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.
| ATSC 3.0 station | |
|---|---|
 | |
| |
| Channels | |
| Branding | WTBS TV 26 |
| Programming | |
| Affiliations | see § Subchannels |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Prism Broadcasting Network, Inc. |
| WANN-CD 29 (32.x) | |
| History | |
First air date | May 31, 1988 |
Former call signs |
|
Call sign meaning | Derived from the former calls of WPCH |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 53584 |
| Class | LD |
| ERP | 1.5 kW |
| HAAT | 37.6 m (123 ft) |
| Transmitter coordinates | 33°44′40.9″N 84°21′35.7″W / 33.744694°N 84.359917°W |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Radio station information | |
| Frequency | 87.7 MHz |
| Branding | La Que Buena 101.9 y 87.7 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Regional Mexican |
| Links | |
| Website | laquebuenaatlanta.com |
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 CW affiliate 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
editThe 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.[2] 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.[3]
Sometime between 2020 and 2022,[when?] La Invasora 87.7 became La Que Buena 87.7 and retained Its Regional Mexican format.
Subchannels
editThe station's signal is multiplexed:
| Channel | Res. | Aspect | Short name | Programming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26.1 | 720p | 16:9 | WTBS-HD | Estrella TV |
| 26.2 | 480i | 4:3 | 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 |
References
edit- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WTBS-LD". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ EXCLUSIVE: Steve Hegwood to shut off Mix 87.7 at end of January from Atlanta Journal-Constitution (January 26, 2019)
- ^ "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" (FCC 23-58, MB Docket No. 03-185, Adopted: July 20, 2023, Released: July 20, 2023)
- ^ RabbitEars TV Query for WTBS-LD