WCCV-TV

WCCV-TV is a religious independent television station licensed to Arecibo, Puerto Rico. The station broadcasts on channel 54 and is associated with WVSN, channel 68, in Humacao, which functions as a satellite or relay outlet for the WCCV-TV service. The stations are owned by Asociacion Evangelistica Cristo Viene, Inc., the evangelical organization associated with the ministry of televangelist Yiye Avila. Their programming identity has been associated with La Cadena del Milagro, or “The Miracle Network.” The station began in 1982 under the call sign WATX-TV. During its first period of operation it was an independent station carrying local programming and was owned by Bay Industries. In 1984, WATX-TV became a satellite of WSJU-TV, channel 18. In 1987, the affiliation arrangement shifted to WRWR-TV, channel 30. Yiye Avila acquired WATX-TV in 1988 for a reported $40,000. The transaction was agreed on January 7 and completed on August 25 of that year. In 1989, the station adopted the WCCV-TV call sign and transitioned to a religious broadcasting format under the La Cadena del Milagro identity. The associated WVSN facility has a separate history. It began broadcasting in Humacao on March 12, 1984, as an independent station owned by Radio Voz. Its early format emphasized music videos from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. WVSN ceased operations on August 6, 1986, then returned to the air on October 30 of the same year under general manager Tito Atiles Natal, carrying music videos and local programming. During the 1990s, Avila acquired WVSN for a reported $20,000, after which it became a repeater of WCCV-TV's religious service. The stations' production and administrative operations have been associated with facilities in northern Puerto Rico. The stations maintain studios at Barrio Membrillo in Camuy; WVSN has also been described as having studios and offices at Caparra Terrace in San Juan. WCCV-TV's transmitter is located at Cerro Roncador in Utuado, while WVSN's transmitting antenna is located in Barrio Cubuy, Canóvanas. These facilities allow the religious service to reach audiences beyond the station's Arecibo license area. WCCV-TV and WVSN completed the transition from analog to digital broadcasting on February 17, 2009. Publicly documented material emphasizes the stations' religious mission, broadcast facilities, ownership history, call-sign changes, and relay relationship rather than commercial product lines or financial reporting. As a result, WCCV-TV is best understood as a Puerto Rican religious television station and ministry broadcasting brand rather than a conventional consumer-facing product brand.

WCCV-TV traces its history to 1982, when it began broadcasting from Puerto Rico under the call sign WATX-TV. The original station was an independent outlet owned by Bay Industries and carried local programming. Its early identity was therefore different from the religious format associated with WCCV-TV today. In 1984, WATX-TV became a satellite of WSJU-TV, channel 18. The relationship later changed in 1987, when the station became associated with WRWR-TV, channel 30. These affiliations formed part of the station's pre-religious period, before its ownership and programming direction changed. Televangelist Yiye Avila purchased WATX-TV in 1988. The acquisition was reported at $40,000, with the agreement dated January 7 and the transaction completed on August 25. The following year, the station changed its call sign to WCCV-TV and adopted a religious format identified as La Cadena del Milagro. Under this structure, the station became part of Avila's evangelical broadcasting ministry rather than continuing as a general independent station. WCCV-TV's associated satellite outlet, WVSN, had an independent origin. WVSN began broadcasting in Humacao on March 12, 1984, owned by Radio Voz. It was described as the first independent television station in the area to focus on music videos from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. WVSN suspended operations on August 6, 1986, and resumed broadcasting on October 30. After its return, the station operated under general manager Tito Atiles Natal and carried music videos alongside local programming. During the 1990s, Yiye Avila acquired WVSN in a transaction reported at $20,000. WVSN subsequently became a repeater of WCCV-TV and carried the La Cadena del Milagro religious service into the Humacao market. The two facilities thereafter formed a linked broadcasting operation, with WCCV-TV serving as the principal station and WVSN extending its reach. The stations' facilities have been distributed across Puerto Rico. WCCV-TV's studios are located at Barrio Membrillo in Camuy, and its transmitter is at Cerro Roncador in Utuado. WVSN has been associated with studios and offices at Caparra Terrace in San Juan, while its antenna is at Barrio Cubuy in Canóvanas. This network of production and transmission sites supports coverage beyond the Arecibo license area. On February 17, 2009, WCCV-TV and WVSN ended their analog signals and completed the transition to digital television. The documented history after that transition is limited, but the station remains identified with religious independent television in Puerto Rico and operates under the ownership of Asociacion Evangelistica Cristo Viene, Inc. Public sources do not establish a detailed current programming schedule, financial profile, or comprehensive leadership roster.

• 2009

  Digital television transition completed

  [1]WCCV-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WCCV-TV and WVSN terminate analog transmission and move to digital broadcasting.

• 1990

  WVSN becomes a WCCV-TV repeater

  [1]WCCV-TVen.wikipedia.org

  During the 1990s, Avila acquires WVSN and converts it into a satellite outlet for WCCV-TV's religious programming.

• 1989

  WCCV-TV call sign and religious format introduced

  [1]WCCV-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WATX-TV becomes WCCV-TV and adopts the La Cadena del Milagro religious-network identity.

• 1988

  Yiye Avila purchases WATX-TV

  [1]WCCV-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Avila acquires the station, beginning the ownership transition toward religious broadcasting.

• 1987

  WATX-TV becomes associated with WRWR-TV

  [1]WCCV-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station's satellite relationship shifts to WRWR-TV.

• 1984

  WATX-TV becomes a WSJU satellite

  [1]WCCV-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WATX-TV changes from its original independent operation to satellite service for WSJU-TV.

• 1982

  WATX-TV begins broadcasting

  [1]WCCV-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The predecessor of WCCV-TV begins operation as an independent station with local programming.

A Puerto Rican evangelical television ministry providing religious programming through an independent station and an associated satellite outlet.

• Religious television network · 1989

  La Cadena del Milagro

  The religious broadcasting identity adopted by WCCV-TV after its 1989 call-sign change. The service represents the station's evangelical ministry orientation and is also carried through the associated WVSN satellite outlet.

• Broadcast television station · 1982

  WCCV-TV channel 54 service

  The principal WCCV-TV broadcast service licensed to Arecibo, Puerto Rico. It operates as a religious independent station and transmits from a facility at Cerro Roncador in Utuado.

• Satellite television station · 1984

  WVSN channel 68 satellite service

  The Humacao-associated outlet that became a repeater of WCCV-TV during the 1990s. WVSN extends the religious service's reach and uses transmission facilities in Canóvanas.

• 2009

  Analog-to-digital transitionOther

  Background

  Puerto Rican television stations were required to complete the transition from analog transmission to digital broadcasting.

  Action taken

  WCCV-TV and WVSN ended their analog signals and completed their digital conversion on February 17.

  Aftermath

  Both stations continued as digital broadcast services.

  Source

• 1990

  Acquisition and integration of WVSNM&A

  Background

  WVSN had previously operated as an independent Humacao station with music-video and local programming.

  Action taken

  Yiye Avila acquired WVSN during the 1990s and integrated it as a repeater of WCCV-TV.

  Aftermath

  The WCCV-TV religious service gained a second Puerto Rican broadcast outlet in the Humacao area.

  Source

• 1989

  Conversion to religious broadcastingStrategy

  Background

  Following Yiye Avila's acquisition of WATX-TV, the station moved away from its earlier independent local-programming model.

  Action taken

  The station changed its call sign to WCCV-TV and launched the La Cadena del Milagro religious-network identity.

  Aftermath

  WCCV-TV became a religious independent station and the principal outlet for the associated evangelical broadcasting operation.

  Source

• 2009

  WCCV-TV and WVSN complete digital transition[1]WCCV-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Other · Regulation

  Both stations ended their analog transmissions and completed their transition to digital broadcasting on February 17.

• 1989

  WATX-TV adopts the WCCV-TV identity[1]WCCV-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The station changed its call sign to WCCV-TV and adopted the La Cadena del Milagro religious-network format.

• 1988

  Yiye Avila acquires WATX-TV[1]WCCV-TVen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Yiye Avila purchased WATX-TV in a transaction reported at $40,000, with the sale completed later that year.

• 1982

  WATX-TV begins operations[1]WCCV-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The station that later became WCCV-TV began broadcasting as WATX-TV, an independent station with local programming.

1. 1WCCV-TVen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Cristo Viene Internacional official websitecdminternacional.com