WPDF-LP
| |
|---|---|
| Facility ID | 71480 |
| Class | TX |
| ERP | 6.45 kW |
| HAAT | 191 m (627 ft) |
| Transmitter coordinates | 34°7′44.39″N 79°50′5.97″W / 34.1289972°N 79.8349917°W |
| Links | |
Public license information | LMS |
WPDF-LP (channel 56) was a
Until November 1996, the station was the Fox affiliate for parts of northeastern South Carolina.
History
The station began broadcasting on January 31, 1989, as W56CC.[2] It was owned by WELY, Inc., which in turn was named for owner Edward L. Young, a former congressman.[3] In 1991, Young had filed to buy the construction permit for a new full-power station on channel 21 in Florence, WFIL, though no sale ever materialized.[3] Young expressed interest in building the channel as an NBC affiliate, which the market lacked,[4] or as a replacement for channel 56.[5]
Known first by its translator call letters and then as "WELY-TV", the station became known as WEYB-LP on December 5, 1995. However, some cable systems continued to carry Fox programming not through the local station but via
Though the full-power channel 21 station,
In 2001, WEYB-LP became WPDF-LP, but the mix of programming—FamilyNet programs and some locally produced religious and sports content—remained unchanged. However, the station faced an existential threat that was technical. WPDF-LP lost its bid to be designated a Class A station and became liable to be displaced if a station was to use channel 56 for digital television. The displacement occurred when Florence full-power station WBTW was assigned channel 56. In March 2002, WBTW-DT signed on, displacing WPDF-LP and leaving it without a channel to broadcast, resulting in it going off the air. Even though Time Warner Cable carried the low-power station, owner Greg Everett opted not to continue on cable only, believing that most of its audience watched the station over the air,[11] and the FCC canceled the license on August 10, 2004.
References
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WPDF-LP". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ "Low Power Television Stations" (PDF). Broadcasting Yearbook. 1992. p. B-91. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
- ^ a b "For the Record" (PDF). Broadcasting. August 26, 1991. p. 54. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
- ^ Drevik, Darren (November 4, 1990). "Let's bag hunger in city". Florence Morning News. p. 2-A. Retrieved August 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Stone, Susan (March 31, 1991). "Young endeavors: Successful ventures a struggle". Florence Morning News. p. 14-G. Retrieved August 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Hunter, Jeannine F.; Eddings, Toby (October 31, 1996). "WGSE-TV switching to Fox on Nov. 10". The Sun-News. p. 1D, 2D. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
- ^ Nye, Doug (September 14, 1994). "New TV Station Signing On At Beach". The State. p. B3.
- ^ "Doug Williams" (PDF). South Carolina Broadcasters Association. 2006. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
- ^ "Veteran comic slams 'filth' on today's TV". The State. June 18, 1997. p. C7.
- ^ Nye, Doug (November 23, 1997). "Couch potatoes, here's your chance to check the holiday menu". The State. p. TV Weekly 35.
- ^ "Digital signal bumps S.C. station". Broadcasting & Cable. March 12, 2002. Retrieved February 8, 2021.