WAQP

WAQP is a full-power religious television station serving east central Michigan in the United States. The station is licensed to Saginaw and is owned and operated by Total Christian Television, a Christian broadcasting organization whose programming is distributed through television stations and related outlets. WAQP broadcasts from a transmitter near Chesaning, Michigan, and uses virtual channel 49 for viewer-facing identification. The station’s principal role is as a local broadcast outlet for TCT programming rather than as an independently branded general-interest network affiliate. Its service area covers communities in and around Michigan’s east central region. As with other full-power television stations, WAQP’s broadcast identity is defined by its call sign, channel assignment, regulatory authorization, transmitter facilities, and any multiplexed digital subchannels it carries. Public reference material identifies the station as a religious broadcaster but does not provide a complete current subchannel schedule or a detailed breakdown of its programming lineup. WAQP participated in the United States transition from analog to digital television. It ended regular analog broadcasting on June 12, 2009, the federally established deadline for the transition by full-power television stations. After the transition, its digital signal initially operated on UHF channel 48 while continuing to use virtual channel 49. The station’s physical digital channel was subsequently moved to channel 36. This distinction between the physical RF channel and the virtual channel allows WAQP to retain its familiar channel-49 identity even when its underlying transmission frequency changes. The station has also been associated with translator facilities in Michigan. Its former Lansing-area rebroadcaster, WLNM-LD, previously mirrored WAQP’s programming. TCT agreed in February 2020 to sell WLNM-LD to Gray Television for $175,000, and the transaction was completed on May 1, 2020. The agreement included a five-year arrangement under which TCT could continue programming a subchannel of the facility. After the transaction, WLNM-LD became a translator of NBC affiliate WILX-TV and adopted a different subchannel lineup, ending its role as a direct WAQP rebroadcaster. WAQP also had historical connections to repeater facilities serving Jackson and later Ann Arbor. One former facility, W59CA, was relocated to Ann Arbor in 2000 and renamed W27CJ, where it repeated a low-power TCT station serving Detroit. W27CJ was sold in 2007 and subsequently went silent. These translator and repeater changes illustrate the evolution of TCT’s Michigan distribution strategy from a network of directly mirrored facilities toward a combination of owned stations, digital subchannels, and other distribution arrangements. WAQP remains best understood as a regional broadcast station within the TCT religious television system. Its public identity is tied to Christian programming, terrestrial television service in Michigan, and the technical transition from analog to digital broadcasting. Information about its founding date, individual executives, ratings, revenue, and detailed current programming is not established in the supplied reference material.

WAQP is a religious television station licensed to Saginaw, Michigan, and serving east central Michigan. The station belongs to Total Christian Television and functions primarily as a terrestrial outlet for TCT programming. Its transmitter is located near Chesaning, Michigan. The available reference material does not establish a founding year, launch date, original licensee, or the names of individual executives associated with the station. WAQP’s technical history reflects the broader transformation of American television broadcasting. Before the nationwide digital transition, the station transmitted an analog signal on UHF channel 49. On June 12, 2009, the federally designated transition date for full-power stations, WAQP discontinued regular analog programming. Its initial post-transition digital signal operated on physical UHF channel 48 while retaining virtual channel 49 for viewers. The station’s physical digital assignment was later moved to channel 36. The continued use of virtual channel 49 preserved continuity in the station’s on-screen and over-the-air identity despite the change in transmission frequency. TCT also extended its Michigan reach through translator and repeater facilities associated with WAQP. The most significant of these was the Lansing-area low-power station WLNM-LD. It had previously used the callsign W69BJ and later moved to channel 27 under the designation W27CN. From July 2009, WLNM-LD operated digitally and mirrored WAQP’s programming. In February 2020, TCT reached an agreement to sell the facility to Gray Television for $175,000. The sale closed on May 1, 2020. A related lease or programming arrangement allowed TCT to continue providing programming on one of the facility’s subchannels for five years after closing. Following the transaction, WLNM-LD became a translator for NBC affiliate WILX-TV and no longer carried the same lineup as WAQP. Another historical repeater associated with the TCT Michigan network was W59CA, which served the Jackson area. In November 2000, that facility was relocated to Ann Arbor and renamed W27CJ. It then repeated WDWO-CD, a low-power TCT station serving Detroit, rather than functioning permanently as a direct WAQP outlet. In October 2007, W27CJ was sold to SMG Media Group for $80,000, with plans to operate it under the name WFHD-LP. The facility subsequently went silent. These changes reduced the number of directly controlled or mirrored outlets associated with WAQP and demonstrate the changing economics and technical structure of local television distribution. Today, WAQP remains a TCT-owned religious broadcast station serving its licensed regional market. Its core identity is based on Christian television programming, a full-power terrestrial signal, and virtual channel 49. Detailed information about current digital subchannels, programming blocks, audience performance, station personnel, and financial results is not available in the supplied materials.

• 2020

  WLNM-LD sale to Gray Television closed

  [1]WAQPen.wikipedia.org

  TCT completed the sale of its Lansing-area low-power facility WLNM-LD to Gray Television on May 1, while retaining temporary programming access to a subchannel under an associated arrangement.

• 2009

  WAQP completed its analog-to-digital transition

  [1]WAQPen.wikipedia.org

  WAQP ended regular analog broadcasts on June 12 and continued digital broadcasting using virtual channel 49.

• 2007

  W27CJ was sold

  [1]WAQPen.wikipedia.org

  W27CJ was sold to SMG Media Group, with plans for operation as WFHD-LP; the station later went silent.

• 2003

  The Lansing-area repeater moved to channel 27

  [1]WAQPen.wikipedia.org

  The facility later identified as WLNM-LD moved from its earlier channel 69 designation to channel 27 and used the callsign W27CN.

• 2000

  W59CA was relocated and renamed W27CJ

  [1]WAQPen.wikipedia.org

  A former Jackson-area repeater associated with TCT was moved to Ann Arbor and given the W27CJ callsign, where it repeated a Detroit-area low-power TCT station.

A regional Christian television outlet delivering Total Christian Television programming through a full-power broadcast station serving east central Michigan.

• Religious television station

  WAQP channel 49 broadcast service

  WAQP’s principal offering is a full-power terrestrial television service licensed to Saginaw and serving east central Michigan. The station carries Total Christian Television programming and identifies to viewers through virtual channel 49. Its digital transmission has used multiple physical UHF channel assignments over time.

• Television network programming

  TCT programming distribution

  WAQP serves as a local broadcast outlet for Total Christian Television content. The available sources characterize the station as religious television but do not provide a complete current schedule or detailed descriptions of individual programs.

• 2020

  Sale of WLNM-LD to Gray TelevisionM&A

  Background

  TCT had used WLNM-LD as a Lansing-area digital rebroadcaster carrying programming mirrored from WAQP.

  Action taken

  TCT agreed to sell WLNM-LD to Gray Television for $175,000. The transaction closed on May 1, 2020, with an arrangement permitting TCT to program a subchannel for five years after closing.

  Aftermath

  WLNM-LD subsequently operated as a translator of NBC affiliate WILX-TV and adopted a different subchannel lineup.

  Sale price. $175,000 (Agreement announced February 14, 2020; transaction completed May 1, 2020)

  Source

1. 1WAQPen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Total Christian Televisiontct.tv