WZPX
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| WZPX | |
|---|---|
| Battle Creek, Michigan | |
| Branding | ION Television |
| Channels | Analog: 43 (UHF) Digital: 44 (UHF) |
| Affiliations | ION Television |
| Owner | ION Media Networks |
| Founded | October 11, 1996 |
| Former callsigns | WJUE, WILV |
| Former affiliations | UPN (through 1999) The WB (1999-9/2006) |
| Website | www.ionline.tv |
WZPX is a television station affiliated with the ION Television network (formerly PAX and i). It broadcasts on analog UHF channel 43 and digital channel 44 in the Grand Rapids and Lansing / Jackson, Michigan markets. The station is licensed to Battle Creek, Michigan and is owned by ION Media Networks (formerly Paxson Communications).
Contents |
WZPX went on the air on October 11, 1996 under the call letters of WJUE, carrying infomercials. The transmitter is in Vermontville Township in western Eaton County. Within a short period of time the station changed call letters to WILV. When the PAX network was launched in August 1998, the station took the call letters WZPX. For a time WZPX also carried programming from UPN, but on August 31, 1999 UPN programming moved to WXSP. On October 6 of that year, WZPX added the WB to its programming.
As both the WB and "i" networks offered prime time programming on weekdays, WZPX had a scheduling conflict for WZPX during its WB affiliation. It carried the "i" programs on the same days and times as other stations, and the WB programs 22 hours later than other WB affiliates. For example, a WB program aired Tuesdays at 8pm in other markets is aired on Wednesdays at 6pm on WZPX; promotional spots for these programs announce their local time slots. The station carried a brief announcement when switching from one network's programming to the other's. In part because the station had the added draw of WB programming, WZPX was at one point one of the "i" network's highest rated affiliates.
Due to the closure of The WB on September 17, 2006, WZPX is now solely an ION affiliate.
Lansing and Jackson are within coverage of two ION stations: WZPX and Ann Arbor's WPXD-TV, which also serves Detroit. WPXD's transmitter in northwestern Washtenaw County is actually closer to Lansing and Jackson than to Detroit. However, WZPX's transmitter is in Vermontville Township in western Eaton County, which is within the Lansing broadcast market, and federal "must-carry" rules require Comcast cable systems in Lansing and Jackson to carry WZPX instead of WPXD. ([1], [2])
The CW Television Network began broadcasting in Fall 2006; the network was the result of the merger of the WB and UPN networks. It was announced on April 4, 2006 that CBS affiliate WWMT (Channel 3) would carry the CW on digital subchannel 2.2 / 3.2, making WZPX an i-only station [3]. WXSP-CA will carry programming from Fox's new television service, My Network TV [4].
WZPX's original licensee was Horizon Broadcasting Corp, which Paxson Communications acquired before the station's sign on.
When Paxson bought WPXD, WZPX was spun off to DP Media because of duopoly rules in effect at that time. Paxson repurchased the station after duopolies were legalized.
|
|
|---|
|
WWMT 3 (CBS - The CW on DT2) - WOOD 8 (NBC) - WZZM 13 (ABC, The AccuWeather Channel on DT2) - WXSP 15 (MNTV) - WXMI 17 (Fox) - WUHQ 29 (LAT TV) - WGVU 35 / WGVK 52 (PBS) - WUHO 36 (Ind.) - WMKG 38 (FN/Sportsman) - WOTV 41 (ABC) - WZPX 43 (ION) - W48CL 48 (3ABN) - WTLJ 54 (TCT) - WLLA 64 (FN) Local Cable Television Channels Significantly Viewed Out-of-Market Broadcast Stations |
|
|
|---|
|
Local television stations Local Cable Television Channels Significantly Viewed Out-of-Market Broadcast Stations |
|
|
|
|---|---|
| DMA 11: Detroit | WDWO-CA 18 / 1 W27CJ 27 (TCT) • WUDT-CA 23 (UNI) • WLPC-LP 26 (FN) • 1 WPXD 31 / W48AV 48 (ION) • W33BY 33 (IND) • 1 WADL 38 (IND / JTV / WORD) • W66BV 66 (TBN) |
| DMA 39: Grand Rapids - Battle Creek - Kalamazoo | WUHQ-LP 29 (LAT TV) • WUHO-LP 36 (IND) • 1 WMKG-LP 38 (FN) • WZPX 43 (ION) • 1 WTLJ 54 (TCT) • WLLA 64 (FN) |
| DMA 66: Flint - Saginaw - Bay City - Midland | WHNE-LP 32 (A1) • W42DI 42 (3ABN) • WAQP 49 (TCT) • WXON-LP 54 / W09CK 9 (IND) |
| DMA 87: South Bend - Elkhart | 1WYGN-LP 12 (3ABN) |
| DMA 112: Lansing - Jackson | W27CN 27 (TCT) |
| DMA 113: Traverse City - Cadillac - Sault Ste. Marie | WLLZ-LP 12 (A1/TSC) |
| DMA 178: Marquette - Escanaba | 1 WDHS 8 (Infomercials) |
| DMA 208: Alpena | W18BT 18 (TBN) |
| 1 These stations are licensed outside of the core cities. | |
| See Also: CBS, The CW, Fox, MyNetworkTV, NBC, PBS and Other stations in Michigan | |