WTMU-LP
Encyclopedia
WTMU-LP is a low-power
television station
serving the Boston market. It is owned by ZGS Communications
, and serves as the Telemundo
affiliate for Boston and immediate suburbs. WTMU's programming is also available in southern New Hampshire
and Boston's northern suburbs via a full-power satellite station, WNEU
channel 34 (although ZGS considers WNEU to be the primary). The station has a construction permit
to broadcast a digital
signal on channel 46, and is currently silent
pending construction of this facility.
, giving it a chance to better compete with WUNI
, the established Spanish station in the area. Originally owned by Telemundo itself, W32AY was sold to ZGS in 2001. In February 2002, W32AY became WTMU-LP, and on July 1, WWDP discontinued its relay of the station.
In December 2002, NBC
(who acquired Telemundo several months earlier) purchased WPXB (now WNEU
), and converted it to a new WTMU relay, as it is today.
For a time in the mid-2000s, WTMU was off-the-air
, as channel 32 had been assigned to WBPX-TV for its digital signal, and the station's attempt to move to channel 67 was hindered by interference from WBPX's now-defunct analog signal on channel 68. WTMU returned in December 2006; it reduced its power and relocated its transmitter to alleviate the interference.
Although low-power stations were exempt from the 2009 analog shutdown
that full-service stations were subject to, WTMU initiated plans for a digital signal on October 27, 2006 by applying for a construction permit for a digital companion channel on VHF
channel 3. On August 28, 2008, WTMU changed its plans and applied to flash-cut
to channel 42, which was to have become available after WHDH-TV
moved its digital signal to channel 7; the original application was dismissed by the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) on March 27, 2009, but a new application was filed on May 21. A move was necessary, as the spectrum that channel 67 is located within had been auctioned off and was being removed from the television bandplan
.
Before WTMU's application could be approved, WHDH requested to return its digital signal to channel 42, leading to WTMU withdrawing its application for the channel on August 24 and filing instead to move to channel 46; the FCC dismissed the channel 42 application on August 26, 2009, at the same time also canceling the construction permit for the previously-proposed digital companion channel. In the meantime, WTMU was unable to get a digital signal on the air before being forced to terminate the analog signal on April 9, 2010, resulting in the station suspending operations.
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...
serving the Boston market. It is owned by ZGS Communications
ZGS Communications
ZGS Communications, also referred to as the ZGS Group or ZGS Broadcasting, is a television and radio station operator in the United States, based in Arlington, Virginia. The company operates 18 stations: 15 television stations , and 3 radio stations...
, and serves as the Telemundo
Telemundo
Telemundo is an American television network that broadcasts in Spanish. The network is the second-largest Spanish-language content producer in the world, and the second-largest Spanish-language network in the United States, behind Univision....
affiliate for Boston and immediate suburbs. WTMU's programming is also available in southern New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
and Boston's northern suburbs via a full-power satellite station, WNEU
WNEU
WNEU is the Telemundo affiliate serving the Boston market, licensed to Merrimack, New Hampshire. The station is owned by NBCUniversal, but is controlled by ZGS Communications as a full-power relay of WTMU-LP, primarily serving Boston's northern suburbs and southern New Hampshire.WNEU-DT is one of...
channel 34 (although ZGS considers WNEU to be the primary). The station has a construction permit
Construction permit
A construction permit or building permit is a permit required in most jurisdictions for new construction, or adding on to pre-existing structures, and in some cases for major renovations. Generally, the new construction must be inspected during construction and after completion to ensure compliance...
to broadcast a digital
Digital terrestrial television
Digital terrestrial television is the technological evolution of broadcast television and advance from analog television, which broadcasts land-based signals...
signal on channel 46, and is currently silent
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...
pending construction of this facility.
History
WTMU-LP signed on in April 1995 as W32AY, operating on channel 32. In September 2000, the station began to relay its programs on WWDPWWDP
WWDP is a television station in the United States, serving the Boston, Massachusetts market. The station broadcasts on digital VHF channel 10. It is licensed to Norwell, Massachusetts, airs home shopping programs from ShopNBC, and is owned by ValueVision Media.-19861988: WRYT:WWDP first signed on...
, giving it a chance to better compete with WUNI
WUNI
WUNI, digital channel 29, is the Univision television affiliate for the Greater Boston market. Licensed to Worcester, Massachusetts, the station runs general Spanish entertainment programs as well as news and information programming...
, the established Spanish station in the area. Originally owned by Telemundo itself, W32AY was sold to ZGS in 2001. In February 2002, W32AY became WTMU-LP, and on July 1, WWDP discontinued its relay of the station.
In December 2002, NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
(who acquired Telemundo several months earlier) purchased WPXB (now WNEU
WNEU
WNEU is the Telemundo affiliate serving the Boston market, licensed to Merrimack, New Hampshire. The station is owned by NBCUniversal, but is controlled by ZGS Communications as a full-power relay of WTMU-LP, primarily serving Boston's northern suburbs and southern New Hampshire.WNEU-DT is one of...
), and converted it to a new WTMU relay, as it is today.
For a time in the mid-2000s, WTMU was off-the-air
Off-the-air
In telecommunication, the term off-air or off-the-air has the following meanings:# In radio communications systems, pertaining to a radio station or television station that is completely shut down, i.e. that is not transmitting any signal, not even an un-modulated carrier wave...
, as channel 32 had been assigned to WBPX-TV for its digital signal, and the station's attempt to move to channel 67 was hindered by interference from WBPX's now-defunct analog signal on channel 68. WTMU returned in December 2006; it reduced its power and relocated its transmitter to alleviate the interference.
Although low-power stations were exempt from the 2009 analog shutdown
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...
that full-service stations were subject to, WTMU initiated plans for a digital signal on October 27, 2006 by applying for a construction permit for a digital companion channel on VHF
Very high frequency
Very high frequency is the radio frequency range from 30 MHz to 300 MHz. Frequencies immediately below VHF are denoted High frequency , and the next higher frequencies are known as Ultra high frequency...
channel 3. On August 28, 2008, WTMU changed its plans and applied to flash-cut
Flash-cut
A flash-cut, also called flash-cutover, is an immediate change in a complex system, with no phase-in period.Some telephone area codes were split immediately, rather than being phased in with a permissive dialing period. An example is telephone area code 213, which was split into 213 and 714 all at...
to channel 42, which was to have become available after WHDH-TV
WHDH-TV
WHDH, digital channel 42 , is an NBC-affiliated television station in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest NBC station not owned by the network. Owned by Sunbeam Television, WHDH is a sister station to CW affiliate WLVI...
moved its digital signal to channel 7; the original application was dismissed by the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) on March 27, 2009, but a new application was filed on May 21. A move was necessary, as the spectrum that channel 67 is located within had been auctioned off and was being removed from the television bandplan
Bandplan
A bandplan or band plan is a plan for using a particular band of radio frequencies, that are a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum . Each bandplan defines the frequency range to be included, how channels are to be defined, and what will be carried on those channels...
.
Before WTMU's application could be approved, WHDH requested to return its digital signal to channel 42, leading to WTMU withdrawing its application for the channel on August 24 and filing instead to move to channel 46; the FCC dismissed the channel 42 application on August 26, 2009, at the same time also canceling the construction permit for the previously-proposed digital companion channel. In the meantime, WTMU was unable to get a digital signal on the air before being forced to terminate the analog signal on April 9, 2010, resulting in the station suspending operations.
External links
- WNEU website
- WNEU advertising sales website (active, but has not been updated since 2006)