian Television (TCT). The station relocated to channel 27 as W27CN in November 2003.

The station was an owned-and-operated transmitter of TCT, which also carried many programs from the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). In 2007, TCT discontinued carriage of TBN programming, instead relying on productions of its own programs and direct carriage of programs from other ministries.

In July 2009, the station's digital transmitter was put into service with a flash-cut, ending its analog service and adding a "-D" suffix to its callsign at that time. The station's callsign changed to the lettered WLNM-LD on February 8, 2016.

On February 14, 2020, TCT agreed to sell WLNM-LD to Gray Television for $175,000;[1] the sale, which was completed on May 1,[2] includes a lease agreement allowing TCT to continue carrying a subchannel on the station for five years after closing.[3] WLNM-LD has since operated as a translator of WILX-TV, serving mainly to improve WILX's reception in the few areas of the market without cable or satellite that lost access to the main WILX signal after the digital transition. In June 2024, WLNM moved to a new tower that significantly increased its over-the-air footprint.[4]

Subchannels

The station's signal is multiplexed:

Channel! scope = "col"
Res.AspectShort nameProgramming
WILX-DT NBC (WILX-TV)
MeTV MeTV (WILX-DT2)
29.3 startTV Start TV
29.4 Story Story Television
29.5 MOVIES! Movies!
29.6 Catchy Catchy Comedy
29.7 TCT TCT

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Application for Transfer of Control of a Corporate Licensee or Permittee, or for Assignment of License or Permit of TV or FM Translator Station or Low-Power Television Station. CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. February 14, 2020. February 21, 2020.
  2. Web site: Consummation Notice. CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. May 5, 2020. September 20, 2020.
  3. https://licensing.fcc.gov/cdbs/CDBS_Attachment/getattachment.jsp?appn=101815419&qnum=5030&copynum=1&exhcnum=2 Digital Sub-Channel Lease Agreement
  4. Web site: WLNM tower move to improve signal reception for Mid-Michigan viewers. WILX-TV. June 13, 2024.