Atlanta Turner Broadcasting Tower
Encyclopedia
The Turner Broadcasting tower, built in 1967, was a 314.3 metres (1,031.2 ft) free-standing lattice tower
in Atlanta, Georgia
, next to the Downtown Connector
in midtown. It had a triangular cross-section, and was built on the site of a previous square broadcast tower built for WAGA-TV
5. As of December 2010, it has been disassembled, with analog WPCH-TV 17 having been discontinued by law in June 2009, and tenant
s WNNX
FM 100.5 and WWWQ
FM 99.7 moving their auxiliary/backup facilities elsewhere.
Although the tower was owned by Turner Broadcasting System
parent Time Warner
, it was on a land lease from Comcast
, a competing cable TV company. This is the result of WAGA having been owned by Storer Broadcasting
, while Storer Cable went through a series of acquisition
s that found it folded into Comcast. Storer leased the land to WJRJ, which later became WTCG when purchased by Ted Turner
, and was best-known as "superstation
" WTBS (now TBS on cable/satellite and Peachtree TV over-the-air
). Turner later sold his TV networks (including CNN, TBS, and others) and the TV station to Time Warner.
The lease apparently was on the condition that the tower be removed when it would no longer be used for broadcasting
, a condition which was finally triggered by the mandated shutdown of analog TV
. The digital TV transmission for WPCH-TV 20 (17.1
) is now from the North Druid Hills site, along with several other local FM and TV stations, including WWWQ FM 99.7. WNNX FM 100.5 is now back at the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel, where it was first located after being moved-in from Alabama as WWWQ FM 100.5, before briefly moving to the Turner tower and back again.
Lattice tower
A lattice tower or truss tower is a freestanding framework tower. They can be used as electricity pylons especially for voltages above 100 kilovolts, as a radio tower or as an observation tower....
in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, next to the Downtown Connector
Downtown Connector
In Atlanta, Georgia, the Downtown Connector or 75/85 is the concurrent section of Interstate 75 and Interstate 85 through the core of the city. Beginning at the I-85/Langford Parkway interchange, the Downtown Connector runs generally due north, meeting the east-west Interstate 20 in the middle....
in midtown. It had a triangular cross-section, and was built on the site of a previous square broadcast tower built for WAGA-TV
WAGA-TV
WAGA-TV, virtual channel 5.1 is an owned-and-operated television station of the News Corporation-owned Fox Television Network and based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
5. As of December 2010, it has been disassembled, with analog WPCH-TV 17 having been discontinued by law in June 2009, and tenant
Leasehold estate
A leasehold estate is an ownership of a temporary right to land or property in which a lessee or a tenant holds rights of real property by some form of title from a lessor or landlord....
s WNNX
WNNX (FM)
WWWQ FM 99.7, known as "Q100", is an Atlanta radio station airing a top-40 contemporary hit radio format. It is owned and operated by Cumulus Media from the same building as its other co-owned sister stations WNNX FM "Rock 100.5", W258BU FM 99.1 "99X", and W250BC FM 97.9 "Journey 97-9"...
FM 100.5 and WWWQ
WWWQ (FM)
WNNX is an Atlanta radio station that is owned and operated by Cumulus Media. The station broadcasts from the same building as its other Cumulus Atlanta sister stations WWWQ FM 99.7 and 99X...
FM 99.7 moving their auxiliary/backup facilities elsewhere.
Although the tower was owned by Turner Broadcasting System
Turner Broadcasting System
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. is the Time Warner subsidiary managing the collection of cable networks and properties started and acquired by Robert Edward "Ted" Turner starting in the mid-1970s. The company has its headquarters in the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia. TBS, Inc...
parent Time Warner
Time Warner
Time Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...
, it was on a land lease from Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
, a competing cable TV company. This is the result of WAGA having been owned by Storer Broadcasting
Storer Broadcasting
Storer Broadcasting, Inc. was an American company which owned several television and radio stations in the northeast United States. It was incorporated in Ohio in 1927, and sold its broadcasting properties in 1983.-1920s—1940s:...
, while Storer Cable went through a series of acquisition
Acquisition
Acquisition may refer to:* Takeover, the acquisition of a company* Mergers and acquisitions, strategy of buying and selling of various companies to quickly grow a company...
s that found it folded into Comcast. Storer leased the land to WJRJ, which later became WTCG when purchased by Ted Turner
Ted Turner
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III is an American media mogul and philanthropist. As a businessman, he is known as founder of the cable news network CNN, the first dedicated 24-hour cable news channel. In addition, he founded WTBS, which pioneered the superstation concept in cable television...
, and was best-known as "superstation
Superstation
Superstation in United States television can have several meanings. In its most precise meaning, a superstation is defined by the Federal Communications Commission as "A television broadcast station, other than a network station, licensed by the FCC that is secondarily transmitted by a satellite...
" WTBS (now TBS on cable/satellite and Peachtree TV over-the-air
Over-the-air
Over-the-air has several meanings, depending on context. *Generally, over-the-air is synonymous for wireless.*Specifically, over-the-air can have the following meanings or is used in the following contexts:...
). Turner later sold his TV networks (including CNN, TBS, and others) and the TV station to Time Warner.
The lease apparently was on the condition that the tower be removed when it would no longer be used for broadcasting
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
, a condition which was finally triggered by the mandated shutdown of analog TV
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...
. The digital TV transmission for WPCH-TV 20 (17.1
Virtual channel
In telecommunications, a logical channel number , also known as virtual channel, is a channel designation which differs from that of the actual radio channel on which the signal travels....
) is now from the North Druid Hills site, along with several other local FM and TV stations, including WWWQ FM 99.7. WNNX FM 100.5 is now back at the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel, where it was first located after being moved-in from Alabama as WWWQ FM 100.5, before briefly moving to the Turner tower and back again.
External links
- http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/AsrSearch/asrRegistration.jsp?regKey=606742