WDLI-TV
Encyclopedia
WDLI-TV is a religious television station
licensed to Canton, Ohio
, serving the Cleveland
market on channel 17 (using PSIP to relocate from digital channel 49). WDLI-TV is an owned-and-operated station
of the Trinity Broadcasting Network
.
In 1971, the station began color broadcasts. At that time, the availability of religious programming was increasing. They began broadcasting such programming a few hours a day. The station was broadcasting from 1:00 p.m. to Midnight daily by 1973. The station continued to struggle.
When WKBF-TV
channel 61 went dark and its owners combined assets onto newly acquired 43 WUAB
, WJAN was unable to acquire any of the shows not airing on WUAB except for some religious shows. Beginning in 1974, WJAN added PTL Club and 700 Club to its daily schedule and began broadcasting religious shows nearly full-time.
In August 1977, Janson sold WJAN to televangelist Jim Bakker
, founder of the PTL Club
. Under Bakker, WJAN officially became a full-time 24 hour Christian station. The station dropped the 700 Club and added more PTL produced programming.
Bakker sold WJAN to the David Livingstone Missionary Foundation in December 1982; shortly afterward, its calls were changed to its current call letters, WDLI-TV. The station continued broadcasting the satellite PTL Network full-time.
Four years later, in March 1986, Livingstone sold WDLI to its present owners, the Trinity Broadcasting Network. At that point, PTL programming was dropped in favor of TBN programming full-time (though former owner David Livingstone's local non-TBN program still airs on WDLI).
The WDLI-DT digital signal is actually located in the western part of the Akron
area, in order to better serve the entire Cleveland
TV market. TBN constructed a new tower in the Akron suburb of Norton
, near other television transmission towers in the area near Akron's Rolling Acres Mall. The digital signal is able to be seen throughout the Cleveland market, unlike its analog signal, which had poor reception away from Canton.
On January 1, 2009, WDLI became included on most Cleveland area cable systems.
Like its full-power TBN-owned sister stations, WDLI ceased analog broadcasting on April 16, 2009, shutting down the former analog Channel 17 transmitter which was located in the eastern Canton
suburb of Louisville
.
Though the station's operations are now all located near Akron, WDLI maintains a city of license of Canton, and promotes itself as serving Canton/Akron/Cleveland.
On November 15, 2010, WDLI moved from digital channel 39 to 49 (though via PSIP it will still appear as channel 17) to boost their power even more.
, as well as W51BI serving Geauga
, Lake
, and eastern Cuyahoga
counties from a site in Kirtland
. Both translators have been closed by TBN due to declining support, which has been attributed to the digital transition; W51BI ceased operations on July 13, 2009, while W52DS left the air March 26, 2010.
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...
licensed to Canton, Ohio
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, serving the Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
market on channel 17 (using PSIP to relocate from digital channel 49). WDLI-TV is an owned-and-operated station
Owned-and-operated station
In the broadcasting industry , an owned-and-operated station usually refers to a television station or radio station that is owned by the network with which it is associated...
of the Trinity Broadcasting Network
Trinity Broadcasting Network
The Trinity Broadcasting Network is a major American Christian television network. TBN is based in Costa Mesa, California, with auxiliary studio facilities in Irving, Texas; Hendersonville, Tennessee; Gadsden, Alabama; Decatur, Georgia; Miami, Florida; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Orlando, Florida; and New...
.
History
WDLI signed on in 1967 as WJAN, a local independent owned by Janson Industries, offering a typical slate of local and syndicated programming. In its early years, they broadcasted in black and white only, as they couldn't afford color equipment, though most of the shows were not color anyway.In 1971, the station began color broadcasts. At that time, the availability of religious programming was increasing. They began broadcasting such programming a few hours a day. The station was broadcasting from 1:00 p.m. to Midnight daily by 1973. The station continued to struggle.
When WKBF-TV
WKBF-TV
WKBF-TV channel 61 was an Independent television station serving the Cleveland, Ohio market owned by a joint venture between Kaiser Broadcasting and Field Communications...
channel 61 went dark and its owners combined assets onto newly acquired 43 WUAB
WUAB
WUAB, identified on-air as "My43 The Block, WUAB", is the MyNetworkTV affiliate in Cleveland, Ohio. The station is licensed to the suburb of Lorain, and it shares a studio in downtown Cleveland with sister station WOIO, Cleveland's CBS affiliate. Its transmitter is located in Parma, Ohio...
, WJAN was unable to acquire any of the shows not airing on WUAB except for some religious shows. Beginning in 1974, WJAN added PTL Club and 700 Club to its daily schedule and began broadcasting religious shows nearly full-time.
In August 1977, Janson sold WJAN to televangelist Jim Bakker
Jim Bakker
James Orsen "Jim" Bakker is an American televangelist, a former Assemblies of God minister, and a former host of The PTL Club, a popular evangelical Christian television program.A sex scandal led to his resignation from the ministry...
, founder of the PTL Club
PTL
PTL may refer to:* The PTL Club, a defunct television program* PTL Satellite Network, a defunct Christian cable network on which The PTL Club was shown* Praise The Lord, a television program on the Trinity Broadcasting Network...
. Under Bakker, WJAN officially became a full-time 24 hour Christian station. The station dropped the 700 Club and added more PTL produced programming.
Bakker sold WJAN to the David Livingstone Missionary Foundation in December 1982; shortly afterward, its calls were changed to its current call letters, WDLI-TV. The station continued broadcasting the satellite PTL Network full-time.
Four years later, in March 1986, Livingstone sold WDLI to its present owners, the Trinity Broadcasting Network. At that point, PTL programming was dropped in favor of TBN programming full-time (though former owner David Livingstone's local non-TBN program still airs on WDLI).
The WDLI-DT digital signal is actually located in the western part of the Akron
Akron, Ohio
Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
area, in order to better serve the entire Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
TV market. TBN constructed a new tower in the Akron suburb of Norton
Norton, Ohio
Norton is a city in Summit and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 11,523 at the 2000 census.The Summit County portion of Norton is part of the Akron Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the small portion in Wayne County is part of the Wooster Micropolitan Statistical...
, near other television transmission towers in the area near Akron's Rolling Acres Mall. The digital signal is able to be seen throughout the Cleveland market, unlike its analog signal, which had poor reception away from Canton.
On January 1, 2009, WDLI became included on most Cleveland area cable systems.
Like its full-power TBN-owned sister stations, WDLI ceased analog broadcasting on April 16, 2009, shutting down the former analog Channel 17 transmitter which was located in the eastern Canton
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
suburb of Louisville
Louisville, Ohio
Louisville is a city in Stark County in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 9,186 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Canton–Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area.Louisville is also known as the "Constitution Town". -Geography:...
.
Though the station's operations are now all located near Akron, WDLI maintains a city of license of Canton, and promotes itself as serving Canton/Akron/Cleveland.
On November 15, 2010, WDLI moved from digital channel 39 to 49 (though via PSIP it will still appear as channel 17) to boost their power even more.
Affiliated translator stations
WDLI's signal was once retransmitted on W52DS in YoungstownYoungstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
, as well as W51BI serving Geauga
Geauga County, Ohio
Geauga County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 93,389. It is named for a Native American word meaning "raccoon". The county seat is Chardon...
, Lake
Lake County, Ohio
Lake County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of 2010, the population was 230,041. The county seat is Painesville, and the county name comes from its location on the southern shore of Lake Erie....
, and eastern Cuyahoga
Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Cuyahoga County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. It is the most populous county in Ohio; as of the 2010 census, the population was 1,280,122. Its county seat is Cleveland. Cuyahoga County is part of Greater Cleveland, a metropolitan area, and Northeast Ohio, a...
counties from a site in Kirtland
Kirtland, Ohio
Kirtland is a city in Lake County, Ohio, USA. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census. Kirtland is famous for being the early headquarters of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Origins of Kirtland:...
. Both translators have been closed by TBN due to declining support, which has been attributed to the digital transition; W51BI ceased operations on July 13, 2009, while W52DS left the air March 26, 2010.