WHME-TV
A South Bend, Indiana television station that shifted from a religious and independent general-entertainment format to primary Univision affiliation in 2024.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WHME-TV is a full-power television station licensed to South Bend, Indiana, and serving the Michiana region. The station operates on virtual channel 46 and is owned by locally based Family Broadcasting Corporation, the successor organization to the broadcasting interests historically associated with LeSEA Broadcasting and World Harvest Broadcasting. Its studios are on Ironwood Road in southern South Bend, while its transmitter is located near Kern and Roosevelt roads in Mishawaka. The station traces its technical and corporate history to WMSH-TV, which was established on channel 46 by G & E Religious and Educational Broadcasting Corporation. WMSH began broadcasting in 1974 but quickly encountered severe financial problems, including substantial debt, creditor litigation, and bankruptcy proceedings. It went silent in September 1975. The station was subsequently acquired by the Lester Sumrall Evangelistic Association in a transaction announced in 1977. Following the purchase, it adopted the WHME-TV call sign and returned to the air on September 10, 1977. For much of its history, WHME served as a flagship outlet for religious broadcasting organizations connected with Lester Sumrall and his family. Its schedule combined locally produced Christian programming and nationally distributed religious programs with family-oriented secular entertainment. Programs carried at different times included The PTL Club, The 700 Club, children's cartoons, classic sitcoms, syndicated dramas, and selected news and public-affairs content. By 1980, the station had expanded to a 24-hour schedule. Religious programming remained particularly prominent on Sundays, while weekday and Saturday schedules varied according to the station's mix of syndicated entertainment and ministry content. WHME also developed a substantial sports identity. It carried regional college football and basketball, including programming distributed through ESPN Plus and later Ball State University sports. The station was associated with syndicated SEC sports coverage before the launch of the national pay-television SEC Network in 2014. In addition, its local sports operation televised high-school football and basketball from the Michiana area and selected games involving nearby colleges such as Bethel and Grace. The station's programming role changed repeatedly as the South Bend television market evolved. It carried the Kids' WB afternoon block beginning in 1996, although it did not take the network's prime-time schedule. It also temporarily aired 60 Minutes during 1994 and 1995 after local CBS affiliate WSBT-TV lost the program's rights because of competing programming commitments. WHME operated several digital subchannels and at various times carried services including Aliento Vision, Light TV, and QVC. In August 2024, WHME-TV and sister station WHMB-TV in Indianapolis made Univision their primary network affiliation. The change represented a significant shift from WHME's long-standing religious and independent programming profile toward Spanish-language network television. Religious content continued during Sunday-morning off-network hours. The station remains an active local broadcast outlet and retains historical links to the Family Broadcasting and World Harvest television operations.
History
WHME-TV's channel allocation had previously been used by WNDU-TV before that station moved to channel 16. On April 10, 1973, G & E Religious and Educational Broadcasting Corporation received a construction permit for a new South Bend station on channel 46. The organization represented hundreds of churches and selected the call sign WMSH-TV. Construction began in May 1973, with the studio and transmitter sites separated because of potential interference concerns involving WSBT radio. Although an earlier launch was contemplated, WMSH-TV did not begin regular broadcasting until late July or August 1974. The original operation soon faced financial distress. G & E reportedly carried approximately $2.5 million in debt against $1.8 million in assets, leading to receivership and creditor litigation. Investors also alleged that station securities had been sold without proper registration and that offering disclosures were incomplete. WMSH-TV ceased broadcasting on September 2, 1975, and the bankruptcy process continued while prospective buyers considered the facility. The Lester Sumrall Evangelistic Association emerged as the buyer. Negotiations became public in early 1977, and a sale valued at $496,000 was announced in March. The transaction closed on July 21. The station was renamed WHME-TV and returned to the air on September 10, 1977. Because the original WMSH facility lacked color cameras, equipment was brought from Sumrall-associated stations in Indianapolis and Miami. During its first years under the new ownership, WHME's schedule reflected its ministry-oriented identity. The station aired Christian programs such as The PTL Club and The 700 Club, locally produced religious shows, and weekend programming featuring a range of televangelists and religious services. At the same time, it used secular cartoons, classic sitcoms, dramas, and other family-oriented syndicated programs to fill portions of the weekday and Saturday schedule. By 1980, WHME was broadcasting around the clock. Through the 1980s and early 1990s, children's programming was a prominent part of the weekday schedule. The station carried syndicated animation and family entertainment, including reruns of The Flintstones, Rocky and Bullwinkle, Underdog, Alvin and the Chipmunks, and later Disney programming. It also added more sitcoms and dramas and carried the nationally syndicated Independent Network News. In 1994 and 1995, WHME temporarily carried 60 Minutes after WSBT-TV's programming arrangements prevented it from continuing to air the program. WHME added the Kids' WB afternoon block in 1996 after another local outlet changed its affiliation and no longer carried the children's programming. However, WHME did not adopt The WB's prime-time network schedule. During the 2000s, the station reduced its cartoon inventory and emphasized more sitcoms and drama series alongside religious programming. Sports became another important part of the station's local identity. WHME carried regional college sports distributed through ESPN Plus, later aired Ball State University sports, and served as a South Bend outlet for syndicated SEC coverage until the launch of the subscription SEC Network. Its in-house sports division also presented weekly high-school football and basketball games involving Michiana teams and selected NAIA college contests. WHME's technical history reflects the broader United States digital transition. It ended analog broadcasting on June 12, 2009, while initially retaining virtual channel 46 on a digital UHF facility. A construction permit issued in 2011 addressed interference concerns involving WMLW-TV in Wisconsin. Subsequent spectrum changes and the national repack ultimately moved WHME to digital channel 36 in 2019. Its multicast lineup changed over time, including periods with Aliento Vision, Light TV, and QVC. In August 2024, WHME-TV made Univision its primary affiliation, a major programming transformation for a station historically identified with Christian broadcasting and independent family entertainment. Religious programming remained part of the schedule during Sunday mornings. The station is owned by Family Broadcasting Corporation, whose corporate lineage includes the former LeSEA and World Harvest Broadcasting names.
- 2024
Primary affiliation changes to Univision
[1]WHME-TV made Univision its primary network affiliation while retaining limited religious programming.
- 2019
Digital transmission moves to channel 36
[1]WHME changed its digital transmission channel during the nationwide spectrum repack.
- 2014
SEC syndicated coverage ends with national network launch
[1]The station's role as a local outlet for syndicated SEC programming ended when the subscription SEC Network launched.
- 2009
Analog broadcasting ends
[1]WHME shut down its analog channel 46 signal as part of the federally mandated transition to digital television.
- 1996
Kids' WB afternoon programming added
[1]WHME began carrying the Kids' WB block in its afternoon schedule but did not take the network's prime-time programming.
- 1980
24-hour broadcasting introduced
[1]WHME had expanded to a round-the-clock broadcast schedule.
- 1977
Station acquired and relaunched as WHME-TV
[1]The Lester Sumrall Evangelistic Association completed its acquisition, renamed the station WHME-TV, and returned it to the air on September 10.
- 1975
WMSH-TV goes silent
[1]Financial problems and bankruptcy proceedings led WMSH-TV to suspend broadcasting on September 2.
- 1974
WMSH-TV begins broadcasting
[1]The original channel 46 operation began telecasting after delays in its construction and launch schedule.
- 1973
Construction permit granted for channel 46
[1]G & E Religious and Educational Broadcasting Corporation received authorization to build a South Bend station on channel 46 under the planned WMSH-TV call sign.
Products and positioning
A locally operated South Bend broadcast station combining a current Univision affiliation with continuing religious programming and a legacy of family-oriented entertainment and regional sports coverage.
Broadcast television · 1977
WHME-TV over-the-air service
The station's core offering is free, over-the-air television for South Bend and the wider Michiana market. It operates under the WHME-TV call sign and uses virtual channel 46, with its digital transmission having moved to channel 36 after the United States spectrum repack. The service has historically combined network, syndicated, locally produced, religious, and sports programming.
Spanish-language network television · 2024
Univision affiliation
Since August 2024, Univision has been WHME-TV's primary network affiliation. This provides Spanish-language network programming to the station's coverage area and marks a substantial change from the station's former emphasis on religious programming and independent syndicated entertainment.
Sports broadcasting
Local sports programming
WHME has operated a local sports division that televised high-school football and basketball from Michiana teams, generally on a weekly basis. It has also carried selected games involving nearby NAIA institutions, including Bethel and Grace, and has distributed regional college sports from external syndication partners.
Religious broadcasting · 1977
Religious programming
Religious programming was central to WHME's identity for decades, including locally produced ministry content, nationally syndicated Christian programs, religious children's shows, and televised worship services. Although the station's primary affiliation changed to Univision in 2024, religious programming continues during Sunday-morning off-network hours.
Brand decisions
2024
Primary network affiliation changed to UnivisionStrategyBackground
WHME-TV had long been associated with religious broadcasting, syndicated family entertainment, and regional sports.
Action taken
WHME-TV and sister station WHMB-TV switched their primary channels to Univision while preserving Sunday-morning religious programming.
Aftermath
The station became primarily a Spanish-language network outlet while retaining a limited connection to its historic religious format.
1977
Acquisition of WMSH-TV and relaunch as WHME-TVM&ABackground
WMSH-TV had gone silent after financial distress and bankruptcy proceedings. The Lester Sumrall Evangelistic Association pursued the station and acquired it from the bankruptcy trustee.
Action taken
The buyer completed the purchase, changed the call sign to WHME-TV, and restored broadcasting with a ministry-oriented schedule supplemented by family entertainment.
Aftermath
The transaction established the station's long association with Sumrall-related religious broadcasting organizations and made it a flagship outlet for the group's television activities.
Reported purchase price. $496,000 (1977)
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