WIIH-CA
Encyclopedia
WIIH-LD is a low-powered television station in Indianapolis, Indiana
. The station is operating on digital channel 8 (virtual channel 17). It was owned and operated by LIN TV
, and is a sister station to WISH-TV
and WNDY-TV
.
This translator serves those parts of the city that lost signal strength for WISH-TV due to the digital conversion of all U.S. full-power television stations in 2009. The translator and tower are located on the northwest side of Indianapolis, at the same site now used by WISH-TV: 7619 Walnut Drive (though the property is officially listed by the City of Indianapolis as 2500 Westlane Road). The translator's antenna was installed at the 162 meter level (AGL) of the tower and its signal has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 15 kW.
On January 13, 2011, the FCC cancelled WIIH-CA's license, on the same day WISH-TV started its fill-in translator operations on RF channel 17.
In September 2011, LIN Media filed an application to the FCC to upgrade the WIIH-LD license to Class A status. If approved by the FCC, WIIH's call sign will likely become WIIH-CD. Even after the upgrade, the channel will continue to rebroadcast the LWS signal from WISH-DT2.
In 2003, WIIH began carrying the programming of the Spanish-language Univision
network. Carrying the banner, Univision Indiana, the station began a daily local Spanish-language newscast, using the extensive news gathering and production resources of sister station WISH-TV
. The newscast was terminated in 2008 and almost all locally-produced content ceased on the channel at that time.
On May 18, 2007, LIN TV announced that it was exploring strategic alternatives that could result in the sale of the company.
On September 15, 2008, WISH-TV announced that LIN TV and Bright House Networks
had not been able to reach an agreement for carriage of WISH-TV, WNDY-TV, and WIIH-CA on its cable service. LIN eventually reached an agreement with Bright House for WISH-TV and WNDY-TV but not WIIH-CA.
By 2008, Indianapolis was the 57th largest market for Hispanic viewing in the United States. However, LIN TV's contract with Univision expired on December 31, 2008, and as of January 1, 2009, WIIH-CA no longer carried Univision programming. Bright House, Comcast
, and AT&T U-verse Broadband TV had received Univision programming from WIIH-CA; Comcast and AT&T then secured independent contracts with Univision, but Bright House decided to not pursue a contract with the network at that time.
On January 1, 2009, WIIH reverted to showing the English-language programming of LWS, Local Weather Station, until the analog Class A station went dark on September 9 of that year. LWS programming remained available on selected cable outlets as well as over-the-air on WIIH-CA's digital companion channel, WIIH-LD (RF channel 8, PSIP 17.1) and on WISH-TV's digital subchannel 8.2. With the conversion of the RF channel 17 license in January 2011, LWS is available over the air as digital subchannel 8.2 of WISH-TV, which is at present broadcasting on RF channels 9 (full power) and 17 (low power fill-in translator).
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. The station is operating on digital channel 8 (virtual channel 17). It was owned and operated by LIN TV
LIN TV
LIN TV Corporation is an American holding company that operates 31 television stations.-History:LIN TV's roots trace back to the founding of its former parent, LIN Broadcasting Corporation, in 1961. LIN Broadcasting was engaged in radio, television, direct marketing, information and learning, music...
, and is a sister station to WISH-TV
WISH-TV
WISH-TV, virtual channel 8, is the CBS-affiliated television station for Central Indiana licensed to Indianapolis. Owned by the LIN TV Corporation, WISH-TV is part of a duopoly with MyNetworkTV affiliate WNDY-TV and the two share studios on North Meridian Street at the north end of Indianapolis'...
and WNDY-TV
WNDY-TV
WNDY-TV is the MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station for Central Indiana licensed to Marion. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 32 from a transmitter in White River Township north of Strawtown. The station can also be seen on Comcast and Bright House Networks channel 10...
.
Present status
On January 29, 2010, WISH-TV filed an application to the FCC for a digital television translator station on WIIH's UHF Channel 17. It was granted a construction permit for this purpose on June 16, 2010.This translator serves those parts of the city that lost signal strength for WISH-TV due to the digital conversion of all U.S. full-power television stations in 2009. The translator and tower are located on the northwest side of Indianapolis, at the same site now used by WISH-TV: 7619 Walnut Drive (though the property is officially listed by the City of Indianapolis as 2500 Westlane Road). The translator's antenna was installed at the 162 meter level (AGL) of the tower and its signal has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 15 kW.
On January 13, 2011, the FCC cancelled WIIH-CA's license, on the same day WISH-TV started its fill-in translator operations on RF channel 17.
In September 2011, LIN Media filed an application to the FCC to upgrade the WIIH-LD license to Class A status. If approved by the FCC, WIIH's call sign will likely become WIIH-CD. Even after the upgrade, the channel will continue to rebroadcast the LWS signal from WISH-DT2.
History
First going on the air in 1988 as a low power station broadcast on VHF Channel 11, it received the call sign WIIH-LP in 1995. In 2002, WIIH relocated to Channel 17 in the UHF band and became a Class A low power television station (WIIH-CA).In 2003, WIIH began carrying the programming of the Spanish-language Univision
Univision
Univision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States. It has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to Nielsen ratings. Randy Falco, COO, has been in charge of the company since the departure of Univision Communications president and CEO Joe Uva...
network. Carrying the banner, Univision Indiana, the station began a daily local Spanish-language newscast, using the extensive news gathering and production resources of sister station WISH-TV
WISH-TV
WISH-TV, virtual channel 8, is the CBS-affiliated television station for Central Indiana licensed to Indianapolis. Owned by the LIN TV Corporation, WISH-TV is part of a duopoly with MyNetworkTV affiliate WNDY-TV and the two share studios on North Meridian Street at the north end of Indianapolis'...
. The newscast was terminated in 2008 and almost all locally-produced content ceased on the channel at that time.
On May 18, 2007, LIN TV announced that it was exploring strategic alternatives that could result in the sale of the company.
On September 15, 2008, WISH-TV announced that LIN TV and Bright House Networks
Bright House Networks
Bright House Networks is a cable television company, the seventh largest cable operator and the sixth largest traditional multiple system operator in the United States owned by Advance/Newhouse, headquartered in Syracuse, New York...
had not been able to reach an agreement for carriage of WISH-TV, WNDY-TV, and WIIH-CA on its cable service. LIN eventually reached an agreement with Bright House for WISH-TV and WNDY-TV but not WIIH-CA.
By 2008, Indianapolis was the 57th largest market for Hispanic viewing in the United States. However, LIN TV's contract with Univision expired on December 31, 2008, and as of January 1, 2009, WIIH-CA no longer carried Univision programming. Bright House, 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...
, and AT&T U-verse Broadband TV had received Univision programming from WIIH-CA; Comcast and AT&T then secured independent contracts with Univision, but Bright House decided to not pursue a contract with the network at that time.
On January 1, 2009, WIIH reverted to showing the English-language programming of LWS, Local Weather Station, until the analog Class A station went dark on September 9 of that year. LWS programming remained available on selected cable outlets as well as over-the-air on WIIH-CA's digital companion channel, WIIH-LD (RF channel 8, PSIP 17.1) and on WISH-TV's digital subchannel 8.2. With the conversion of the RF channel 17 license in January 2011, LWS is available over the air as digital subchannel 8.2 of WISH-TV, which is at present broadcasting on RF channels 9 (full power) and 17 (low power fill-in translator).