KWBJ-CD

KWBJ-CD is a low-power, Class A television station based in Morgan City, Louisiana. The station broadcasts on UHF channel 22 and is affiliated with YTA TV. It serves a geographically limited audience centered on Morgan City and portions of St. Mary, lower Assumption, and lower St. Martin parishes rather than the larger Baton Rouge, New Orleans, or Lafayette metropolitan television markets. Its studios are located on Michigan Street along the U.S. 90/Louisiana Highway 182 corridor in Morgan City, while its transmitter is situated on Shaw Street near Jimmy Magee Park. The station developed from a local cable operation rather than beginning as an over-the-air broadcaster. In 1978, Allen's TV Cable launched a cable-only service known as ATVC Channel 7. The operation was managed by Allen Price, whose cable company had served the Morgan City area since the 1960s. ATVC Channel 7 initially carried local programs and special events for Morgan City and St. Mary Parish. It became a full-fledged cable channel in April 1986 and included a local news program called Newslook 7 among its early offerings. On April 2, 1990, Allen's TV Cable moved the service to terrestrial broadcasting on UHF channel 39 under the call sign K39BJ. The station originally operated as an independent outlet and covered Morgan City, Houma, and areas in the southern portion of the Baton Rouge television market. In early 1996, it became a charter affiliate of The WB Television Network. Its call letters changed to KWBJ-LP in September 1996, reflecting the network relationship. The station added America One programming as a secondary affiliation in 1999. Following the 2006 announcement that The WB and UPN would be replaced by The CW, and the subsequent creation of MyNetworkTV, KWBJ-LP did not pursue an affiliation with either new network. Instead, it retained a mixed schedule of general-entertainment programming and part-time America One programming. After America One was folded into YouToo America, the station became a YouToo America affiliate. The station is now identified as KWBJ-CD and carries YTA TV programming. KWBJ-CD combines network or syndicated programming with locally oriented content. Since 2017, it has produced The Voice of the Coast, a half-hour current-affairs interview program airing on weekday evenings with repeat broadcasts later that night and the following morning. The station also carries local weather updates produced by WeatherVision during syndicated programming. Before 2017, it aired a 30-minute local newscast. Another locally produced program is South Louisiana Quiz Bowl, an academic competition involving area high schools and junior-high schools. The station's distribution is closely connected to the local cable infrastructure associated with its ownership history. It is carried in its core service area through Allen's TV Cable, but its over-the-air and cable reach is limited. It is not generally available through competing providers in the Morgan City area and is not distributed over the air or through cable or satellite in the Baton Rouge, New Orleans, or Lafayette metropolitan areas. KWBJ-CD therefore functions primarily as a community and regional television outlet, with its identity rooted in local programming, area events, weather, educational content, and network entertainment rather than broad-market coverage.

KWBJ-CD traces its origins to a local cable channel established in Morgan City, Louisiana, in 1978. Known as ATVC Channel 7, the service was launched by Allen's TV Cable, a company associated with Allen Price and a cable system that had served the Morgan City area since the 1960s. The channel was designed to provide locally relevant material, including community programs and special events for Morgan City and St. Mary Parish. In April 1986, it developed into a full-fledged cable channel. One of its early local productions was Newslook 7, a newscast focused on the surrounding area. The operation expanded from cable into broadcast television on April 2, 1990, when Allen's TV Cable placed the station on the air as K39BJ on UHF channel 39. It initially operated as an independent station and served Morgan City, Houma, and parts of the southern Baton Rouge market. Its later history reflected the changing structure of American network television. In early 1996, K39BJ became a charter affiliate of The WB Television Network. In September of that year, its call sign was changed to KWBJ-LP, connecting the station's identity to its network affiliation. KWBJ added America One programming as a secondary affiliation in 1999. The American television network landscape changed significantly in 2006, when CBS Corporation and Warner Bros. announced that UPN and The WB would be discontinued and that selected programming would move to the new CW network. Fox Television Stations and Twentieth Television subsequently announced MyNetworkTV as a competing network service. KWBJ-LP did not seek affiliation with either The CW or MyNetworkTV. Instead, it adopted a mixed schedule that combined general-entertainment programs with part-time America One content. When America One later became part of YouToo America, KWBJ became a YouToo America affiliate. The station subsequently transitioned to digital broadcasting. In 2009, it flash-cut its digital signal to UHF channel 22. It uses channel 22 as its virtual channel rather than retaining its former analog channel 39 mapping. Its current identity, KWBJ-CD, reflects its low-power Class A digital television status. The station is owned by Price Media Corporation and maintains studios on Michigan Street along the U.S. 90/Louisiana Highway 182 corridor in Morgan City. Its transmitter is located on Shaw Street near Jimmy Magee Park. KWBJ's programming has continued to combine outside content with local service. Before 2017, the station produced a 30-minute newscast. Since 2017, it has produced The Voice of the Coast, a half-hour current-affairs interview program broadcast on weekday evenings and repeated later that night and the next morning. The station also airs WeatherVision-produced local weather updates during syndicated programming. South Louisiana Quiz Bowl provides an educational and community-oriented component, bringing area high-school and junior-high students into a televised academic competition. The station's distribution remains concentrated in a small regional footprint. Its over-the-air and cable service reaches St. Mary Parish and portions of Assumption and St. Martin parishes. Because of its relationship with Allen's TV Cable, it is carried by that local cable provider but is not carried by competing providers serving the same area. It is also not generally available over the air or through cable or satellite in the Baton Rouge, New Orleans, or Lafayette metropolitan areas. KWBJ-CD consequently operates as a localized community station rather than as a broad regional network outlet. Its history is characterized by the evolution from cable community channel to independent broadcaster, WB affiliate, secondary-network outlet, digital Class A station, and contemporary YTA TV affiliate.

• 2017

  The Voice of the Coast begins

  [1]KWBJ-CDen.wikipedia.org

  The station begins producing The Voice of the Coast, a weekday local current-affairs interview program.

• 2009

  Digital signal moves to channel 22

  [1]KWBJ-CDen.wikipedia.org

  KWBJ completes a digital flash cut on UHF channel 22 and uses channel 22 as its virtual channel.

• 2006

  Station declines new-network affiliations

  [1]KWBJ-CDen.wikipedia.org

  After The WB and UPN are scheduled for replacement by The CW and MyNetworkTV is announced, KWBJ-LP chooses neither network and retains a mixed entertainment and America One schedule.

• 1999

  America One programming added

  [1]KWBJ-CDen.wikipedia.org

  The station begins carrying America One programming as a secondary affiliation.

• 1996

  Station becomes a WB charter affiliate

  [1]KWBJ-CDen.wikipedia.org

  K39BJ joins The WB Television Network as a charter affiliate and later changes its call sign to KWBJ-LP.

• 1990

  Over-the-air broadcasting begins

  [1]KWBJ-CDen.wikipedia.org

  The service moves to terrestrial broadcasting as K39BJ on UHF channel 39 and initially operates as an independent station.

• 1986

  Cable operation becomes a full-fledged channel

  [1]KWBJ-CDen.wikipedia.org

  ATVC Channel 7 develops into a full-fledged cable channel and carries local programming including the Newslook 7 newscast.

• 1978

  ATVC Channel 7 launches

  [1]KWBJ-CDen.wikipedia.org

  Allen's TV Cable launches the cable-only ATVC Channel 7 service in Morgan City, carrying local programs and special events.

A community-focused, low-power television station serving Morgan City and nearby parishes in southern Louisiana, combining local programming with network and syndicated entertainment.

• Local current-affairs television · 2017

  The Voice of the Coast

  A half-hour interview and current-affairs program produced by KWBJ-CD since 2017. It airs on weekday evenings and is repeated later the same evening and the following morning, providing a local platform for discussion of issues relevant to the Morgan City and southern Louisiana service area.

• Educational television

  South Louisiana Quiz Bowl

  A locally produced academic competition featuring high-school and junior-high-school participants from the surrounding South Louisiana region. The program extends the station's community role beyond entertainment and news.

• Weather information

  Local weather updates

  Weather updates produced by WeatherVision and inserted into the station's evening syndicated-programming schedule. They provide localized weather information for the station's limited regional audience.

• Network television programming

  YTA TV affiliation

  KWBJ-CD's current network affiliation, providing nationally distributed television programming alongside the station's local productions and other scheduled content.

• Local news

  Newslook 7

  An early local newscast associated with the station's cable-era ATVC Channel 7 operation. It represents the service's original emphasis on locally produced information for Morgan City and St. Mary Parish.

• 2009

  Digital flash cut to UHF channel 22Generation change

  Background

  The station transitioned from its former analog operation on channel 39 to digital broadcasting.

  Action taken

  KWBJ moved its digital signal into operation on UHF channel 22 and adopted channel 22 as its virtual channel.

  Aftermath

  The station continued as a low-power Class A digital television outlet under the KWBJ identity.

  Source

• 2006

  Remain outside The CW and MyNetworkTVStrategy

  Background

  The planned replacement of The WB and UPN by The CW, together with the launch of MyNetworkTV, created new affiliation choices for stations formerly associated with the older networks.

  Action taken

  KWBJ-LP chose not to pursue either new network affiliation and instead continued with general-entertainment programming and part-time America One content.

  Aftermath

  The station later became a YouToo America affiliate after America One was absorbed into that service, and it is currently affiliated with YTA TV.

  Source

1. 1KWBJ-CDen.wikipedia.org
2. 2KWBJ homepagekwbj.net