WTVA-DT2
 | |
| Tupelo/Columbus/West Point, Mississippi United States | |
|---|---|
| City | Tupelo |
| Branding |
ABC WTVA (general) WTVA News (newscasts) |
| Slogan | Live, Local, Latebreaking. |
| Channels |
Digital: WTVA-DT 8.2 (VHF) Virtual: 9.2 (PSIP) |
| Affiliations | ABC (2012–present) |
| Owner |
Heartland Media (Mississippi TV License Company, LLC) |
| First air date | 2008 |
| Call letters' meaning | see WTVA |
| Sister station(s) | WLOV-TV |
| Former affiliations |
FamilyNet (2008–2011) MeTV (2011–2012) |
| Transmitter power | 16 kW |
| Height | 540.1 m |
| Facility ID | 74148 |
| Transmitter coordinates | 33°47′40″N 89°5′16″W / 33.79444°N 89.08778°W |
| Website |
www |
WTVA-DT2 is the digital subchannel of NBC affiliate WTVA for northern Mississippi and northwestern Alabama that is licensed to Tupelo, Mississippi, and is affiliated with ABC. It is owned by Heartland Media, which also operates Fox affiliate WLOV-TV through a local marketing agreement, and is available over the air in high definition on VHF channel 8.4 (virtual channel 9.2 via PSIP. Syndicated programming featured on WTVA-DT2 includes Rachael Ray, The Wendy Williams Show, America's Funniest Home Videos and Entertainment Tonight.
History
This channel's history began in 2008 when WTVA created this subchannel to air programming from FamilyNet, as one of the few major network affiliates in the United States to carry a subchannel-only affiliation with the network. On December 31, 2011, WTVA-DT2 switched its affiliation to Me-TV.[1]
On August 7, 2012, it was announced by WTVA management that WKDH would cease operations on August 31, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. after 11 years on the air;[2] the reason behind the decision to shut down the station was due to the Spain family (the longtime owners of WTVA) choosing not to renew its local marketing agreement with that station's owner, Southern Broadcasting. Following the announcement, Comcast had announced plans to import an out-of-market affiliate of the network on area cable systems.[3]
The move to shut down WKDH originally would have left the Columbus/Tupelo/West Point market without an in-market ABC affiliate. However on August 28, 2012, WTVA signed an affiliation agreement with ABC to carry the network's programming on its second subchannel;[4][5] upon the September 1, 2012 switchover to ABC, the subchannel began offering a schedule of local newscasts and syndicated programming during non-network hours. As a result of the move, the market's Me-TV affiliation was moved to the second digital subchannel of sister station WLOV-TV (resulting in then Me-TV sister network This TV moving to a newly created third digital subchannel).[6] In addition, WTVA also upgraded the subchannel from 4:3 standard definition to 16:9 high definition with the new ABC affiliation.[6]
Heartland Media announced on September 16, 2014 that it would purchase WTVA (and in turn WTVA-DT2) from WTVA, Inc.[7] Heartland Media assumed control of the station on February 11, 2015.[8]
Newscasts
With the addition of ABC network programming on WTVA-DT2, the subchannel airs local news programming as per the terms of its affiliation agreement, featuring simulcasts of most local newscasts seen on the primary channel. More specifically, WTVA's half-hour midday newscast at noon on weekdays and one-hour news and talk program Kay Bain's Saturday Mornin' Show are not seen on WTVA 9.2.[4][6]
References
- ↑ Where to Watch Me-TV: WTVA
- ↑ WKDH to end broadcasting, WTVA, August 7, 2012.
- ↑ Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal: "ABC affiliate to go off air", August 9, 2012.
- 1 2 "ABC Getting New Outlet In Columbus-Tupelo". TVNewsCheck. August 28, 2012. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
- ↑ "WTVA to broadcast ABC-TV". WTVA.com. August 28, 2012. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
- 1 2 3 ABC WTVA Information
- ↑ "Heartland Media Buying WTVA Tupelo". TVNewsCheck. September 16, 2014. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
- ↑ Seid, Dennis (February 11, 2015). "WTVA sale complete; new general manager named". Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. Retrieved February 11, 2015.