WBLU-LP
Encyclopedia
WBLU-LP was a low-power
television station
broadcasting on channel 62 in Lexington, Kentucky
. The station was owned by Equity Media Holdings of Little Rock, Arkansas
. WBLU's signal broadcasted from downtown Lexington and provided coverage that did not extend far past the developed portions of the city, although the signal could be picked up in neighboring Scott
and Bourbon
counties.
There was a construction permit to boost the current power of 4 kW to 42 kW on channel 62, which would have increased the viewing area into the neighboring cities that touch Lexington. The signal upgrade never took place as, while the station as a low-power broadcaster
would not have been required to broadcast in the new digital format at that time, channel 62 was reassigned for non-television use after the digital television transition
for full service
stations was completed in 2009.
), until 1980, when that station relocated to channel 36.
After WTVQ moved to channel 36, several organizations were petitioning for a license to broadcast on the channel 62 frequency, in the hopes of making it the fourth television station broadcasting out of Lexington (aside from KET
). Way of the Cross, Inc., which wanted to use it for Christian broadcasting
, was initially awarded the license, but, in 1983, channel 62 was awarded to Family Broadcasting Co., Inc., a for-profit group, due to their ability to build a stronger transmitter, which would carry the signal further into Eastern Kentucky. In 1986, a settlement between Way of the Cross and FBC was reached, which would allow Way of the Cross to broadcast 15 hours of religious programming each week, plus part-ownership of the station, while FBC would construct the station. Meanwhile, WDKY-TV
channel 56, based in Danville
with studios in Lexington, went on the air, making it the fourth station in the market.
Finally, after more than seven years of legal battles, the station, WLKT, went on the air on October 15, 1988 under FBC's ownership, giving Lexington two independent stations. The studio and offices were located in a small shopping center at 124 New Circle Road, Northeast. The transmitter was located on Clintonville Road, three miles north of U.S. 60
, in Clark County. WLKT ceased operations at 4:30 p.m. on June 30, 1989.
affiliate, airing infomercials and syndicated reruns outside of the network's hours.
In September 1999, WBLU added The WB as a secondary affiliation. The station aired WB programs off-schedule, weeknights at 10:00 P.M. and on weekends. Because of this, WB promos were usually deleted from the network's programs. The WB affiliation ended in September 2003, after WBKI (via cable
) became the WB affiliate for the Lexington market.
In September 2004, WBLU lost its UPN affiliation when WKYT-TV
established its digital channel, "UKYT" (now "CWKYT"). WBLU then became an independent station. For the next two years, the station’s programming consisted of syndicated programs, infomercials and public-domain movies (usually purchased at the nearby Wal-Mart
).
WBLU was purchased by Equity Broadcasting in August 2006. On September 5, 2006, the station became a charter affiliate of MyNetworkTV
. Equity also added programming from the Retro Television Network
(which it owned at that time) to channel 62 on the same day. Equity ceased staffing the station on January 1, 2007.
WBLU-LP went dark
on or about July 22, 2008 due to what Equity describes as "intermittent signal delivery issues"; the station reportedly resumed broadcasting on October 1, 2008.
The station lost its MyNetworkTV affiliation on October 31, 2008, after WWE Friday Night Smackdown's move to MyNetworkTV caused many of its fans to lose the program (in addition to the station's limited signal, the station is not carried by any cable systems); the affiliation moved to a digital subchannel of WTVQ-TV
. Additionally, the RTN affiliation was terminated on January 4, 2009, after a contract conflict between Equity and Luken Communications, L.L.C. (who had acquired RTN in June of 2008) resulted in Luken dropping all Equity-owned affiliates, including WBLU, immediately, though Luken vowed to find a new affiliate for RTN in the area; however, as of July 2011, RTN, since renamed "RTV", has yet to find an affiliate for the immediate Lexington area. Consequently, as of January 31, 2009, WBLU had switched to Retro Jams
, Equity's music video network. Like all Equity-owned stations, WBLU's programming originated via satellite from Equity's headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas, with no local staff or advertising content. The station went dark
permanently on March 4, 2009.
WBLU was sold at auction to the Daystar Television Network
on April 16, 2009, indicating that another programming change was planned. The station never resumed broadcasting under Daystar, and the WBLU license was cancelled on June 25, 2010.
Low-power broadcasting
Low-power broadcasting is electronic broadcasting at very low power and low cost, to a small community area.The terms "low-power broadcasting" and "micropower broadcasting" should not be used interchangeably, because the markets are not the same...
television station
Television station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
broadcasting on channel 62 in Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
. The station was owned by Equity Media Holdings of Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
. WBLU's signal broadcasted from downtown Lexington and provided coverage that did not extend far past the developed portions of the city, although the signal could be picked up in neighboring Scott
Scott County, Kentucky
Scott County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 47,173 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Georgetown.Scott County is part of the Lexington–Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
and Bourbon
Bourbon County, Kentucky
Bourbon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is the remnant of what was previously a much larger Bourbon County, established as part of Virginia in 1785, and comprising what are now thirty-four modern Kentucky counties...
counties.
There was a construction permit to boost the current power of 4 kW to 42 kW on channel 62, which would have increased the viewing area into the neighboring cities that touch Lexington. The signal upgrade never took place as, while the station as a low-power broadcaster
Low-power broadcasting
Low-power broadcasting is electronic broadcasting at very low power and low cost, to a small community area.The terms "low-power broadcasting" and "micropower broadcasting" should not be used interchangeably, because the markets are not the same...
would not have been required to broadcast in the new digital format at that time, channel 62 was reassigned for non-television use after the digital television transition
DTV transition in the United States
The DTV transition in the United States was the switchover from analog to exclusively digital broadcasting of free over-the-air television programming...
for full service
Full service
Full service is a term that has many different uses. In general the term implies that the customer will receive as much service as is reasonably possible.-Gas station:...
stations was completed in 2009.
Channel 62
The channel 62 frequency was originally used by a full-powered station, WBLG-TV (later WTVQ-TVWTVQ-TV
WTVQ-DT is the ABC-affiliated television station for Lexington, Kentucky. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 40 from a transmitter located at the station's studios on the outer loop of Man o' War Boulevard in the Brighton section of Fayette County...
), until 1980, when that station relocated to channel 36.
After WTVQ moved to channel 36, several organizations were petitioning for a license to broadcast on the channel 62 frequency, in the hopes of making it the fourth television station broadcasting out of Lexington (aside from KET
Kentucky Educational Television
Kentucky Educational Television, also known as KET: The Kentucky Network, is Kentucky's non-commercial educational public television state network...
). Way of the Cross, Inc., which wanted to use it for Christian broadcasting
Religious broadcasting
Religious broadcasting refers to broadcasting by religious organizations, usually with a religious message. Many religious organizations have long recorded content such as sermons and lectures, and have moved into distributing content on their Internet websites.While this article emphasises...
, was initially awarded the license, but, in 1983, channel 62 was awarded to Family Broadcasting Co., Inc., a for-profit group, due to their ability to build a stronger transmitter, which would carry the signal further into Eastern Kentucky. In 1986, a settlement between Way of the Cross and FBC was reached, which would allow Way of the Cross to broadcast 15 hours of religious programming each week, plus part-ownership of the station, while FBC would construct the station. Meanwhile, WDKY-TV
WDKY-TV
WDKY-TV, channel 56, is the Fox-affiliated television station for Lexington, Kentucky that is licensed to nearby Danville. Its transmitter is located southeast of the city. Owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group, the station has studios on Euclid Avenue in downtown Lexington.-History:WDKY began...
channel 56, based in Danville
Danville, Kentucky
Danville is a city in and the county seat of Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 16,218 at the 2010 census.Danville is the principal city of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Boyle and Lincoln counties....
with studios in Lexington, went on the air, making it the fourth station in the market.
Finally, after more than seven years of legal battles, the station, WLKT, went on the air on October 15, 1988 under FBC's ownership, giving Lexington two independent stations. The studio and offices were located in a small shopping center at 124 New Circle Road, Northeast. The transmitter was located on Clintonville Road, three miles north of U.S. 60
U.S. Route 60
U.S. Route 60 is an east–west United States highway, running from the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast in Virginia to western Arizona. Despite the final "0" in its number, indicating a transcontinental designation, the 1926 route formerly ended in Springfield, Missouri, at its intersection...
, in Clark County. WLKT ceased operations at 4:30 p.m. on June 30, 1989.
WBLU-LP
Channel 62 returned to the air on May 3, 1999, when B&C Communications first signed on WBLU. The station was a UPNUPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
affiliate, airing infomercials and syndicated reruns outside of the network's hours.
In September 1999, WBLU added The WB as a secondary affiliation. The station aired WB programs off-schedule, weeknights at 10:00 P.M. and on weekends. Because of this, WB promos were usually deleted from the network's programs. The WB affiliation ended in September 2003, after WBKI (via cable
Cable
A cable is two or more wires running side by side and bonded, twisted or braided together to form a single assembly. In mechanics cables, otherwise known as wire ropes, are used for lifting, hauling and towing or conveying force through tension. In electrical engineering cables are used to carry...
) became the WB affiliate for the Lexington market.
In September 2004, WBLU lost its UPN affiliation when WKYT-TV
WKYT-TV
WKYT-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station in Lexington, Kentucky, serving the east-central part of Kentucky. Through cable, the station also reaches much of eastern, southern & northern Kentucky. Its transmitter is located in Lexington, east of the intersection of I-75 & US 60...
established its digital channel, "UKYT" (now "CWKYT"). WBLU then became an independent station. For the next two years, the station’s programming consisted of syndicated programs, infomercials and public-domain movies (usually purchased at the nearby Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
).
WBLU was purchased by Equity Broadcasting in August 2006. On September 5, 2006, the station became a charter affiliate of MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
. Equity also added programming from the Retro Television Network
Retro Television Network
The Retro Television Network is a system of television stations that airs classic television shows as well as more recently produced programs...
(which it owned at that time) to channel 62 on the same day. Equity ceased staffing the station on January 1, 2007.
WBLU-LP went dark
Dark (broadcasting)
In the broadcasting industry, dark is a term used to describe a radio station or television station that has gone off-the-air for an indefinite period of time, or as defined by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission , a "silent" station...
on or about July 22, 2008 due to what Equity describes as "intermittent signal delivery issues"; the station reportedly resumed broadcasting on October 1, 2008.
The station lost its MyNetworkTV affiliation on October 31, 2008, after WWE Friday Night Smackdown's move to MyNetworkTV caused many of its fans to lose the program (in addition to the station's limited signal, the station is not carried by any cable systems); the affiliation moved to a digital subchannel of WTVQ-TV
WTVQ-TV
WTVQ-DT is the ABC-affiliated television station for Lexington, Kentucky. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 40 from a transmitter located at the station's studios on the outer loop of Man o' War Boulevard in the Brighton section of Fayette County...
. Additionally, the RTN affiliation was terminated on January 4, 2009, after a contract conflict between Equity and Luken Communications, L.L.C. (who had acquired RTN in June of 2008) resulted in Luken dropping all Equity-owned affiliates, including WBLU, immediately, though Luken vowed to find a new affiliate for RTN in the area; however, as of July 2011, RTN, since renamed "RTV", has yet to find an affiliate for the immediate Lexington area. Consequently, as of January 31, 2009, WBLU had switched to Retro Jams
Retro Jams
Retro Jams was a music video network that played music videos from the 60s, 70s, 80s, and early 90s. Established in 2007, it was owned and operated by now-defunct Equity Media Holdings...
, Equity's music video network. Like all Equity-owned stations, WBLU's programming originated via satellite from Equity's headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas, with no local staff or advertising content. The station went dark
Dark (broadcasting)
In the broadcasting industry, dark is a term used to describe a radio station or television station that has gone off-the-air for an indefinite period of time, or as defined by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission , a "silent" station...
permanently on March 4, 2009.
WBLU was sold at auction to the Daystar Television Network
Daystar Television Network
The Daystar Television Network is an American evangelical Christian television religious broadcasting network headquartered near Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Bedford, Texas...
on April 16, 2009, indicating that another programming change was planned. The station never resumed broadcasting under Daystar, and the WBLU license was cancelled on June 25, 2010.