WTBS-LD explained

Atsc3:yes
Callsign:WTBS-LD
Branding:WTBS TV 26
Digital:6 (VHF)
Virtual:6
Sister Stations:WANN-CD 29 (32.x)
Affiliations:see
Location:Atlanta, Georgia
Country:United States
Owner:Prism Broadcasting Network, Inc.
Erp:1.5 kW
Haat:37.60NaN0
Class:LD
Coordinates:33.7447°N -84.3599°W
Facility Id:53584
Licensing Authority:FCC
Callsign Meaning:Derived from the former calls of WPCH
Embed Header:Radio station information
Embedded:
Child:yes
Format:Regional Mexican
Branding:La Que Buena 101.9 y 87.7
Website:laquebuenaatlanta.com

WTBS-LD (channel 6) is a low-power television station in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, which has been owned by Prism Broadcasting since 1991. The station's transmitter is located at the American Tower Site on Chester Avenue in downtown Atlanta.

The original WTBS-LD (channel 26) was also a low-power television station in Atlanta, affiliated with Estrella TV. The station, which broadcast six subchannels, was a digital satellite of the current WTBS-LD, then known as WTBS-LP.

The digital transmitter, which signed on in early January 2011, was, with its sister station WANN-CD, located just northeast of the city on one of the two large towers on Briarcliff Road, at the same site along with Independent station WPCH-TV (channel 17), Univision owned-and-operated station WUVG-DT (channel 34), CBS affiliate WANF (channel 46), TBN O&O WHSG-TV (channel 63), and several other stations.

The original WTBS-LD's license was cancelled by the Federal Communications Commission on March 17, 2021.

History

The station signed on as W56CD in Rome, Georgia; then W26BT; WANX-LP in January 2000; and WTBS-LP on October 15, 2007. The WANX call letters were formerly used by CBS affiliate WANF.

In 2014, the analog WTBS-LP reappeared under special temporary authority on TV channel 6, which can also be received on 87.75 MHz of the FM dial. All analog television channels had been scheduled to cease broadcasting in September 2015; this was suspended by the FCC in April of that year. In 2017, it was announced that July 13, 2021 would be the new analog low-power television transmission shutoff date. Analog channel 6 later broadcast an urban AC format branded as "Mix 87.7", which is also heard via stereo audio on 87.75 FM. Steve Hegwood, the operator of Mix 87.7 announced it would cease using the WTBS frequency on January 31, 2019 due to financial shortfalls and an overcompetitive market for radio targeted at Atlanta's black community.[1] As of February 1, 2019, WTBS-LP became a Regional Mexican station called "La Invasora".

WTBS-LP was licensed for digital operation on July 14, 2021, and changed its call sign to WTBS-LD. On July 16, the station received special temporary authority from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to provide an ancillary audio signal at 87.7 FM .On July 20, 2023, an FCC "Report and Order" included this station as one of 13 "FM6" stations allowed to continue to operate an FM radio broadcast, as a "ancillary or supplementary" service.[2]

Sometime between 2020 and 2022, La Invasora 87.7 became La Que Buena 87.7 and retained Its Regional Mexican format.

Subchannels

The station's signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of WTBS-LD[3] ! Channel! Res.! Aspect! Short name! Programming
26.1 WTBS-HD Estrella TV
26.2 BizTV Biz Television
26.3 JTV Jewelry TV
26.4 16:9 F24 France 24
26.5 4:3 VH2 VH2 Networks/AMGTV
26.6 16:9 MOXiE silent

Notes and References

  1. https://www.ajc.com/blog/radiotvtalk/steve-hegwood-end-mix-end-the-month/ZUcMX0RK2oaOexJG2BaAiM/ EXCLUSIVE: Steve Hegwood to shut off Mix 87.7 at end of January
  2. https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-23-58A1.pdf "Fifth Report and Order: In the Matter of Amendment of Parts 73 and 74 of the Commission's Rules to Establish Rules for Digital Low Power Television and Television Translator Stations"
  3. http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WTBS-LD#station RabbitEars TV Query for WTBS-LD