WZTD-LP
Encyclopedia
WZTD-LP is a low-powered Spanish-language television station licensed to Richmond, Virginia
. It is the market's Telemundo
affiliate broadcasting on analog UHF
channel 45. The station share studio facilities with PBS
affiliates WCVE-TV & WCVW
in Bon Air
, a suburb of Richmond
.
and then moved to channel 45. On July 21, 2000, Tiger Eye Broadcasting acquired the station and license from TV Broadcasters of Central Virginia. It became an affiliate of the America's Store
(a defunct shopping network owned by the Home Shopping Network
) after the sell.
On August 15, 2006, the station officially signed off
for technical reasons. Doing this time, ZGS Communications
purchased WKYV and 5 other stations from Tiger Eye Broadcasting in October 2006 for $2.15 million. In mid-November 2007, the station returned back on the air as an Telemundo affiliate, and changed calls to WZTD-LP on January 16, 2008.
During the morning of January 12, 2009, the station discontinued regular programming due to some technical difficulties with its satellite systems and service provider, Dish Network
due to bad weather (showers and thunderstorms) the day before. That afternoon the station temporary switched to English format from OnTV4U
, a 24/7
informerical network and reverted back to Telemundo programming on January 20, 2009 sometime after 2pm.
On January 16, 2010, it became the first station in history to broadcast the Inauguration of Virginia's new 71st Governor, Robert "Bob" McDonnell
live from the State Capitol in Spanish.
On April 25, 2010, the station began airing a variety of limited amount of locally produced programs ranging from real estate to religious to law advice, not produced by WZTD.
On July 14, 2011, ZGS filed for an construction permit extension which was approved by the FCC on July 18 that will now expire on February 13, 2012.
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
. It is the market's 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 broadcasting on analog UHF
Ultra high frequency
Ultra-High Frequency designates the ITU Radio frequency range of electromagnetic waves between 300 MHz and 3 GHz , also known as the decimetre band or decimetre wave as the wavelengths range from one to ten decimetres...
channel 45. The station share studio facilities with PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
affiliates WCVE-TV & WCVW
WCVE-TV
WCVE-TV is a Public Broadcasting Service member public television station licensed to Richmond, Virginia. It broadcasts on channel 23 and is owned by Commonwealth Public Broadcasting Corporation. The station is a member of PBS, of which WCVE-TV became a charter member. The station signed on for...
in Bon Air
Bon Air, Virginia
Bon Air is a census-designated place in Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States. The population was 16,366 at the 2010 census. The community is considered a suburb of the independent city of Richmond in the Richmond-Petersburg region, and shares a post office with Richmond...
, a suburb of Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
.
History
The station signed on December 9, 1991 as W61BZ and were located on channel 61. On February 22, 2000, the calls was changed to WKYV-LP to reflect the original location of licenseKeysville, Virginia
Keysville is a town in Charlotte County, Virginia, United States. The population was 817 at the 2000 census. One of two branches of Southside Virginia Community College is in Keysville...
and then moved to channel 45. On July 21, 2000, Tiger Eye Broadcasting acquired the station and license from TV Broadcasters of Central Virginia. It became an affiliate of the America's Store
America's Store
America's Store was a US shopping television network. It was the spin-off channel to the Home Shopping Network . On April 3, 2007, America's Store ceased broadcasting permanently....
(a defunct shopping network owned by the Home Shopping Network
Home Shopping Network
Home Shopping Network or HSN began in 1977 as a 24-hour/7 day a week home shopping television network televised via cable, satellite, and some terrestrial channels in the Philippines. HSN can also be shopped online at hsn.com...
) after the sell.
On August 15, 2006, the station officially signed off
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...
for technical reasons. Doing this time, 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...
purchased WKYV and 5 other stations from Tiger Eye Broadcasting in October 2006 for $2.15 million. In mid-November 2007, the station returned back on the air as an Telemundo affiliate, and changed calls to WZTD-LP on January 16, 2008.
During the morning of January 12, 2009, the station discontinued regular programming due to some technical difficulties with its satellite systems and service provider, Dish Network
Dish Network
Dish Network Corporation is the second largest pay TV provider in the United States, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to 14.337 million commercial and residential customers in the United States. Dish...
due to bad weather (showers and thunderstorms) the day before. That afternoon the station temporary switched to English format from OnTV4U
OnTV4U
OnTV4U is an American television network that airs a 24/7 infomercial format. It is currently under self-ownership...
, a 24/7
24/7
24/7 is an abbreviation which stands for "24 hours a day, 7 days a week", usually referring to a business or service available at all times without interruption...
informerical network and reverted back to Telemundo programming on January 20, 2009 sometime after 2pm.
On January 16, 2010, it became the first station in history to broadcast the Inauguration of Virginia's new 71st Governor, Robert "Bob" McDonnell
Bob McDonnell
Robert Francis "Bob" McDonnell is an American politician who has been the 71st Governor of Virginia since January 2010. A former lieutenant colonel in the United States Army, McDonnell served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1993 to 2006 and served as Attorney General of Virginia from 2006...
live from the State Capitol in Spanish.
On April 25, 2010, the station began airing a variety of limited amount of locally produced programs ranging from real estate to religious to law advice, not produced by WZTD.
WZTD-LP Today
- WZTD-LP is the first Hispanic television station in Central Virginia.
- Unlike some Telemundo affiliates, WZTD-LP does not broadcast local newscasts.
- The station does not have a website and was not listed on the ZGS corporate website for some time after its acquisition; indeed, ZGS did not formally announce the station's launch until December 2009.
- Outside of its Telemundo programming, the station airs a limited amount of local shows which begun on 4/25/2010.
- The station does not broadcast in digital. FCC regulations exempt certain low-power television stations from the 2009 analog shutdown.
- Telemundo Richmond is available over-the-air on channel 45, Comcast Cable channel 71 & 600 and Verizon FiOs channel 20.
- The station initially had no logo until December 2009, so it used the station's ID appeared on the top of the hour moving from right to left across the top of the screen. It was discontinued as of November 2008 then brought back a year later into January 2010.
Analog-to-digital conversion
Onda Capital, Inc. (ZGS Communications) filed a Digital Application for low-power digital broadcasting (LD) on August 27, 2008. On September 22, 2008, the FCC granted request for permission to digital flash-cut and gave the station until September 22, 2011 to complete the transition on the same channel.On July 14, 2011, ZGS filed for an construction permit extension which was approved by the FCC on July 18 that will now expire on February 13, 2012.