WBGR-LD

WBGR-LD is a low-power commercial television station serving the Bangor and Dedham, Maine, market. The station operates from studios and transmitter facilities on Ohio Street in Glenburn, Maine, and is owned by James McLeod. Its primary network affiliation is with MeTV, a service known for programming built around classic television series. The station began broadcasting on August 28, 1995, under the WBGR call sign. Its launch was significant in the Bangor market because it was the first commercial UHF station in the area and the first locally built new commercial station in more than three decades. WBGR originally carried programming from The WB network, giving Bangor an over-the-air outlet for the network during its early expansion into smaller television markets. As The WB developed a separate cable-oriented service for smaller markets, WBGR's programming strategy changed. In 1998, the station supplemented its WB schedule with programming from Pax, the network that later became Ion Television. In 1999, WBGR phased out most or all of its WB programming and shifted toward a heavier Pax schedule. This left Bangor without a conventional over-the-air WB affiliate at a time when the network's proposed local cable service, known in the market as WBAN, was not carried by Adelphia Cable. Over the years, WBGR has combined network and syndicated programming with locally relevant material. Its programming has included productions from local churches and civic organizations, high school sports, religious programming, and family-oriented daytime shows. The station also carried selected late-afternoon college football games supplied by CBS when WABI-TV chose to preempt football in favor of a local 6 p.m. newscast. In 2002, WBGR broadcast Boston Red Sox games syndicated from WFXT. Beginning in 2010, Liberty University's Flames Sports Network supplied live sporting events and daily convocation services. WBGR's affiliation history reflects the changing economics of small-market television. Rather than operating solely as a traditional network outlet, the station has used a combination of national network feeds, syndicated content, religious programming, sports, and community-oriented productions. In April 2014, it became a MeTV affiliate, establishing its current primary programming identity. The station later transitioned from low-power analog broadcasting toward digital operation. It received authorization for digital operation on March 12, 2015, and began digital broadcasting by early September 2019. During that transition, WBGR-LD expanded its multicast offering. Its second digital subchannel carried Heroes & Icons and Antenna TV programming, while additional feeds identified as LD3 through LD8 appeared in listings by November 2019. Those additional feeds were initially blank, and the available reference material does not establish their subsequent programming status. WBGR-LD remains a locally based television service for the Bangor-area market. Its identity is defined less by national brand ownership than by its local facilities, small-market broadcasting role, MeTV affiliation, and history of carrying community, religious, sports, and syndicated programming.

WBGR first went on the air on August 28, 1995, serving the Bangor, Maine, market. Its launch represented an important local broadcasting development: it was the market's first commercial UHF station and the first new commercial station built locally in more than 30 years. The station initially operated as a Bangor outlet for The WB, a national network that was expanding beyond the largest American television markets. The station's relationship with The WB changed as the network explored ways to reach smaller markets through cable distribution. In 1998, The WB introduced a cable-oriented service for markets that could not support a full local affiliate. In Bangor, that service was known as WBAN. WBGR nevertheless retained its WB affiliation for a period while also adding programming from Pax, a network launched in 1998 and later known as Ion Television. In 1999, WBGR moved away from The WB and added more Pax programming. Because Adelphia Cable did not launch WBAN at the time, the change meant that Bangor no longer had a WB outlet available through either a conventional broadcast station or the proposed local cable service. WBGR's schedule also included programming outside the traditional network-affiliate model. At different points, it aired programs produced by local churches and civic organizations, high school sports, family-oriented daytime material, and religious shows hosted or supplied by prominent Bible teachers. The station carried late-afternoon college football games from CBS when WABI-TV, the area's channel 5 station, preempted those games to broadcast a local 6 p.m. newscast. In 2002, WBGR also carried Boston Red Sox baseball games syndicated from WFXT. In 2010, the station began airing live sports events and daily convocation services from Liberty University's Flames Sports Network. In April 2014, WBGR-LP became affiliated with MeTV. This change gave the station a clearer programming identity based on library television programming and connected it to a national multicast network serving viewers interested in classic series. The station's technical transition to digital broadcasting followed several years of authorization and preparation. WBGR-LD received its license for digital operation on March 12, 2015. By early September 2019, it had begun digital operations and was carrying additional programming through multicast channels. Its second digital subchannel included Heroes & Icons and Antenna TV programming. By November of that year, station listings showed six further feeds, designated LD3 through LD8; those feeds were initially blank. The available reference material does not document whether all of those feeds later received regular programming. WBGR-LD's history illustrates the changing structure of American small-market television. It began as an early local UHF commercial station and a network affiliate, later adjusted its schedule in response to network and cable-market changes, and developed a mixed schedule of national, syndicated, religious, sports, and locally produced programming. Its current public identity is associated primarily with MeTV, while its facilities and programming history remain rooted in the Bangor-area community.

• 2019

  Digital broadcasting and multicast expansion

  [1]WBGR-LDen.wikipedia.org

  WBGR-LD commences digital operations by early September and adds Heroes & Icons and Antenna TV programming to its second digital subchannel. Additional feeds appear in listings later that year.

• 2015

  Digital operation is authorized

  [1]WBGR-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The station receives its license for digital operation on March 12.

• 2014

  MeTV affiliation begins

  [1]WBGR-LDen.wikipedia.org

  WBGR-LP becomes a MeTV affiliate in April.

• 2010

  Liberty University programming begins

  [1]WBGR-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The station begins carrying live sports and daily convocation services from Liberty University's Flames Sports Network.

• 2002

  Boston Red Sox broadcasts are carried

  [1]WBGR-LDen.wikipedia.org

  WBGR airs Boston Red Sox baseball games syndicated from WFXT.

• 1999

  WB programming is phased out

  [1]WBGR-LDen.wikipedia.org

  WBGR reduces and phases out WB programming while expanding its Pax schedule, leaving Bangor without an over-the-air WB affiliate.

• 1998

  Pax programming is added

  [1]WBGR-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The station begins supplementing its WB schedule with programming from Pax, a new network later known as Ion Television.

• 1995

  WBGR begins broadcasting

  [1]WBGR-LDen.wikipedia.org

  WBGR goes on the air on August 28 as a commercial UHF station serving Bangor, Maine. It is the first commercial UHF station in the market and the first new commercial station locally built in more than 30 years.

A locally owned or locally operated small-market television station combining a MeTV affiliation with community programming and digital multicast services for the Bangor-area audience.

• Primary television network affiliation · 2014

  MeTV

  WBGR-LD's principal affiliation since April 2014. MeTV supplies a schedule focused on classic television series and forms the station's main national programming identity.

• Digital multicast programming · 2019

  Heroes & Icons and Antenna TV

  WBGR-LD's second digital subchannel carried programming from Heroes & Icons and Antenna TV after the station began digital operations. The available reference does not specify the complete later schedule or current status of these feeds.

• Local television programming

  Local community programming

  Across its history, WBGR has aired programming produced by local churches, civic organizations, and other community participants. It has also carried high school sports and other locally relevant material at various times.

• Syndicated and religious programming

  Religious and family-oriented programming

  The station has used portions of its schedule for family-oriented shows and religious programming supplied by several Bible teachers and religious organizations.

• 2019

  Transition to digital broadcasting and multicast serviceGeneration change

  Background

  WBGR-LD had received authorization for digital operation in 2015.

  Action taken

  The station began digital operations by early September and added Heroes & Icons and Antenna TV programming to its second digital subchannel. Additional feeds were subsequently listed.

  Aftermath

  The station expanded its technical and programming capacity, although several additional feeds were initially blank and their later status is not documented in the available material.

  Source

• 2014

  MeTV affiliationProduct launch

  Background

  WBGR had a history of combining network, syndicated, religious, sports, and local programming.

  Action taken

  The station became affiliated with MeTV in April.

  Aftermath

  MeTV became the station's primary national programming identity.

  Source

• 1999

  Shift away from The WB toward Pax programmingStrategy

  Background

  The WB was developing a cable-oriented service for smaller markets, while WBGR was already carrying Pax programming alongside its WB schedule.

  Action taken

  WBGR phased out WB programming and expanded its Pax schedule.

  Aftermath

  Bangor lost its over-the-air WB affiliate, and the local cable service known as WBAN was not carried by Adelphia Cable at that time.

  Source

1. 1WBGR-LDen.wikipedia.org