WAZS-LD

WAZS-LD is a low-power television station licensed to North Charleston, South Carolina, and identified with channel 29. The station operates in the Charleston-area television market and is part of a media group associated with Norsan Communications and Management, Inc. It is described as a sister station to WJNI-LD, a YTA TV affiliate, and to the radio station WAZS. The station’s history began under the call sign WTBD-LP. It was on the air by 2000 on channel 22, initially carrying programming directed toward a family audience. On February 11, 2002, the station relaunched as a Spanish-language television service and became affiliated with the Hispanic Television Network. At that stage it was owned by Jabar Communications, the company associated with the station’s published website. By 2005, WAZS-LD had shifted to programming from Azteca América, reflecting its role as a local outlet for Spanish-language network television. The station’s programming affiliations have subsequently changed. The station is described as airing programming from Quiero TV, a Spanish-language service originating in Guadalajara, Mexico. This programming profile positions WAZS-LD primarily as a multilingual and Hispanic-oriented broadcast outlet rather than as a general-market local news station. WAZS-LD is a low-power television operation, meaning that its terrestrial coverage is more limited than that of a full-power broadcast station. Its value to viewers is therefore tied to local over-the-air availability, its channel identity, and the Spanish-language programming services it carries. The station’s published information does not establish a separate consumer product portfolio, paid subscription service, or nationally distributed brand beyond its broadcast channel and affiliated programming. The available reference material does not identify the station’s current executives, launch financing, detailed ownership chronology, digital subchannel lineup, or a precise corporate transaction history. Accordingly, WAZS-LD is best understood as a local broadcast-station brand whose principal business function is the distribution of Spanish-language television programming in the Charleston market.

WAZS-LD traces its operational history to a low-power station using the call sign WTBD-LP. The station was broadcasting on channel 22 by 2000 and originally presented programming intended for a family audience. As a low-power television outlet, it served a geographically limited portion of the Charleston-area market rather than operating as a statewide or national broadcaster. A significant change occurred on February 11, 2002, when the station relaunched as a Spanish-language television service. The relaunch was conducted under the ownership of Jabar Communications and included an affiliation with the Hispanic Television Network. This change gave the station a more clearly defined Hispanic-media identity and connected its local broadcast signal with programming intended for Spanish-speaking audiences. By 2005, WAZS-LD was carrying programming from Azteca América. The affiliation placed the station within the distribution network of a major Spanish-language television service and continued its orientation toward Hispanic viewers. The Azteca América period also illustrates the station’s role as a local broadcast platform for national or international Spanish-language content rather than as a producer of a large in-house schedule. The station’s ownership and affiliation profile later changed. The station is identified as being owned by Norsan Communications and Management, Inc., and as a sister station to WJNI-LD and the radio station WAZS. Its current or later programming description identifies Quiero TV, based in Guadalajara, Mexico, as the source of the programming it airs. These changes show an ongoing reliance on programming partnerships and affiliations to define the station’s service offering. The available source material does not provide a complete chronology of call-sign changes, licensing events, ownership transfers, technical upgrades, digital multiplex configuration, or current individual management. It also does not establish a precise founding date separate from the fact that the predecessor station was on the air by 2000. WAZS-LD’s documented history is therefore centered on its transition from a family-oriented low-power station to a Spanish-language outlet and on its successive relationships with Hispanic television programming providers.

• 2005

  Azteca América programming

  [1]WAZS-LDen.wikipedia.org

  By 2005, the station was carrying programming from Azteca América.

• 2002

  Spanish-language relaunch

  [1]WAZS-LDen.wikipedia.org

  On February 11, the station relaunched as a Spanish-language television outlet under Jabar Communications and affiliated with the Hispanic Television Network.

• 2000

  WTBD-LP broadcasting on channel 22

  [1]WAZS-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The predecessor station, operating as WTBD-LP, was on the air on channel 22 with programming aimed at a family audience.

• Association with Norsan Communications and Management

  [1]WAZS-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The station is identified as being owned by Norsan Communications and Management, Inc., and as a sister station to WJNI-LD and radio station WAZS.

• Quiero TV programming

  [1]WAZS-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The station is described as airing programming from Quiero TV in Guadalajara, Mexico.

A local low-power television station focused on distributing Spanish-language programming to viewers in the Charleston, South Carolina market.

• Low-power television station

  WAZS-LD channel 29

  The station’s primary offering is its local over-the-air television signal serving North Charleston and the wider Charleston-area market. As a low-power broadcaster, its terrestrial coverage is more limited than that of a full-power station. The channel functions as the distribution platform for the station’s affiliated and Spanish-language programming.

• Television programming · 2002

  Spanish-language programming service

  WAZS-LD’s programming identity is centered on Spanish-language television. Its documented affiliations have included the Hispanic Television Network and Azteca América, while the station is also described as airing programming from Quiero TV in Guadalajara, Mexico. The available material does not specify a complete current schedule.

• 2005

  Adoption of Azteca América programmingStrategy

  Background

  After its Spanish-language relaunch and Hispanic Television Network affiliation, the station continued to use external programming affiliations to serve its target audience.

  Action taken

  By 2005, WAZS-LD was airing Azteca América programming.

  Aftermath

  The change reinforced the station’s role as a local Spanish-language broadcast outlet.

  Source

• 2002

  Shift to Spanish-language televisionStrategy

  Background

  The predecessor station had been broadcasting family-oriented programming as WTBD-LP on channel 22.

  Action taken

  On February 11, the station relaunched as a Spanish-language service under Jabar Communications and affiliated with the Hispanic Television Network.

  Aftermath

  The relaunch established the station’s Hispanic-oriented programming identity, which continued through later affiliations including Azteca América and Quiero TV.

  Source

1. 1WAZS-LDen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Jabar Communicationsjabarcommunications.com