WDYR-CD (channel 33) was a low-power, Class A television station in Dyersburg, Tennessee, United States, owned and operated by Tri-State Christian Television. The station's studios were located on Upper Finley Road in Dyersburg.[7]

WDYR-CD
Channels
Programming
Affiliations
Ownership
OwnerTri-State Christian Television[3][4]
History
Founded1995; 29 years ago (1995)
First air date
1999; 25 years ago (1999)
Last air date
2011; 13 years ago (2011)
Former call signs
  • W33BO (1995–1999)
  • WDYR-LP (1999–2003)
  • WDYR-CA (2003–2011)
Former channel number(s)
Analog: 33 (UHF, 1995–2011)
Call sign meaning
Dyersburg
Technical information[5]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID17791
ERP15 kW[6]
Transmitter coordinates36°3′28″N 89°26′19″W / 36.05778°N 89.43861°W / 36.05778; -89.43861
Links
Public license information

History

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WDYR's application history began in 1995 under the callsign W33BO. The late Ray Ashley, Jr., senior law partner of law firm Ashley, Ashley & Arnold in Dyersburg and former Tennessee State Attorney General (1974–76) filed for the original application. Former Memphis TV news reporter Tommy Stafford, a friend of Ashley's, co-founded the station. By 1999, the station was on air and had launched a local news operation, titled Tri 33 News. The news aired at 6:30 a.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. CT, including anchors that had left nearby television stations in Jackson, Memphis, and Paducah to start the newscast.[8] The original anchors of the 6 p.m. newscast were Larry McIntosh (who formerly anchored in the Paducah market), Tiffany Carey, a former Jackson anchor, and the producer and weather anchor Carey Byars, who had previously reported nationally for the syndicated series AgDay. After a contentious meeting, original founders Ashley and Stafford found themselves at odds with shareholders in the company.

Outside shareholders had been brought in to give the station sufficient capitalization. However, some of these outside shareholders and the founders disagreed strongly on the direction the station should be headed. Ashley and Stafford did not feel their original vision was being followed. They left the board and eventually the company in early 2000. The news was gone by the summer of 2000, when the Tri-State Christian Television network acquired the station and began airing its network's programming, which was a mixture of Christian programming.

TCT surrendered WDYR's broadcast license in February 2013.[9] The station is now defunct.

Before the station left the air, WDYR-CD carried all TCT network programming, along with some syndicated shows such as Bridging the Gap,[10] Jack Van Impe Presents,[11] A Bible Answer (originating from an area church in Paducah),[12] Manna Fest,[13] and a few others.

Coverage area

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In addition to its Dyer County coverage, WDYR was also available to antenna users in parts of Crockett, Lake and Obion counties in Tennessee, as well as in Caruthersville, Missouri. In Pemiscot County, Missouri, including the Steele area and Mississippi County, Arkansas, including the Osceola area, the station was available on cable television via NewWave Communications.[14]

References

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  1. ^ Have you logged all VIRTUAL digital channels? WTFDA.org.
  2. ^ PROGRAM GUIDE - John Hagee Ministries
  3. ^ "The TCT Network" (PDF). Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  4. ^ Daystar Television Network Station List
  5. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WDYR-CD". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  6. ^ "Television station listings in Dyersburg, TN". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  7. ^ "Wdyr Tv33". MerchantCircle. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  8. ^ WDYR-TV DYERSBURG TN - Tri33 News at 6, first edition, retrieved January 27, 2024
  9. ^ "CDBS Forms". licensing.fcc.gov. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  10. ^ "The Kentucky Voice" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 15, 2012. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  11. ^ "State of Tennessee". jvim.com. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  12. ^ "News from Northside Church of Christ" (PDF). cocns.com. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  13. ^ "Mama Fest Broadcasting Schedule" (PDF). voe.org. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  14. ^ "New Channel" (PDF). newwavecom.com. Retrieved January 27, 2024.