WCLF

WCLF is a religious television station broadcasting on virtual channel 22 in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. The station is licensed to Clearwater, while its studios are located with the Christian Television Network's headquarters on 142nd Avenue in nearby Largo. Its transmitter is situated near Riverview. WCLF operates as the flagship station of the Christian Television Network, a Christian broadcast organization with stations and affiliated outlets in parts of the Southeastern and Midwestern United States. The station originated with a proposal by Bob D'Andrea, a Largo electrical contractor and born-again Christian, who sought to establish a nonprofit television service devoted to Christian programming. D'Andrea initially pursued the unused channel 28 allocation in Tampa in 1977. After another applicant, Family Television Corporation, also sought that channel, D'Andrea's reorganized Christian Television Corporation shifted its application to channel 22 in Clearwater. The construction permit was granted in February 1979. Before WCLF began full local broadcasting, the organization programmed prime-time hours on WKID-TV in Fort Lauderdale. Following the permit award, interim operations were established at D'Andrea's electrical business in Largo, and work began on a transmitter facility shared with WTSP-TV. WCLF commenced broadcasting on October 24, 1979, from temporary quarters. Permanent studio construction took place on land donated by Florida Beacon College, although the project encountered fire-code disputes that led to legal action involving the city of Largo and Pinellas County. From its launch, WCLF combined nationally distributed Christian programs with locally produced content. Early programming included nationally syndicated religious shows such as The PTL Club and The 700 Club, alongside local productions including Horizons 22 and the children's program Joy Junction. Horizons 22 was initially co-hosted by Bob Wells and Barbara Wells, with Bob Wells also serving as program director. WCLF's principal role is as a broadcast outlet rather than a consumer-product brand. Its offering consists of religious television programming, ministry content, locally produced shows, and programming associated with the Christian Television Network. The station's identity is closely tied to Christian broadcasting and nonprofit religious television. It completed the federally mandated transition from analog broadcasting on February 17, 2009, ending its analog transmission on UHF channel 22 while retaining digital channel 21 with virtual channel 22. The station remains associated with CTN's national network and Tampa Bay coverage.

WCLF developed from a late-1970s effort to create a nonprofit Christian television station in the Tampa Bay region. Bob D'Andrea, an electrical contractor based in Largo, applied in August 1977 for a construction permit using Tampa's then-unused channel 28 allocation. His proposal envisioned a station devoted to Christian programming and operated on a nonprofit basis. A competing application from Family Television Corporation increased the competition for channel 28; that application ultimately led to the creation of WFTS-TV. D'Andrea's group reorganized as the Christian Television Corporation and amended its application to seek channel 22 in Clearwater. The Federal Communications Commission granted the construction permit in February 1979. During the interim period, the organization programmed prime-time hours on WKID-TV in Fort Lauderdale and established temporary offices at D'Andrea's electrical company in Largo. Construction began on a transmitter facility at a site shared with WTSP-TV. WCLF began broadcasting on October 24, 1979, from temporary facilities. Permanent studios were built on land donated by Florida Beacon College. The studio project continued into 1980, but construction and occupancy were complicated by fire-code issues. Those issues resulted in lawsuits involving the city of Largo and Pinellas County. Once established, the station carried programs from national Christian ministries and television producers, including The PTL Club and The 700 Club. It also introduced local shows, notably Horizons 22 and the children's program Joy Junction. Bob Wells, who had previously worked in television in Cleveland, served as program director and initially co-hosted Horizons 22 with Barbara Wells. The station became the flagship outlet of the Christian Television Network, linking its local Tampa Bay service with a wider network of Christian stations and affiliated outlets in the Southeastern and Midwestern United States. WCLF's studios were later colocated with CTN's headquarters on 142nd Avenue in Largo, although the station retained a Clearwater license and mailing identity. Its transmission facility is located near Riverview. WCLF ended analog broadcasting on February 17, 2009, as part of the United States' federally mandated digital television transition. The analog signal had operated on UHF channel 22. The station's digital operation remained on pre-transition UHF channel 21 while continuing to identify itself to viewers through virtual channel 22. WCLF's continuing role is as a religious television service and a principal broadcast outlet for CTN programming in the Tampa Bay area.

• 2009

  Analog shutdown and digital transition

  [1]WCLFen.wikipedia.org

  The station ended analog transmission on February 17 and continued digitally on UHF channel 21 using virtual channel 22.

• 1980

  Permanent studio construction continues

  [1]WCLFen.wikipedia.org

  Construction of studios on land donated by Florida Beacon College continued, amid fire-code disputes and related litigation.

• 1979

  Channel 22 permit granted

  [1]WCLFen.wikipedia.org

  The reorganized Christian Television Corporation received a construction permit for channel 22 in Clearwater.

• 1979

  WCLF begins broadcasting

  [1]WCLFen.wikipedia.org

  WCLF began broadcasting on October 24 from temporary facilities, carrying national Christian programming and developing local shows.

• 1977

  Initial channel application

  [1]WCLFen.wikipedia.org

  Bob D'Andrea applied for a construction permit for a nonprofit Christian television station on Tampa's unused channel 28 allocation.

A nonprofit-oriented Christian television broadcaster and flagship local station for the Christian Television Network, serving viewers in the Tampa Bay area with religious, ministry, family, and locally produced programming.

• Religious television · 1979

  Christian Television Network programming

  The station's core offering is programming supplied by or associated with the Christian Television Network. This includes Christian ministry broadcasts, religious teaching, worship-oriented content, family programming, and other faith-based television intended for the Tampa Bay market.

• Local television program · 1979

  Horizons 22

  Horizons 22 was an early locally produced WCLF feature program. Bob Wells initially co-hosted the show with Barbara Wells and also served as the station's program director. The program represented WCLF's effort to supplement nationally distributed Christian broadcasts with locally made content.

• Children's television program · 1979

  Joy Junction

  Joy Junction was an early local children's program announced as part of WCLF's launch-era schedule. It formed part of the station's family-oriented and religious programming mix.

• Broadcast television service · 2009

  Digital channel 22 service

  Following the United States digital television transition, WCLF continued serving viewers through a digital signal on UHF channel 21 while retaining virtual channel 22 for viewer identification.

• 1981

  Board member's later connection to the PTL financial scandal

  WCLF board member John Wesley Fletcher resigned in 1981 after being disfellowshipped by the Assemblies of God. The station's history notes that he later played a role in the financial scandal involving the PTL organization. The available reference does not establish that WCLF itself was accused of financial misconduct.

  Source

Read more

• 2009

  Transition from analog to digital broadcastingGeneration change

  Background

  United States broadcasters were required to complete the federally mandated transition to digital television.

  Action taken

  WCLF shut down its analog UHF channel 22 signal and continued digital transmission on pre-transition UHF channel 21 with virtual channel 22.

  Aftermath

  The station continued its Tampa Bay broadcast service in digital format.

  Source

• 1979

  Shift from channel 28 to channel 22Strategy

  Background

  A competing application for Tampa's channel 28 increased uncertainty around the original proposal for a Christian nonprofit station.

  Action taken

  The reorganized Christian Television Corporation amended its application to pursue channel 22 in Clearwater, where it received a construction permit.

  Aftermath

  The change enabled the organization to launch WCLF and establish a Christian television service for the Tampa Bay area.

  Source

1. 1WCLFen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Christian Television Network official websitectnonline.com