WPXT
kW | |
HAAT | 590.4 m (1,937 ft) |
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Transmitter coordinates | 43°50′44″N 70°45′41″W / 43.84556°N 70.76139°W |
Links | |
Public license information | |
Website | www |
WPXT (channel 51) is a
History
The station signed on September 14, 1986, as Maine's first independent station and the first new commercial station to launch in the Portland market in 32 years. After a few weeks as an independent, it became a charter affiliate with Fox on October 9. In 1996, the station's original owner, Bride Communications, entered bankruptcy and WPXT was sold to Pegasus Broadcasting.
On October 7, 2001, WPXT switched to
Pegasus declared bankruptcy in June 2004 over a dispute with
As a WB affiliate, WPXT was originally branded on-air as "Maine's WB 51", but in 2004, changed to "Maine's WB" to reflect its status as the only over-the-air WB affiliate in the state. Although Bangor and
On January 24, 2006,
WPXT ceased analog transmission August 12, 2008, more than seven months prior to the original Federal Communications Commission (FCC) digital switchover deadline of February 17, 2009, due to transmitter failure. On May 2, 2011, WPXT signed on a new second digital subchannel to become the area's MeTV affiliate. On November 7, 2016, Escape (now Ion Mystery) was added to subchannel 51.3.
New Age Media announced in March 2012 that it would sell WPXT to Tyche Broadcasting for $75,000.[6] The deal was contingent on WPME's concurrent sale from MPS Media to Triumph Broadcasting.[7] On November 9, 2012, WPXT filed a non-consummation notice to the FCC, meaning the transaction is nulled and void.[8] On February 13, 2013, New Age Media filed to sell WPXT to Ironwood Communications for $1,525,000; the deal was concurrent with a planned sale of WPME to Cottonwood Communications.[9] The FCC granted its approval of the sale on April 2.[10] The sale was consummated on May 20.[11]
On March 22, 2018, MyNetworkTV, Escape and
The ownership change also resulted in a streamlining of subchannels between WMTW and WPXT the next month. With Hearst's preference for its main station in the market to carry the MeTV affiliation, MeTV and H&I exchanged places, with MeTV moving to WMTW-DT2 and H&I going to WPXT-DT2, and Laff going from WPXT-DT2 to WMTW-DT3, with Escape going to WPXT-DT3 (and the likely non-renewal of the
News operation
Early in-house newscasts
Beginning in 1992, WPXT operated a news department and produced its own local newscasts. For a time, the station's nightly prime time news at 10 was simulcasted on sister station WPME. WPXT even produced a weeknight broadcast at 7 on that station at one point but the show was eventually canceled due to poor
News Center at 10
On June 15, 2002, after shuttering its own news operation, WPXT entered into a news share agreement with Maine's two
WPXT would not face any competition in the time slot until February 5, 2007, when current Fox affiliate WPFO entered into a similar arrangement with CBS affiliate WGME-TV. On November 6, 2008, WCSH moved the WPXT show to its second digital subchannel affiliated with NBC Weather Plus. As a result, WLBZ's production involvement in the newscast was dropped and refocused to Portland. After a six-year run, the production was eventually canceled altogether.
On October 31, 2011, WPXT and WCSH established another news share agreement and debuted an hour-long extension of the big three outlet's weekday morning show. Known on WPXT as NewsCenter Morning Report Xtra, this aired from 7 to 8 a.m. and competed with WGME's one-hour morning newscast on WPFO. It was a rebroadcast of WCSH's 6–7 a.m. show with WPXT inserting its own commercials. This ceased in spring 2014.[19][20] In 2015, WMTW would move their operations from the Time and Temperature Building and into the same building WPXT/WPME operated from; WPXT's former news studio and newsroom had been subdivided and available for lease in subsequent years.[21]
News 8 on Maine's CW
Following WPXT's sale to Hearst Television, the station announced that a WMTW-produced prime time newscast would premiere on September 24, 2018.
Subchannels
The station's signal is
Channel | Res. | Aspect | Short name | Programming |
---|---|---|---|---|
51.1 | 1080i | 16:9 |
MAINECW | The CW |
51.2 | 480i | H&I |
| |
51.3 | 4:3 | ESCAPE | Ion Mystery | |
51.4 | 16:9 | STORY | Story Television | |
51.5 | 4:3 | QVC | QVC | |
51.6 | Nosey | Nosey |
References
- ^ TitanTV Query for WPXT
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WPXT". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ McClellan, Steve (September 9, 2001). "The WB inks two Fox affils". Broadcasting Cable. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
- ^ Neff, Andrew (September 25, 2001). "WCKD may lose baseball playoffs". Bangor Daily News. p. C7. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
- ^ Neff, Andrew (October 9, 2001). "Adelphia cable axes WCKD from lineup". Bangor Daily News. pp. C4–7. Retrieved August 27, 2012.
- ^ "Down East TV headed for new owner". Television Business Report. March 7, 2012. Retrieved March 7, 2012.
- ^ Seyler, Dave (March 12, 2012). "Second half of Portland ME TV JSA sold". Television Business Report. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
- ^ "Application Search Details".
- ^ "APPLICATION FOR CONSENT TO ASSIGNMENT OF BROADCAST STATION CONSTRUCTION PERMIT OR LICENSE". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. February 13, 2013. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
- ^ http://licensing.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/pubacc/Auth_Files/1540436.pdf [dead link]
- ^ "CDBS Print".
- ^ www.ourmaine.com
- ^ RabbitEars TV Query for WIPL
- ^ Miller, Mark K. "Hearst Buying WPXT Portland, Maine". TV News Check. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
- ^ "Notice" (PDF). CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
- ^ "Maine Duopoly Deal Done For Hearst". Radio & Television Business Report. September 21, 2018. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
- ^ a b "WMTW-TV adds 10 p.m. newscast on Maine's CW". WMTW. September 21, 2018. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
- ^ RabbitEars TV Query for KCCI
- ^ http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/475303-Original_Slate_Kickstarts_Tiny_Maine_Duopoly.php [dead link]
- ^ Malone, Michael (October 21, 2011). "Gannett's WCSH Portland to Produce WPXT News". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved October 21, 2011.
- ^ "WMTW moving to Westbrook studio occupied by WPME, WPXT – The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram". Pressherald.com. April 18, 2014. Retrieved October 12, 2015.
- ^ "RabbitEars TV Query for WPXT".