WRLH (New Hampshire)

Last updated
WRLH
Channels
Programming
Affiliations NBC
Ownership
OwnerUpper Valley Television Broadcasting Co.
History
First air date
September 1966 (1966-09) [lower-alpha 1]
Last air date
March 28, 1974 (1974-03-28)
Call sign meaning
White River, Lebanon and Hanover [2]
Technical information
ERP 10.48 kW [1]
HAAT 270 ft (82 m)
Transmitter coordinates 43°39′19″N72°17′43″W / 43.65528°N 72.29528°W / 43.65528; -72.29528

WRLH was a television station on channel 31 licensed to West Lebanon, New Hampshire, United States. It broadcast from 1966 to 1968 and again from 1971 to 1974 as an affiliate of NBC. Financial and technical woes sank the station twice.

Contents

History

In June 1965, Upper Valley Television Broadcasters, Inc., was approved by the Federal Communications Commission to construct a new television station. The year before, Upper Valley's application specified channel 49, [3] but successive national overhauls of the table of UHF television channel allotments moved the station to channel 57 by the time a permit had been approved and construction began for the station atop Crafts Hill. [4] By August, the call letters WRLH (for White River, Lebanon, and Hanover) had been selected, and an affiliation with NBC had been announced. [2] However, a second frequency change ordered by the FCC, to channel 31, held back completion of the facility by months because some equipment was custom-made for stations on a specific channel. [5] Final designation of channel 31 for WRLH came in June 1966, allowing construction to be completed. [6]

WRLH finally went on air on September 10, 1966, with studios atop Crafts Hill at the transmitter site and business offices in West Lebanon, New Hampshire. [7] Through its first stint on air, it struggled. The problems were out of the gate, and they began weeks before startup when the station's original source of network programming, WRLP of Greenfield, Massachusetts, lost its transmitter tower at Gun Hill near Winchester, New Hampshire, when an airplane crashed into it and damaged the tower to the point where it had to be taken down. [8] [9] The station was off the air for weeks at a time because of its inability to reliably receive NBC shows. [10] Trouble with network program reception led the station to invest in microwave equipment to improve picture quality. [11] However, it was on the air less than two years, ceasing to broadcast on August 23, 1968. [1]

In 1969, the FCC granted a transfer of control of the dormant station to Johnson and Whitman Communications, whose stockholders owned 50 percent of a commercial printing firm in Canaan, New Hampshire. [12] The Johnson was William R. Johnson, a Republican state lawmaker from Hanover who was an advisor to Governor Walter R. Peterson Jr. and called WRLH "a profit-making station that makes no profit". [13] However, the sale to Johnson and Whitman failed to close after Johnson was named a superior court judge, [8] and in 1970, the station was sold to two parties: Sconnix Radio Enterprises (owned by Scott McQueen and Ted Nixon and owner of WCVR in Randolph, Vermont) and two attorneys from Lebanon. [14] It returned to the air on August 3, 1971, again as an NBC affiliate. [15]

In 1973, the other owners ousted McQueen and Nixon as managers, and they soon sold their stock back to the attorneys, William Baker and Ridler Page. Facing mounting losses and continued technical issues, Baker and Page took WRLH off the air on March 28, 1974. [16] [8] An editorial in the Valley News declared that WRLH had been dying since its first moment on air. [17] On September 23, 1975, a public auction ordered by a bank sounded WRLH's final "death knell" and served as a "daylong requiem" for the venture as the station's equipment was sold in parts to the highest bidder. The tower on Crafts Hill went for $150 to a company seeking to start a paging service. [18] From a reported $200,000 in debt, creditors were still owed $50,000, including several employees. [18]

Channel 31 in the region was reused beginning in 1978 by WNNE, nominally licensed to nearby Hartford, Vermont. [19]

Note

  1. ↑ The Television Factbook lists September 26. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WNYO-TV</span> MyNetworkTV affiliate in Buffalo, New York

WNYO-TV is a television station in Buffalo, New York, United States, affiliated with MyNetworkTV. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group alongside Fox affiliate WUTV. The two stations share studios on Hertel Avenue near Military Road in Buffalo; WNYO-TV's transmitter is located on Whitehaven Road in Grand Island, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WSVN</span> Fox affiliate in Miami

WSVN is a television station in Miami, Florida, United States, affiliated with the Fox network. Serving as the flagship station of locally based Sunbeam Television, it has studios on the 79th Street Causeway in North Bay Village and a transmitter in Miami Gardens, Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WNCN</span> CBS affiliate in Goldsboro, North Carolina

WNCN is a television station licensed to Goldsboro, North Carolina, United States, serving the Research Triangle area as an affiliate of CBS. Owned by Nexstar Media Group, the station maintains studios on Front Street in north Raleigh, and its transmitter is located in Auburn, North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWBT</span> NBC affiliate in Richmond, Virginia

WWBT is a television station in Richmond, Virginia, United States, affiliated with NBC. It is owned by Gray Television alongside Ashland-licensed CW affiliate WUPV. The two stations share studios on Midlothian Turnpike in Richmond, where WWBT's transmitter is also located.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WMUR-TV</span> ABC affiliate in Manchester, New Hampshire

WMUR-TV is a television station licensed to Manchester, New Hampshire, United States, serving as the ABC affiliate to most of New Hampshire. Owned by Hearst Television, the station maintains studios on South Commercial Street in downtown Manchester, and its transmitter is located on the south peak of Mount Uncanoonuc in Goffstown.

WAND is a television station licensed to Decatur, Illinois, United States, serving the Central Illinois region as an affiliate of NBC. Owned by Block Communications, the station maintains studios on South Side Drive in Decatur, and its transmitter is located along I-72, between Oreana and Argenta.

KNDO is a television station in Yakima, Washington, United States, affiliated with NBC. It is owned by the Spokane-based Cowles Company as part of the KHQ Television Group. KNDO's studios are located on West Yakima Avenue in downtown Yakima, and its transmitter is located on Ahtanum Ridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRLH-TV</span> Fox/MyNetworkTV affiliate in Richmond, Virginia

WRLH-TV, branded on-air as Fox Richmond, is a television station in Richmond, Virginia, United States, affiliated with the Fox network. Owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, it has studios on Westmoreland Street in the North Side area of Richmond, and its transmitter is located at Bon Air near the studios of PBS member stations WCVE-TV and WCVW.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WUPV</span> CW affiliate in Ashland–Richmond, Virginia

WUPV is a television station licensed to Ashland, Virginia, United States, serving the Richmond area as an affiliate of The CW. It is owned by Gray Television alongside Richmond-licensed NBC affiliate WWBT and WRID-LD. The stations share studios on Midlothian Turnpike in Richmond, while WUPV's transmitter is located northeast of Richmond in King William County, 1.6 miles (2.6 km) west of Enfield. WRID repeats its main channel from the WWBT transmitter behind the studios in the inner ring of Richmond on its third subchannel, mapped to WUPV-DT6.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WVIR-TV</span> NBC/CW affiliate in Charlottesville, Virginia

WVIR-TV is a television station in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, affiliated with NBC and The CW Plus. Owned by Gray Television, the station has studios on East Market Street in downtown Charlottesville, and its primary transmitter is located on Carters Mountain south of the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WTVJ</span> NBC TV station in Miami

WTVJ is a television station in Miami, Florida, United States, serving as the market's NBC outlet. It is owned and operated by the network's NBC Owned Television Stations division alongside Fort Lauderdale–licensed WSCV, a flagship station of Telemundo. The two stations share studios on Southwest 27th Street in Miramar; WTVJ's transmitter is located in Andover, Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WNNE</span> CW affiliate in Montpelier, Vermont

WNNE, branded The Valley CW, is a television station licensed to Montpelier, Vermont, United States, serving the Burlington, Vermont–Plattsburgh, New York market as an affiliate of The CW Plus. It is owned by Hearst Television alongside Plattsburgh-licensed NBC affiliate WPTZ. WNNE and WPTZ share studios on Community Drive in South Burlington, Vermont, with a secondary studio and news bureau on Cornelia Street in Plattsburgh; through a channel sharing agreement, the two stations transmit using WPTZ's spectrum from an antenna on Vermont's highest peak, Mount Mansfield.

WITF-TV is a PBS member television station in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States, serving the Susquehanna Valley region (Harrisburg–Lancaster–Lebanon–York). It is owned by WITF, Inc., alongside the area's NPR member, WITF-FM (89.5). The two stations share studios at the WITF Public Media Center in Swatara Township ; WITF-TV's transmitter is located in Middle Paxton Township, next to the transmitter of CBS affiliate WHP-TV. WITF's programming is relayed on low-power digital translator station W20EU-D in Chambersburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WVLT-TV</span> CBS/MyNetworkTV affiliate in Knoxville, Tennessee

WVLT-TV is a television station in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States, affiliated with CBS and MyNetworkTV. It is owned by Gray Television alongside Crossville-licensed dual CW/Telemundo affiliate WBXX-TV. The two stations share studios on Papermill Drive on the west side of Knoxville; WVLT-TV's transmitter is located on Sharp's Ridge in North Knoxville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KTIV</span> NBC/CW affiliate in Sioux City, Iowa

KTIV is a television station in Sioux City, Iowa, United States, affiliated with NBC and The CW Plus. Owned by Gray Television, the station has studios on Signal Hill Drive in Sioux City, and its transmitter is located near Hinton, Iowa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KTVH-DT</span> NBC affiliate in Helena, Montana

KTVH-DT is a television station in Helena, Montana, United States, affiliated with NBC. It is owned by the E. W. Scripps Company alongside CBS affiliate KXLH-LD. The two stations share studios on West Lyndale Avenue in Helena; KTVH-DT's transmitter is located on Hogback Mountain. KTVH-DT operates low-power translator KTGF-LD in Great Falls, where Scripps also owns CBS affiliate KRTV.

KPAX-TV is a television station in Missoula, Montana, United States, affiliated with CBS. Owned by the E. W. Scripps Company, it is part of the Montana Television Network, a statewide network of CBS-affiliated stations. KPAX-TV's studios are located on West Central Avenue in Missoula, and its transmitter is located on TV Mountain north of the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WTSL</span> Radio station in New Hampshire, United States

WTSL is a commercial radio station licensed to Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. It airs an adult hits radio format and serves the Lebanon-Hanover-White River Junction area. The station is owned by Great Eastern Radio, LLC. WTSL also broadcasts Dartmouth College Big Green football and hockey games.

WGBS-TV was a television station that broadcast on channel 23 in Miami, Florida, United States, from 1953 to 1957. Originally established as WFTL-TV in Fort Lauderdale, it moved south to Miami when it was purchased by Storer Broadcasting at the end of 1954 and consolidated with a construction permit Storer bought for a Miami station.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "WRLH" (PDF). Television Factbook. 1972. p. 512-b – via World Radio History.
  2. 1 2 "A Page from the Voice & Vision Diary". Valley News. West Lebanon, New Hampshire. August 6, 1965. p. 19. Retrieved May 20, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "For the Record" (PDF). Broadcasting. September 21, 1964. pp. 108–109.
  4. ↑ "FCC Gives OK To Start Work On Local TV Broadcast Station". Valley News. West Lebanon, New Hampshire. June 29, 1965. p. 1. Retrieved May 20, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ Gallagher, William E. (January 29, 1966). "Local TV Station Waits For Final FCC Approval". Valley News. West Lebanon, New Hampshire. p. 1. Retrieved May 20, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ Gallagher, William E. (June 11, 1966). "West Leb TV Station Ready". Valley News. West Lebanon, New Hampshire. p. 1. Retrieved May 20, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "UHF Channel 31 Goes On The Air With NBC All-Color Programming". Valley News. West Lebanon, New Hampshire. September 8, 1966. p. 1-S, 3-S . Retrieved May 20, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  8. 1 2 3 Lambert, George (March 30, 1974). "Succumbs To Financial Woes: Channel 31's Screen Goes Blank". Valley News. West Lebanon, New Hampshire. p. 1, 3 . Retrieved May 21, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Dad, Son Killed When Plane Hits TV Tower". Valley News. West Lebanon, New Hampshire. August 16, 1966. p. 10. Retrieved May 21, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Notice". Valley News. West Lebanon, New Hampshire. December 1, 1966. p. 3. Retrieved May 21, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Local Channel To Improve Area Reception". Valley News. West Lebanon, New Hampshire. November 17, 1967. p. 12. Retrieved May 20, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "For the Record" (PDF). Broadcasting. November 24, 1969. p. 100.
  13. ↑ "Hanover's Rep. Johnson Defends His Close Ties To WRP, Absence From House Floor". Valley News. West Lebanon, New Hampshire. April 8, 1969. p. 5. Retrieved May 20, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ Leavitt, Sid (May 27, 1971). "WRLH-TV Shoots For July 1: Tri-Town Television Returning". Valley News. West Lebanon, New Hampshire. p. 1, 20 . Retrieved May 20, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "Slot 10 On Cable: Channel 31 Prepares For Tuesday Startup". Valley News. West Lebanon, New Hampshire. July 31, 1971. p. 1, 16 . Retrieved May 20, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ "WRLH Off Air". Valley News. West Lebanon, New Hampshire. March 29, 1974. p. 16. Retrieved May 21, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  17. ↑ "The Blank Screen". Valley News. West Lebanon, New Hampshire. April 3, 1974. p. 4. Retrieved May 21, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  18. 1 2 Clark, Susan (September 24, 1975). "Death Knell Sounds For Channel 31". Valley News. West Lebanon, New Hampshire. p. 1, 22 . Retrieved May 21, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  19. ↑ "Channel 31 Debuts; Staff 'Very Elated'". Valley News. West Lebanon, New Hampshire. September 28, 1978. p. 12. Retrieved May 21, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.