WPGX

Last updated

WPGX
WPGX.png
Wpgx bounce.png
Channels
Branding
  • Fox 28
  • Bounce Panama City (on DT2)
Programming
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
WDFX-TV
History
FoundedJanuary 23, 1986
First air date
May 1, 1988(35 years ago) (1988-05-01)
Former channel number(s)
Analog: 28 (UHF, 1988–2009)
Call sign meaning
Panama City and Gulf Coast's Fox
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID 2942
Class DT
ERP 24.1 kW
HAAT 217 m (712 ft)
Transmitter coordinates 30°23′42″N85°32′2″W / 30.39500°N 85.53389°W / 30.39500; -85.53389
Links
Public license information
Website www.wpgxfox28.com

WPGX (channel 28) is a television station in Panama City, Florida, United States, affiliated with the Fox network. The station is owned by Lockwood Broadcast Group, and maintains transmitter facilities on Blue Springs Road in unincorporated Youngstown, Bay County. Its studios are located on West 23rd Street/SR 368 in Panama City, though most of its on-air master control operations originate from Gray Television's WBRC in Birmingham, Alabama, its former sister Fox affiliate until the start of 2019.

Contents

History

The station, originally owned by Family Group Broadcasting, began operations on May 1, 1988, and aired an analog signal on UHF channel 28. Its previous owner, Waitt Media, sold WPGX to Raycom Media in 2003. At one point under Raycom ownership, WPGX previously maintained its facilities in Panama City on Luverne Avenue in a building (known as the "Fox Television Center") shared with a Suntrust Bank branch. In May 2010, it launched a website for the first time under Raycom's control. It mainly serves as an advertorial web address with various promotions from Panama City businesses and has limited station-related content, including FCC public file and EEO disclosures.

Atlanta-based Gray Television announced its acquisition of Raycom on June 25, 2018; Gray immediately put WPGX on the market, as it already owned WJHG-TV (channel 7). [2] On August 20, 2018, Gray announced that WPGX, along with fellow Fox affiliates WTNZ in Knoxville, Tennessee, WFXG in Augusta, Georgia, and WDFX-TV in Dothan, Alabama, would be sold to Lockwood Broadcast Group. [3] The sale was completed on January 2, 2019. [4]

News operation

At one time in the 1990s, WJHG produced a 9 p.m. newscast for WPGX. This was very short-lived, and Panama City was one of the few places in the country (and a very select group of Fox affiliates) not to have a prime time newscast of any kind.

In January 2010, local ABC outlet WMBB (then owned by Hoak Media) began producing local weather cut-ins for this station (recorded in advance) through an arrangement. Although there was speculation this agreement would eventually be expanded into a prime time newscast at 9, these plans never came to fruition at the time. The weather segments ceased airing at some point and this Fox affiliate resumed taped weather forecasts produced by WeatherVision, which had produced them before the arrangement with WMBB was made.

On June 1, 2020, WPGX debuted an hour-long weeknight 9 p.m. newscast produced by WMBB, titled Fox 28 News at 9:00. [5] This happened alongside fellow sister station WDFX in Dothan terminating their existing arrangement with former sister station WSFA. Like in Panama City, Lockwood contracted with Nexstar-owned WDHN to produce a locally-based 9 p.m. newscast in Dothan.

Technical information

Subchannels

The station's digital signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of WPGX [6]
Channel Res. Aspect Short nameProgramming
28.1 720p 16:9 WPGX-DTMain WPGX programming / Fox
28.2 480i WPGX-BN Bounce TV
28.3WPGX-GT Grit
28.4WPGX-CT Court TV

WPGX-DT2 was a charter affiliate of The Tube Music Network before its ended operations in October 2007. The subchannel was relaunched in 2013 to carry Bounce TV, with Grit joining WPGX on its third subchannel in September 2014 and Court TV joining WPGX on its fourth subchannel in May 2019.

Analog-to-digital conversion

WPGX shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 28, on June 12, 2009, the official date on which full-power television stations in the United States transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate. The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition VHF channel 9. [7] Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former UHF analog channel 28.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WECT</span> NBC affiliate in Wilmington, North Carolina

WECT is a television station in Wilmington, North Carolina, United States, affiliated with NBC. It is owned by Gray Television, which provides certain services to Fox affiliate WSFX-TV under a shared services agreement (SSA) with American Spirit Media. Both stations share studios on Shipyard Boulevard in Wilmington, while WECT's transmitter is located near Winnabow, North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KFVS-TV</span> CBS affiliate in Cape Girardeau, Missouri

KFVS-TV is a television station licensed to Cape Girardeau, Missouri, United States, serving Southeastern Missouri, the Purchase area of Western Kentucky, Southern Illinois, and Northwest Tennessee as an affiliate of CBS and The CW. The station is owned by Gray Television alongside Paducah, Kentucky–licensed Telemundo affiliate WQWQ-LD. The two stations share studios in the Hirsch Tower on Broadway Avenue in Downtown Cape Girardeau; KFVS-TV's transmitter is located northwest of Egypt Mills, in unincorporated Cape Girardeau County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WALB</span> NBC/ABC affiliate in Albany, Georgia

WALB is a television station in Albany, Georgia, United States, serving Southwestern Georgia as an affiliate of NBC and ABC. It is owned by Gray Television alongside low-power CW+ affiliate WGCW-LD. Both stations share studios on Stuart Avenue in Albany, while WALB's transmitter is located east of Doerun, along the Colquitt–Worth county line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WFIE</span> NBC affiliate in Evansville, Indiana

WFIE is a television station in Evansville, Indiana, United States, affiliated with NBC and owned by Gray Television. The station's studios are located on Mount Auburn Road in Evansville, and its transmitter is located in the Wolf Hills section of Henderson, Kentucky.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WTVM</span> ABC affiliate in Columbus, Georgia

WTVM is a television station in Columbus, Georgia, United States, affiliated with ABC. It is owned by Gray Television, which provides certain services to dual NBC/CW+ affiliate WLTZ and Fox affiliate WXTX under separate shared services agreements (SSAs). WTVM and WXTX share studios on Wynnton Road in the Dinglewood section of Columbus; WTVM's transmitter is located in Cusseta, Georgia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WBXX-TV</span> CW affiliate in Crossville, Tennessee

WBXX-TV is a television station licensed to Crossville, Tennessee, United States, serving the Knoxville area as an affiliate of The CW and Telemundo. It is owned by Gray Television alongside dual CBS/MyNetworkTV affiliate WVLT-TV. Both stations share studios on Papermill Drive on the west side of Knoxville, while WBXX-TV's transmitter is located at Windrock, Buffalo Mountain outside Oliver Springs, Tennessee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WVAW-LD</span> ABC affiliate in Charlottesville, Virginia

WVAW-LD is a low-power television station in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, affiliated with ABC. It is owned by Lockwood Broadcast Group alongside dual CBS/Fox affiliate WCAV. Both stations share studios on Rio East Court in Charlottesville, while WVAW-LD's transmitter is located on Carters Mountain south of the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WJHG-TV</span> NBC affiliate in Panama City, Florida

WJHG-TV is a television station in Panama City, Florida, United States, affiliated with NBC. It is owned by Gray Television alongside low-power CBS, MyNetworkTV, and Telemundo affiliate WECP-LD. The two stations share studios on Front Beach Road/SR 30 in Panama City Beach; WJHG-TV's transmitter is located on SR 20 in unincorporated Youngstown, Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WFXG</span> Fox affiliate in Augusta, Georgia

WFXG is a television station in Augusta, Georgia, United States, affiliated with the Fox network and owned by Lockwood Broadcast Group. The station's studios are located on Washington Road/GA 104 in the Lamkin section of Martinez, and its transmitter is located in Beech Island, South Carolina's Spiderweb section.

WDHN is a television station in Dothan, Alabama, United States, affiliated with ABC and owned by Nexstar Media Group. The station's studios and transmitter are located on AL 52 in Webb.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WKNX-TV</span> Independent TV station in Knoxville, Tennessee

WKNX-TV is an independent television station in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. It is owned by Lockwood Broadcast Group alongside Fox affiliate WTNZ. Both stations share studios on Executive Park Drive in Knoxville's Green Valley section, while WKNX-TV's transmitter is located on Sharp's Ridge, near the city's Oakwood section.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WFLX</span> Fox affiliate in West Palm Beach, Florida

WFLX, branded on-air as Fox 29, is a television station in West Palm Beach, Florida, United States, affiliated with the Fox network. It is owned by Gray Television, which maintains a shared services agreement (SSA) with the E. W. Scripps Company, owner of NBC affiliate WPTV-TV and Stuart-licensed news-formatted independent station WHDT, for the provision of certain services. The stations share studios on South Australian Avenue in downtown West Palm Beach, while WFLX's transmitter is located near Wellington west of US 441/SR 7.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WFXL</span> Fox affiliate in Albany, Georgia

WFXL, virtual channel 31, is a Fox-affiliated television station licensed to Albany, Georgia, United States, and serving Southwestern Georgia. The station is owned by the Hunt Valley, Maryland–based Sinclair Broadcast Group. WFXL's studios are located on Stuart Avenue in Albany, and its transmitter is located east of Doerun along the Colquitt–Worth county line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WCJB-TV</span> ABC/CW affiliate in Gainesville, Florida

WCJB-TV is a television station in Gainesville, Florida, United States, affiliated with ABC and The CW Plus. Owned by Gray Television, the station maintains studios on Northwest 43rd Street in Gainesville, and its transmitter is located near Micanopy, Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WTNZ</span> Fox affiliate in Knoxville, Tennessee

WTNZ is a television station in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States, affiliated with the Fox network. It is owned by Lockwood Broadcast Group alongside independent station WKNX-TV. Both stations share studios on Executive Park Drive in Knoxville's Green Valley section, while WTNZ's transmitter is located on Sharp's Ridge in North Knoxville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WTVY (TV)</span> CBS/MyNetworkTV affiliate in Dothan, Alabama

WTVY is a television station in Dothan, Alabama, United States, affiliated with CBS. It is owned by Gray Television alongside low-power dual NBC/CW+ affiliate WRGX-LD. The two stations share studios on North Foster Street in downtown Dothan; WTVY's transmitter is located in Bethlehem, Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WDFX-TV</span> Fox affiliate in Ozark, Alabama

WDFX-TV is a television station licensed to Ozark, Alabama, United States, serving as the Fox affiliate for the Dothan area. Owned by Lockwood Broadcast Group, the station has studios on Ross Clark Circle in Dothan, and its transmitter is located in unincorporated Wicksburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WMBB</span> ABC/CW affiliate in Panama City, Florida

WMBB is a television station in Panama City, Florida, United States, affiliated with ABC and The CW Plus. Owned by Nexstar Media Group, the station maintains studios on Harrison Avenue/US 231 in downtown Panama City, and its transmitter is located in unincorporated Youngstown along the Bay–Calhoun county line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WSFA</span> NBC affiliate in Montgomery, Alabama

WSFA is a television station in Montgomery, Alabama, United States, affiliated with NBC. It is owned by Gray Television alongside low-power, Class A Telemundo affiliate WBXM-CD. The two stations share studios on Dexter Avenue in downtown Montgomery; WSFA's transmitter is located in Grady along the Montgomery–Pike county line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRGX-LD</span> NBC/CW affiliate in Dothan, Alabama

WRGX-LD is a low-power television station in Dothan, Alabama, United States, affiliated with NBC, The CW Plus, and Telemundo. It is owned by Gray Television alongside CBS affiliate WTVY. The two stations share studios on North Foster Street in Downtown Dothan; WRGX-LD's transmitter is located in Bethlehem, Florida.

References

  1. "Facility Technical Data for WPGX". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. Miller, Mark K. (June 25, 2018). "Gray To Buy Raycom For $3.6 Billion". TVNewsCheck. NewsCheckMedia. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  3. Aycock, Jason (August 20, 2018). "Gray sets divestitures in eight more markets for Raycom deal". Seeking Alpha . Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  4. "Gray Completes Acquisition of Raycom Media and Related Transactions", Gray Television, January 2, 2019, Retrieved January 2, 2019.
  5. Ortega, Roly (June 11, 2020). "Catch-up post #4… WCSH/WLBZ and WPGX/WMBB". The Changing Newscasts Blog. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  6. "RabbitEars TV Query for WPGX". rabbitears.info.
  7. "DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 29, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2012.