# WGTW 48 Philadelphia to TBN



## swing

http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/MB/Public_Notices/Brdcst_Applications/ap040811.txt

According to this filing (last one on the bottom), we can say good-bye to the current WGTW. It will switch to become a TBN affiliate. By that, I'll assume that DirecTV and Dish Network will drop the channel eventually for some mustcarry relief, possible because of a national coverage agreement with TBN.

The deal seems to be to bring about TBN on cable systems throughout the Philadelphia market, and a number of over the air households.

Not bad, but not that great either for an indy, the current WGTW schedule is of this sort:

6:00am Shepherd's Chapel 
7:00am This Is Your Day CC 
7:30am James Robison CC 
8:00am Mall Shopping 
8:30am Mall Shopping 
9:00am Rockford Files 
10:00am Streets of San Francisco 
11:00am Matlock CC 
12:00pm In the Heat of the Night CC 
1:00pm Carol Burnett and Friends 
1:30pm Carol Burnett and Friends 
2:00pm Hawaii Five-0 CC 
3:00pm A-Team 
4:00pm 21 Jump Street 
5:00pm Roseanne CC 
5:30pm Roseanne CC 
6:00pm Starting Over TVPG, CC 
7:00pm Family Feud 
7:30pm Family Feud 
8:00pm WWE The Bottom Line TVPG 
9:00pm Cheaters Repeat, CC 
10:00pm 48 Update 
11:00pm In the Heat of the Night CC 
12:00am Cheaters Repeat, CC 
1:00am WWE The Bottom Line TVPG 
2:00am Look at Me, America (1990) (NR) 
4:00am Matlock CC 
5:00am TuneZ 
5:30am Mall Shopping

In my opinion, TBN won't be better.


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## TNGTony

The TBN Deal at least on Dish really only extends to the owned and operated stations. The TBN affiliates that are independently owned are not covered under this agreement.

See ya
Tony


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## TonyM

their website is gone

www.wgtwtv48.com

They use to have the "block of wrestling" every night at midnight

bummer....


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## JohnH

TNGTony said:


> The TBN Deal at least on Dish really only extends to the owned and operated stations. The TBN affiliates that are independently owned are not covered under this agreement.
> 
> See ya
> Tony


Well, this is a transfer of control application in which TRINITY CHRISTIAN CENTER OF SANTA ANA, INC (AKA TBN) would be the new owners.

This is good. Would place them next to WBPH a Familynet affiliate on our cable system and maybe they will upgrade the technical so the station can maintain continuous operation.


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## swing

The programming flip occurs tomorrow.

In the same market, there are really rich stations (the network affiliated and owned stations), and the dirt poor independently owned stations.

Minority owner Dorothy Brunson was awarded this license over other applicants in the late 80s because she was a minority. The FCC wanted to increase diversity of broadcast ownership, and WMBC 63(New York market) and WGTW 48 were offered to minority groups. Brunson Communications sold the independent station, unable to make a profit and cope with the transition to digital television. It will now be in TBN's hand. The station released several employees. According to a Philadelphia Inquirer article, one of the TBN spokespeople said they will create some programming from the station's studios. TBN plans to move to a different studio though, than where Brunson used to be. 

From my understanding of what TBN does with its digital subchannels, they will carry The Church Channel on one of its digital subchannels.

WPPX 61 carries Pax-West, Praise TV and Worship, WUVP 65 (Univision) carries WFPA-CA Telefutura on its digital subchannel, and NJN carries PBS You and PBS Kids.

I would like WBPH 60 (FamilyNet) carried on the satellite services, now that Dish is unable to carry FamilyNet feed nationally. My preference would be 48 was FamilyNet, and 60 was TBN. I can't get TV 60 here. The WBPH owner says they can't afford the fiber optic feed to the satellite companies. It's about $6000/month(peanuts for a network station). As like the remaining independents, they are poor.


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## JohnH

Well, the "Wrestling" must go. I guess. 

Get both 48 and 60 on the Cable, here. 60 has Lafayette Football, which is nice.

I get the PAX digital, also.


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## TonyM

JohnH said:


> Well, the "Wrestling" must go. I guess.


yep
WGTW use to have the following wrestling programs
WWE
NWA-Wildside
XPW (Xtreme Pro Wrestling from Cali...owned by general scumbag Rob Black of porn fame)
CZW (Combat Zone Wrestling)
PWF (Premier Wresling Federation)
GLOOW (Georgeous Ladies of Outrageus Wrestling)
WXW (Afa the Wild Samoan's fed)
ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling...best fed EVER!!)

Heck, I don't remember all of them


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## TonyM

Does Dish have to carry it, since they already have TBN?


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## Adam Richey

I think at LEAST the FamilyNet affiliates that were pulled a while back will be put back on soon since the "we'll carry your national channel if you don't make us carry the local affiliates" is out the window.


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## swing

Here's an editorial related to WGTW:
http://www.impactwrestling.com/content.aspx?snum=3213

As for WBPH and FamilyNet, WBPH isn't an owned and operated FamilyNet station. It's indepedently owned and the owner doesn't have the sufficient funds yet for fiber carriage on both services local channel packages. WBPH actual broadcasts in the Allentown area, so its reception is poor in Philadelphia. The engineer tried putting up antennas at Echostar and DirecTV's point of presence, but couldn't get a decent signal.

WGTW on the other hand is a Philadelphia station (though licensed across the DE river in Burlington, NJ), and is now TBN owned and operated.

For channel impact for the local packages, Dish and DirecTV have to become aware of this changeover. Then, if their contract with TBN allows relief of all TBN owned and operated stations for mustcarry, they can drop it. If it was only existing TBN O&Os as of a specific date, then maybe not.

Very few cable companies were carrying TBN here. Only the Comcast in Philadelphia, TW and RCN in the city itself. The Comcasts of NJ and eastern PA (out of the city) didn't carry it. It was in my observation that the Comcast owners preferred EWTN over TBN. OTOH, DirecTV had offered TBN, and not EWTN originally.

Because of Comcast's lack of initiative to carry this free religious channel in our area, TBN wanted carriage and bought a TV license to mustcarry into Comcast. They also get over the air coverage through that too.


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## swing

BTW, are there any FamilyNet affiliates on 61.5 (or other ones that maybe mustcarry), not needing Sky Angel?


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## TNGTony

FamilyNet affiliates on Dish

KTFL TV 4 (FamilyNet) Flagstaff	KTFL	8334	7s6	119°
KTMW-TV 20 (FamilyNet) Salt Lake City KTMW	8542	9s7	119°

There are several others that were upliked to 61.5 but never made available to the public. They have since been pulled from the satellite.

See ya
Tony


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