WTVQ-TV
Encyclopedia
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
(a.k.a. KY 1425) in the Brighton section of Fayette County. By coincidence, competitor WKYT-TV
's studios are just across Winchester Road from the Channel 36 facilities. Although WTVQ no longer broadcasts an over-the-air analog signal, it can be seen on Insight
cable channel 10 with a high definition signal on digital channel 908. It is owned by Morris Multimedia
. Syndicated
programming on the station includes: Judge Judy
, Judge Joe Brown, Entertainment Tonight
, and Extra
. WTVQ operates the area's MyNetworkTV
affiliate on its second digital subchannel. Known on-air as MyTVQ2, it is also offered on Insight digital cable channel 138 with a high definition signal on digital channel 917. Syndicated programming on this station includes: The Insider
, Cash Cab
, The Doctors
, and Seinfeld
.
WTVQ-DT is the official Louisville Cardinals
sports carrier in Lexington, broadcasting live all local games taped by WHAS-TV
in Louisville.
Digital channels>
Channel
Video
Format
Name
Programming
36.1
720p
16:9
WTVQ-1
Main WTVQ programming / ABC
36.2
WTVQ-2
"MyTVQ2" MyNetworkTV
36.3
480i
4:3
WTVQ-3
36 24/7 Weather
In February 2009, WTVQ-TV's digital signal remained on channel 40 when the analog to digital conversion completed. In 2002, WTVQ was the first station in Lexington to broadcast a digital signal.
), and was the third commercial television station to begin broadcasting in the Lexington market.
From the first day of operation, and because of its radio sister's affiliation with ABC, WBLG was the ABC affiliate for central Kentucky
. WKYT, the former primary affiliate with ABC, became the CBS
affiliate. Reeves Broadcasting went into bankruptcy and eventually White ended up as the sole owner of WTVQ-TV. In 1974, the station changed its call letters to the current WTVQ-TV after White sold the TV station to Starr Broadcasting company, while White retained ownership of WBLG radio. Eventually, Starr Broadcasting also went into bankruptcy. In 1979, Shamrock Broadcasting purchased the station from Starr Broadcasting. Shamrock was wholly owned by Roy Disney, nephew of Walt and son of Walt's brother Roy. In 1980, Shamrock installed a new 1.5 million watt
transmitter and moved WTVQ from channel 62 to channel 36 (channel 62 is now the home of WBLU-LP
). The station underwent a major renovation in 1985 that doubled the existing office space and created all new technical facilities. On January 30, 1992, Park Broadcasting purchased WTVQ from Shamrock Broadcasting.
In July 1995, Park Communications was sold to Gary B. Knapp and Donald R. Tomlin, Jr. under the name Park Acquisitions. Media General
purchased Park Acquisitions and its properties (including WTVQ) in January 1997. On February 26, 2002, it became central Kentucky 's first commercial television station to broadcast a digital television signal on UHF channel 40. Soon afterward, it became the area's first commercial digital television channel to broadcast programming in high definition. On October 29, 2007, Media General announced that it was exploring the sale of WTVQ. On January 22, 2008, the Lexington Herald-Leader
mentioned the sale of the station. That headline was confirmed on March 7 when Media General announced it reached an agreement to sell WTVQ to Morris Multimedia
for an undisclosed sales price. That price will likely be disclosed with either the FCC
or SEC though a media consulting analyst in the $30–35 million dollar range. The sale became final on May 13. In June 2008, Morris Network named Chris Aldridge as General Manager of WTVQ. Aldridge previously served as the station's General Manager from 1992 until 1999. It was announced on October 31 that WTVQ would air the entire MyNetworkTV lineup on its second digital subchannel, replacing WBLU-LP. On January 1, 2009, WTVQ-DT2 officially became a full-time MyNetworkTV affiliate under the branding "MyTVQ2". Right now, it simulcasts the 24-hour weather channel during overnights but will be fully programmed by April 2009. The station shutdown its analog signal at 11:59 P.M. on February 17. WTVQ-TV's official calls became WTVQ-DT on June 17, 2009
.
On December 1, 2005, WTVQ launched a 24-hour local weather channel on its second digital subchannel and Insight digital cable channel 436. It moved to a new third digital subchannel on January 1, 2009 when "MyTVQ2" launched. This coincided with a new nightly 10 o'clock newscast called ABC 36 News at 10 that competes with Fox affiliate WDKY-TV
whose 10 P.M. news is the highest-rated late local news in the Lexington market. In addition to the new 10 o'clock newscast on WTVQ-DT2, there are repeats of weekday newscasts that aired on the main channel. This includes the Noon news (at 1), the 6 P.M. broadcast (at 6:30), and the 11 o'clock news (at Midnight). WTVQ was the last major network station in Lexington to broadcast their local news in high definition
.
ABC 36 StormTeam
Sports team
Reporters
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
-affiliated 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...
for 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...
. It broadcasts a high definition
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
digital signal on UHF channel 40 from a transmitter located at the station's studios on the outer loop of Man o' War Boulevard
Man o' War Boulevard
Man o' War Boulevard, named after the racehorse Man o' War, is a 17-mile urban arterial, circling Lexington, Kentucky to its south. Its western terminus is at US 60 Versailles Road at Keeneland Race Course's main entrance, from which the highway heads southeast, intersecting with US 68 , US 27 ,...
(a.k.a. KY 1425) in the Brighton section of Fayette County. By coincidence, competitor 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...
's studios are just across Winchester Road from the Channel 36 facilities. Although WTVQ no longer broadcasts an over-the-air analog signal, it can be seen on Insight
Insight Communications
Insight Communications is the 13th largest multiple system operator in the United States with approximately 692,000 customers in the three contiguous states of Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio...
cable channel 10 with a high definition signal on digital channel 908. It is owned by Morris Multimedia
Morris Multimedia
Morris Multimedia, Inc. is a media company based in Savannah, Georgia, founded in 1970 by Charles H. Morris. Morris Multimedia, among the largest privately held media companies in the United States, is the parent company of Morris Newspaper Corporation and Morris Network.- Newspapers :The Morris...
. Syndicated
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
programming on the station includes: Judge Judy
Judge Judy
Judge Judy is an American court show featuring former family court judge Judith Sheindlin arbitrating over small claims cases in small claims court...
, Judge Joe Brown, Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight is a daily tabloid television entertainment television news show that is syndicated by CBS Television Distribution throughout the United States, Canada and in many countries around the world. Linda Bell Blue is currently the program's executive producer...
, and Extra
Extra (TV series)
Extra is an American entertainment television news program covering events and celebrities which debuted on September 5, 1994 in syndication. It is produced at Victory Studios in Glendale, California by Telepictures Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television Distribution...
. WTVQ operates the area's MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
affiliate on its second digital subchannel. Known on-air as MyTVQ2, it is also offered on Insight digital cable channel 138 with a high definition signal on digital channel 917. Syndicated programming on this station includes: The Insider
The Insider (TV series)
The Insider is an American tabloid television news program covering events and celebrities. It debuted on September 13, 2004 as a spinoff of Entertainment Tonight and started as a popular segment that took viewers "behind closed doors" and gave them "inside" information...
, Cash Cab
Cash Cab
Cash Cab is a TV game show devised by Adam Wood that originated in the United Kingdom and has been licensed to television networks in numerous other countries...
, The Doctors
The Doctors
The Doctors is a soap opera which aired on NBC Daytime from April 1, 1963, to December 31, 1982. There were 5280 episodes produced, with the 5000th episode airing in November 1981...
, and Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
.
WTVQ-DT is the official Louisville Cardinals
Louisville Cardinals
The Louisville Cardinals are the athletic teams representing the University of Louisville. A member of the Big East Conference since 2005, they are known nationally as traditional powers in men's basketball, women's volleyball, and dance team...
sports carrier in Lexington, broadcasting live all local games taped by WHAS-TV
WHAS-TV
WHAS-TV channel 11 is the ABC affiliated television station in Louisville, Kentucky. Owned by Belo Corporation, the station's transmitter is located in Floyd County, Indiana, near the community of Floyds Knobs...
in Louisville.
Digital television
720p
720p is the shorthand name for 1280x720, a category of High-definition television video modes having a resolution of 1080 or 720p and a progressive scan...
16:9
16:9 is an aspect ratio with a width of 16 units and height of 9. Since 2009, it has become the most common aspect ratio for sold televisions and computer monitors and is also the international standard format of HDTV, Full HD, non-HD digital television and analog widescreen television ...
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
In February 2009, WTVQ-TV's digital signal remained on channel 40 when the analog to digital conversion completed. In 2002, WTVQ was the first station in Lexington to broadcast a digital signal.
History
The station launched as WBLG-TV on September 7, 1968 and was located on channel 62. At the time, this was one of the highest full-power television channels assigned in the country. It was founded by Lexington area businessman Roy White and Reeves Broadcasting along with WBLG radio (AM 1300, now WLXGWLXG
WLXG is a Sports Talk formatted broadcast radio station affiliated with ESPN Radio.WLXG is licensed to Lexington, Kentucky and serves the Lexington and Frankfort area. WLXG is owned and operated by L.M. Communications, Inc.-History:...
), and was the third commercial television station to begin broadcasting in the Lexington market.
From the first day of operation, and because of its radio sister's affiliation with ABC, WBLG was the ABC affiliate for central Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. WKYT, the former primary affiliate with ABC, became the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliate. Reeves Broadcasting went into bankruptcy and eventually White ended up as the sole owner of WTVQ-TV. In 1974, the station changed its call letters to the current WTVQ-TV after White sold the TV station to Starr Broadcasting company, while White retained ownership of WBLG radio. Eventually, Starr Broadcasting also went into bankruptcy. In 1979, Shamrock Broadcasting purchased the station from Starr Broadcasting. Shamrock was wholly owned by Roy Disney, nephew of Walt and son of Walt's brother Roy. In 1980, Shamrock installed a new 1.5 million watt
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
transmitter and moved WTVQ from channel 62 to channel 36 (channel 62 is now the home of WBLU-LP
WBLU-LP
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...
). The station underwent a major renovation in 1985 that doubled the existing office space and created all new technical facilities. On January 30, 1992, Park Broadcasting purchased WTVQ from Shamrock Broadcasting.
In July 1995, Park Communications was sold to Gary B. Knapp and Donald R. Tomlin, Jr. under the name Park Acquisitions. Media General
Media General
Media General, Inc. is a media company based in the Southeastern United States. Its major properties include newspapers such as The Tampa Tribune, the Winston-Salem Journal, and the Richmond Times-Dispatch, as well as numerous television stations, such as flagship station WFLA-TV.The company was...
purchased Park Acquisitions and its properties (including WTVQ) in January 1997. On February 26, 2002, it became central Kentucky 's first commercial television station to broadcast a digital television signal on UHF channel 40. Soon afterward, it became the area's first commercial digital television channel to broadcast programming in high definition. On October 29, 2007, Media General announced that it was exploring the sale of WTVQ. On January 22, 2008, the Lexington Herald-Leader
Lexington Herald-Leader
The Lexington Herald-Leader is a newspaper owned by The McClatchy Company and based in the U.S. city of Lexington, Kentucky. According to the 1999 Editor & Publisher International Yearbook, the Herald-Leaders paid circulation is the second largest in the Commonwealth of Kentucky...
mentioned the sale of the station. That headline was confirmed on March 7 when Media General announced it reached an agreement to sell WTVQ to Morris Multimedia
Morris Multimedia
Morris Multimedia, Inc. is a media company based in Savannah, Georgia, founded in 1970 by Charles H. Morris. Morris Multimedia, among the largest privately held media companies in the United States, is the parent company of Morris Newspaper Corporation and Morris Network.- Newspapers :The Morris...
for an undisclosed sales price. That price will likely be disclosed with either the FCC
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...
or SEC though a media consulting analyst in the $30–35 million dollar range. The sale became final on May 13. In June 2008, Morris Network named Chris Aldridge as General Manager of WTVQ. Aldridge previously served as the station's General Manager from 1992 until 1999. It was announced on October 31 that WTVQ would air the entire MyNetworkTV lineup on its second digital subchannel, replacing WBLU-LP. On January 1, 2009, WTVQ-DT2 officially became a full-time MyNetworkTV affiliate under the branding "MyTVQ2". Right now, it simulcasts the 24-hour weather channel during overnights but will be fully programmed by April 2009. The station shutdown its analog signal at 11:59 P.M. on February 17. WTVQ-TV's official calls became WTVQ-DT on June 17, 2009
2009 in television
The following is a list of events affecting American television in 2009. Events listed include television show debuts, finales, cancellations, and new channel launches.-January:-February:-March:-April:-May:-June:-July:-August:...
.
News operation
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...
whose 10 P.M. news is the highest-rated late local news in the Lexington market. In addition to the new 10 o'clock newscast on WTVQ-DT2, there are repeats of weekday newscasts that aired on the main channel. This includes the Noon news (at 1), the 6 P.M. broadcast (at 6:30), and the 11 o'clock news (at Midnight). WTVQ was the last major network station in Lexington to broadcast their local news in high definition
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
.
Newscast titles
- WBLG-TV News (1968-1970s)
- Big 62 News (1970s)
- 62 NewsWatch (1970s–1980)
- NewsWatch 36
- The News
- TV-Q Eyewitness NewsEyewitness NewsEyewitness News is a style of news broadcasting used by local television stations in different markets across the United States. It refers to a particular style of television newscast with an emphasis on visual elements and action video...
(1980–1988) - NewsChannel 36 (1989–2002; 2003–2004)
- WTVQ 36 On Your Side (2002–2003)
- Action NewsAction NewsAction News is a local television newscast format in the United States. It was conceived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at WFIL-TV by then-news director Mel Kampmann in 1970 as a response to the "Eyewitness News" format used on rival station KYW-TV...
36 (2004–2008) - WTVQ 36 News (October 2008–April 2009)
- ABC 36 News (April 2009–present)
Station slogans
- "Hello, Kentucky" (1980–1988; used as part of Frank Gari's "Hello News" campaign)
- "The Heart of the Bluegrass" (1995–1997)
- "On Your Side" (2002–2003)
- "Dedicated. Determined. Dependable." (2004–2008)
- "Your LOCAL News Source." (November 2009–present)
- "Your Weather Authority" (weather slogan)
News team
Anchors- Doug High - weekday mornings Good Morning Kentucky
- Tom Kenny - weeknights at 5p, 6p and 11p
- Kristi Runyon - weekday mornings Good Morning Kentucky and noon; also health reporter
- Christine Winter - weeknights at 5p and 6p
ABC 36 StormTeam
- Jennifer Schack (AMSAmerican Meteorological SocietyThe American Meteorological Society promotes the development and dissemination of information and education on the atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic sciences and the advancement of their professional applications. Founded in 1919, the American Meteorological Society has a membership...
Seal of Approval) - chief meteorologist; weeknights at 5p, 6p and 11p - Geoff Cornish (AMS Certified Broadcast MeteorologistCertified Broadcast MeteorologistCertified Broadcast Meteorologist is a rating for meteorologists given by the American Meteorological Society.The Certified Broadcast Meteorologist program was established to raise the professional standard in broadcast meteorology and encourage a broader range of scientific understanding,...
Seal of Approval) - meteorologist; weekday mornings Good Morning Kentucky and noon - Lauren Jones - meteorologist; weekends at 6:30p and 11p
Sports team
- Dan Rieffer - sports director, weeknights at 6p and 11p
- Alex Risen - sports anchor, weekends at 6:30p and 11p
Reporters
- Mario Anderson - general assignment reporter
- Ryan Dearbone - general assignment reporter
- Jacqueline Sprague - general assignment reporter
- Greg Stotelmyer - senior political reporter