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WBON-LD (channel 9) is a low-power independent television station licensed to Richmond, Kentucky, United States, serving the Lexington area. The station is owned by Wallingford Broadcasting, Inc. WBON-LD's studio facility is located on Big Hill Avenue in Richmond, and its transmitter is located near Waco, Kentucky, on a tower shared with co-owned FM radio stations WCYO and WLFX.
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| Channels | |
| Branding | WBON-TV |
| Programming | |
| Affiliations |
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| Ownership | |
| Owner | Wallingford Broadcasting Co., Inc. |
| History | |
First air date | November 29, 1993[1] |
Former call signs |
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Former channel number(s) | Analog: 9 (VHF, 1993–2010) |
| |
Call sign meaning | Wallingford Broadcasting On (TV) |
| Technical information[3] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 2231 |
| Class | LD |
| ERP | 3 kW |
| HAAT | 143.9 m (472 ft) |
| Transmitter coordinates | 37°39′35.9″N 84°8′59.7″W / 37.659972°N 84.149917°W |
| Links | |
Public license information | LMS |
| Website | wbontv |
History
editOriginally licensed in East Bernstadt, Kentucky, in 1991 as W09BZ, the station began life on November 29, 1993,[1][4] as an America One affiliate, but also providing programming from the Trinity Broadcasting Network on a secondary basis. For its first 20+ years on the air, the station was owned by Andrea and Joey Kesler, the latter of which was a former weatherman and sportscaster at Hazard–based NBC WKYH-TV (channel 57, now CBS affiliate and WKYT-TV semi-satellite WYMT-TV) in the 1980s.[5]
The station's callsign was changed to WOBZ-LP in 2000. The station then became affiliated with Urban America Television in 2001, and stayed with that network until that network closed in 2006.[6] It switched to the Retro Television Network as its affiliated network, but also launched a second subchannel to carry Frost Great Outdoors network programming. The station's third subchannel aired programming from Luken Communications–owned Tuff TV beginning in the early 2010s, along with Jewelry Television programming during the overnight hours. Upon the station's conversion to digital in 2010, the station replaced the "-LP" suffix in its callsign with "-LD" to become WOBZ-LD.
Tower collapse
editOn January 29, 2008, the tower used by WOBZ-LP and radio station WJJA-LP collapsed during a storm. The station continued to be seen on London cable and over the internet. Station management hoped to build a new tower by April of that year, which they did.
New affiliation and ownership
editIn 2016, the station's main digital subchannel became an affiliate of Buzzr, featuring FremantleMedia's classic game show library. In 2018, the station was sold to its current owner, Wallingford Broadcasting.[7]
Relocation to Richmond
editUnder new ownership, the station applied with the FCC to relocate its studio and transmission facilities to Richmond in early 2019. It was granted a construction permit in February 2019 to relocate as well as to upgrade its signal power to 3,000 watts. On July 11 of the same year, the station's callsign changed to the current WBON-LD. The move was completed in April 2020, and the station now operates under full license to cover from Richmond as WBON-LD.
Even after the relocation and renaming, the WOBZ YouTube channel, which was launched in March 2012, can still be accessed in the present day.[8]
Locally-based programming
editWBON-LD currently provides local programming, including KHSAA-sanctioned high school football and basketball games, a daily local newscast called Live at Five among other locally produced and seasonal programming, and some syndicated programming, some of which is compliant with the FCC's children's television programming requirements.
In the 2000s as WOBZ-LP/LD, the station was the southeastern Kentucky home to Ohio Valley Wrestling originating from WBKI-TV in Louisville.
Subchannels
editThe station's signal is multiplexed:
| Channel | Res. | Aspect | Short name | Programming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.1 | 720p | 16:9 | WBON TV | Independent |
| 9.2 | 480i | BUZZR | Buzzr | |
| 9.3 | Hrtland | Heartland | ||
| 9.4 | RETRO | Retro TV |
References
edit- ^ a b "Index". WOBZ-TV 9. Archived from the original on October 10, 2004. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
- ^ "Local Stations in Kentucky". America One. Archived from the original on February 6, 2003. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WBON-LD". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ Makres, Dakota (September 27, 2020). "Former Hazard TV anchor dies at age 63, son remembers legacy". WYMT.com. Gray Television. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
- ^ "WOBZ Channel 9". Archived from the original on February 6, 2003. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
- ^ "Programming Schedule". WOBZ-TV 9. Archived from the original on October 9, 2004. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
- ^ House, Denis (December 28, 2018). "After 25 years, Kesler sells WOBZ". London Sentinel-Echo. London, Kentucky. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
- ^ "WOBZTV9". YouTube. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
- ^ "RabbitEars TV Query for WBON". RabbitEars.info. Retrieved May 25, 2024.