WNBJ-LD

WNBJ-LD
Jackson, Tennessee
United States
City Jackson, Tennessee
Branding NBC 39
Slogan NBC For Mid-West Tennessee
Channels Digital: 16 (UHF)
Virtual: 39 (PSIP)
Affiliations NBC & ASN
Owner Jackson TV, LLC
(Operated by Waypoint Media under an outsourcing agreement) [1]
Founded February 22, 2011
First air date October 2, 2014 (2014-10-02) (on Dish Network)
November 6, 2014 (2014-11-06) (Over-the-air)
Call letters' meaning W NBC for Jackson
Former callsigns W16DE-D (2011–2014) (construction permit)
Transmitter power 15,000 Watts
Height 78.334 metres (257.00 ft)
Class Low-power Digital (LD)
Facility ID 185218
Transmitter coordinates 35°36′11.3″N 86°47′52.2″W / 35.603139°N 86.797833°W / 35.603139; -86.797833
Website wnbjtv.com

WNBJ-LD is the NBC-affiliated low-powered television station licensed to and serving Jackson, Tennessee. The station is owned by Jackson TV, LLC, and it is broadcast on UHF channel 16 (displayed as channel 39 through the use of PSIP) It is branded as NBC 39. Their broadcast facilities are located at 101 North Highland Avenue in Downtown Jackson.

Within the Jackson television market, it is currently available over the air Channel 39.1 or on Dish Network channel 6 and DirecTV Channel 5, and on local cable systems, such as Jackson Energy Authority (JEA) Cable on channel 4 (basic) or in HD on channel 188.[2][3]

History

Plans for an NBC affiliate in Jackson originated with the 2011 acquisition of former TBN repeater W35AH channel 35[4] from the Minority Media and Television Council (an organisation designed to preserve equal opportunity and civil rights in the media) by New Moon Communications, as part of a package deal that also included former TBN repeaters in Dothan, Alabama; Jonesboro, Arkansas; and Ottumwa, Iowa. Of the four stations, only the Dothan station became NBC, but under different owners, as WRGX-LD. KJNE-LP Jonesboro was sold to Waypoint Media LLC, owners of Fox/CBS affiliate KJNB-LD (and is scheduled to become a satellite of that station),[5] while the licenses in Ottumwa (KUMK-LP)[6] and Jackson (whose transmitter would be re-called WZMC-LP) would later be cancelled, with the Jackson station cancelled in July 2013.[7]

The history of WNBJ-LD originates with the station's construction permit granted in 2011, under the call sign W16DE-D. The current WNBJ-LD call letters replaced their previous translator-style call sign on July 9, 2014.

In September 2014, it was confirmed that WNBJ would sign on as an NBC affiliate for the Jackson market.[8][9] WMC-TV in Memphis or WSMV in Nashville were previously the default NBC affiliates for the Jackson area via over the air with a very strong antenna, or through cable television. Some of the far northern parts of the local media market (e.g. Northern Gibson County north of Trenton) could pick up WPSD in Paducah, Kentucky until the DTV transition for full-power station took place in 2009.

On October 6, 2014, WNBJ went on the air first via Dish Network channel 6 at 11:30 a.m. CDT. OTA followed in November 2014 and Direct TV in January 2015.[10]

NBC was the last of the Big Four television networks to have a local outlet in Jackson. Currently, The Jackson Energy Authority's cable system still pipes in most of the major outlets in Memphis, including WMC-TV. CBS affiliate WTVF is the only Nashville-based media outlet offered on JEA's cable lineup, with WNBJ-LD replacing WSMV on cable channel 4.[3]

WNBJ was the second television station in the Jackson market to sign on exclusively in digital, about eight to nine months after WYJJ-LD.

Programming

General programming

Outside of the NBC network schedule, WNBJ-LD also airs syndicated programming such as The Doctors, The Wendy Williams Show, Inside Edition, Family Guy (a rarity for an NBC affiliate), Divorce Court, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Celebrity Name Game and others. WNBJ plans to begin airing local newscasts in 2016 and to have an official station website, supplementing its current official page on Facebook. It is unknown if the station will offer additional digital sub-channels, carrying supplemental services.

WNBJ airs a TV show called Exit82, which is produced locally by Red Art Studios. The show is a "concert/interview" format show that features "popular and up-and-coming musical talent from the Jackson and surrounding areas" who "perform original music".[11][12] The program is named after I-40's interchange with US 45 in Jackson.

WNBJ also airs "Harmony Road" and Tennessee Gospel Show that showcases traditional and contemporary Christian music and "Vertical Descent" a local hunting show produced in Chester County.

Sports programming

WNBJ serves as the Jackson affiliate of Sinclair Broadcasting's American Sports Network for college sports, though as with all major network affiliates carrying ASN, NBC's sports schedule takes preference over ASN. WNBJ also served as the affiliate for the Raycom Sports-operated ACC Network during the 2014-15 season.[13] In 2015, the station lost ACC Network to MyNetworkTV/Antenna TV affiliate WYJJ-LD, the Jackson market’s other low-powered commercial station. WNBJ, as an NBC affiliate, is also home to Sunday Night Football.

Coverage area

WNBJ is a low-powered television station with 15,000 watts of power, the station’s signal will give WNBJ a coverage area, comprising most of the Jackson market, or 94,110 television households and the far eastern portion of the Memphis market. The Jackson DMA consists of viewers living in Carroll, Chester, Gibson, Hardin, Henderson, and Madison Counties in West Tennessee. WNBJ’s signal would also cover parts of Crockett, Hardeman, Haywood, northern Fayette, and McNairy counties in the Memphis market. Hardin County is the only area within WNBJ’s home market that is out of its broadcast range, though it is possible for local cable systems to receive the signal by alternate means, such as a fiber-optic connection or via Dish or DirecTV.

References

  1. ↑ "WNBJ-LD JACKSON, TN".
  2. ↑ Jackson Energy Authority - JEA/EPlus Broadband Cable TV Listings November 25, 2014.
  3. 1 2 EPlus Broadband Cable Channel Line Up Retrieved November 25, 2014
  4. ↑ FCC document: "COMMENTS OF LPTV ENTREPRENEURS", December 17, 2010.
  5. ↑ Michael Buhler. "Three Rivers Association for Classic TV".
  6. ↑ "Broadcasting News-March 2014".
  7. ↑ "Request for Cancellation of License, WZMC-LP, Jackson, TN, Facility Id. 68047", July 30, 2013.
  8. ↑ YouTube.
  9. ↑ "RabbitEars.Info".
  10. ↑ Thomas, David (October 1, 2014). "NBC affiliate WNBJ channel 39 Arrives in Jackson". The Jackson Sun. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Security Check Required".
  12. ↑ "Security Check Required".
  13. ↑ ACC Network Has Expanded National Reach ACCNetwork84US.pdf
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