WHNO
WHNO is a religious television station serving New Orleans, Louisiana, as a Christian Television Network outlet on virtual channel 20.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WHNO is a religious television station serving the New Orleans, Louisiana, television market. The station operates on virtual channel 20 and is owned by the Christian Television Network (CTN), a privately held Christian broadcasting organization. Its studios are located on St. Charles Avenue in downtown New Orleans, while its transmission facilities are in the city's Algiers neighborhood near Behrman Highway. The station's construction permit originated in the late 1980s, when Tucker Broadcasting Company, Limited Partnership filed for authority to build a station on UHF channel 20. The permit went through a contested allocation and ownership process. A Federal Communications Commission administrative law judge initially favored Delta Broadcasting Company, led by New Orleans market veteran John G. Curren, while a subsequent FCC review process proposed awarding the authorization to Swan Broadcasting. In 1991, LeSEA Broadcasting, now known as Family Broadcasting Corporation, acquired the construction permit and proceeded with plans for a channel 20 station. WHNO began broadcasting on October 20, 1994. Its original schedule combined Christian ministry programming with family-oriented syndicated shows and movies. The station declined an opportunity to become an affiliate of the United Paramount Network before UPN launched in January 1995, because the network's planned entertainment lineup did not fit LeSEA's programming standards. WHNO instead maintained an independent, values-oriented programming strategy. In the late 1990s it also carried CBS network morning programming, including CBS This Morning and later The Early Show, because WWL-TV's established local morning newscast occupied the time period normally used by network morning shows. The arrangement ended in 2002 when the programming moved to WUPL. Over time, WHNO supplemented its religious schedule with syndicated programs, movies, local advertising, sports, and digital multicast services. In 2000, it began carrying Christian paid programming during some off-peak periods. The station also developed a significant local sports identity under general manager Dean Powery, including programming focused on college, high-school, and regional athletics. Hurricane Katrina severely disrupted WHNO in August 2005. Flooding and wind damaged the station's Behrman Highway facilities, and transmitter-related problems forced an interruption of its over-the-air signal. LeSEA supplied a direct feed of its World Harvest Television service to New Orleans cable and satellite distributors while the station was off the air. WHNO returned to broadcasting in November 2005 and restored its regular locally based schedule and local advertising on December 3, 2005. Powery became WHNO's general manager in May 2007. During his tenure, the station expanded its staff, improved its production capabilities, strengthened relationships with local ministries, introduced additional syndicated programming, and increased its sports coverage. In 2011, LeSEA acquired the local sports website SportsNOLA.com, adding sports journalist Ken Trahan and a network of local contributors to the station's broader sports operation. LeSEA announced in February 2018 that it would sell WHNO, together with low-power stations in Las Vegas and Colorado Springs, to Christian Television Network for $5.7 million. The transaction closed on April 23, 2018. After CTN assumed control, WHNO discontinued its secular and outside digital multicast services and replaced them with CTN-operated services, including CTN Lifestyle and the Spanish-language CTNi. Today, WHNO's principal identity is as a local CTN station offering a mixture of national and locally produced Christian ministry programming.
History
WHNO occupies UHF channel 20 in the New Orleans television market, an allocation that had previously been used by WJMR-TV before that station moved through several channel assignments and ultimately became WVUE. The modern WHNO authorization dates to 1988, when Tucker Broadcasting Company, Limited Partnership filed a construction-permit application. The application became involved in a competitive FCC proceeding. An FCC administrative law judge favored Delta Broadcasting Company, headed by John G. Curren, but the FCC review board later proposed awarding the authorization to Swan Broadcasting. LeSEA Broadcasting acquired the construction permit in 1991 and developed the station as a Christian-oriented outlet. WHNO signed on October 20, 1994. LeSEA scheduled Christian ministry programs alongside family-oriented syndicated programming and films. The company declined to pursue a UPN affiliation before that network's 1995 launch, judging the proposed programming inconsistent with its religious standards. UPN's New Orleans affiliation instead went to WUPL. WHNO nevertheless carried CBS's morning programs beginning in September 1995. It aired CBS This Morning and subsequently The Early Show until 2002, when the program moved to WUPL. The arrangement reflected the fact that WWL-TV already occupied the market's principal weekday morning period with a local newscast. The station continued to evolve while retaining its Christian identity. In 2000, it introduced Christian paid programming during selected off-peak hours. It also used digital broadcasting to carry additional services. World Harvest Television appeared on a digital subchannel beginning in 2009. WeatherNation TV, Cozi TV, and additional World Harvest Television services were added or rearranged during the following years, while the main service eventually adopted high-definition transmission. WHNO also carried the only televised game of the one-season Regional Football League in 1999. Hurricane Katrina caused one of the largest interruptions in the station's history. On August 29, 2005, flooding and strong winds damaged WHNO's Behrman Highway facilities, and transmitter problems took the station off the air. LeSEA responded by providing a direct World Harvest Television feed to New Orleans cable and satellite distributors, including Cox Communications. WHNO returned to terrestrial broadcasting in November and restored its regular local schedule and local advertising on December 3, 2005. In May 2007, LeSEA president Peter Sumrall appointed Dean Powery general manager. Powery expanded the station's staffing and production resources, developed relationships with local ministries, added syndicated shows and local college football, and worked to rebuild the station's market presence after Katrina. In 2010, WHNO recruited veteran sports journalist Ken Berthelot and created a substantial weekday sports block focused on college and high-school athletics. The block was expanded in 2012, when the station also resumed regular coverage of local high-school football, baseball, and basketball. WHNO joined the Southland Conference Television Network in September 2012, although that network ceased operations in 2015. LeSEA's local sports strategy expanded further when the company acquired SportsNOLA.com in 2011. The transaction brought Ken Trahan and more than 20 local contributors into the station's wider sports operation. This period represented WHNO's attempt to complement its religious programming with locally relevant sports and community content. The station changed ownership in 2018. On February 5, LeSEA announced the sale of WHNO and low-power stations in Las Vegas and Colorado Springs to Christian Television Network for $5.7 million. The transaction closed on April 23. CTN then revised WHNO's digital lineup, removing secular and outside multicast services and installing CTN Lifestyle on subchannel 20.2 and CTNi, the network's Spanish-language service, on subchannel 20.3. Under CTN, WHNO's principal role is as a New Orleans-area Christian television station carrying local and national ministry programs.
- 2018
Ownership transfers to CTN
[1]Christian Television Network completed its acquisition of WHNO from LeSEA on April 23.
- 2015
Southland Conference Television Network ends
[1]The Southland Conference Television Network ceased operations on July 1.
- 2012
Southland Conference sports added
[1]WHNO became an affiliate of the Southland Conference Television Network and resumed broader local high-school sports coverage.
- 2011
SportsNOLA.com acquired
[1]LeSEA acquired the local SportsNOLA.com website as part of WHNO's expanded sports operation.
- 2009
World Harvest Television added digitally
[1]WHNO began carrying LeSEA's World Harvest Television service on digital subchannel 20.2.
- 2007
Dean Powery becomes general manager
[1]LeSEA appointed Dean Powery to manage WHNO and oversee its post-Katrina development.
- 2005
Katrina recovery
[1]Hurricane Katrina damaged WHNO's facilities and interrupted terrestrial broadcasting. The station returned in November and restored its local schedule in December.
- 2000
Christian paid programming expands
[1]The station began carrying Christian-targeted paid programming during selected off-peak periods.
- 1999
Regional Football League broadcast
[1]WHNO televised the New Orleans Thunder–Mobile Admirals game, the only televised contest from the league's brief one-season existence.
- 1995
CBS morning programming begins
[1]WHNO began carrying CBS This Morning and later The Early Show during the New Orleans morning schedule.
Products and positioning
A local Christian television outlet combining national and locally produced ministry programming with community-oriented broadcasting for the New Orleans market.
Religious broadcast television · 1994
WHNO primary television service
WHNO's main virtual channel 20 service provides Christian ministry programming for the New Orleans market. Its schedule has historically combined locally produced and national religious programs with selected syndicated, family-oriented, and community-interest content. Since the 2018 ownership change, the primary service has operated as a Christian Television Network outlet.
Digital multicast television · 2018
CTN Lifestyle
CTN Lifestyle is a Christian Television Network digital service carried by WHNO on subchannel 20.2 after CTN acquired the station. It combines secular lifestyle-oriented material with religious programming and forms part of CTN's in-house multicast offering.
Spanish-language digital multicast television · 2018
CTNi
CTNi is CTN's Spanish-language service, carried by WHNO on digital subchannel 20.3 after the 2018 ownership transition. It extends the station's religious broadcasting portfolio to Spanish-speaking viewers in the New Orleans area.
Sports television programming · 2010
WHNO local sports programming
WHNO developed locally focused sports programming covering college and high-school athletics. Under sports journalist Ken Berthelot, the station built weekday sports blocks and later restored regular broadcasts of high-school football, baseball, and basketball after Hurricane Katrina.
Brand decisions
2018
Sale to Christian Television NetworkM&ABackground
LeSEA decided to sell WHNO and two low-power stations as part of a broader station transaction.
Action taken
Christian Television Network agreed to acquire WHNO for part of a reported $5.7 million transaction covering the three stations. The sale closed on April 23, 2018.
Aftermath
CTN replaced the station's secular and outside digital multicast services with CTN Lifestyle and CTNi and repositioned WHNO primarily as a CTN religious outlet.
Reported transaction value for WHNO and two low-power stations. $5.7 million transaction announced (Announced February 5, 2018; completed April 23, 2018)
2012
Expansion of local sports counterprogrammingStrategyBackground
WHNO sought to rebuild its local profile after Hurricane Katrina and compete for viewers during the evening period dominated by local news on larger stations.
Action taken
The station expanded its sports block to ten hours per week, added local high-school games, and joined the Southland Conference Television Network.
Aftermath
WHNO broadened its local sports presence until the Southland Conference network dissolved in 2015.
2005
Emergency programming response after Hurricane KatrinaOtherBackground
Hurricane Katrina damaged WHNO's facilities and caused transmitter-related interruption of its over-the-air service.
Action taken
LeSEA supplied a direct World Harvest Television feed to New Orleans cable and satellite providers while WHNO rebuilt its local transmission capability.
Aftermath
WHNO returned to the air in November 2005 and restored its regular locally based schedule and local advertising on December 3.
1995
Declining the UPN affiliationStrategyBackground
LeSEA was offered the opportunity to affiliate WHNO with the United Paramount Network before the network's January 1995 launch.
Action taken
The company declined because the network's planned entertainment programming did not align with WHNO's Christian-oriented programming standards.
Aftermath
UPN programming was carried in New Orleans by WUPL instead, while WHNO continued as an independent religious and family-oriented station.
Recent events
- 2018
LeSEA announces sale of WHNO to Christian Television Network[1]
M&A
LeSEA announced an agreement to sell WHNO and two low-power stations to Clearwater, Florida-based Christian Television Network for $5.7 million.
- 2018
Christian Television Network completes WHNO acquisition[1]
M&A
Christian Television Network completed its purchase of WHNO on April 23, 2018, and subsequently replaced outside digital multicast services with CTN programming.
- 2012
WHNO joins the Southland Conference Television Network[1]
Product launch
The station began carrying Southland Conference events, including games involving Southeastern Louisiana University and Nicholls State University.
- 2011
LeSEA acquires SportsNOLA.com[1]
M&A
LeSEA acquired the locally based SportsNOLA.com website, adding Ken Trahan and other local sports contributors to its New Orleans sports operation.
- 2010
WHNO expands local sports programming[1]
Campaign
WHNO hired sports journalist Ken Berthelot and developed a weekday sports block covering college and local high-school athletics.
- 2007
Dean Powery appointed WHNO general manager[1]
Leadership change
LeSEA president Peter Sumrall appointed television and cable executive Dean Powery to lead WHNO.
- 2005
Hurricane Katrina disrupts WHNO operations[1]
Other
Storm flooding and wind damaged WHNO facilities and transmitter infrastructure. LeSEA supplied World Harvest Television to local cable and satellite providers until the station returned to normal local programming.
- 1995
WHNO declines UPN affiliation[1]
Other
LeSEA chose not to affiliate WHNO with the newly launched United Paramount Network because the planned programming did not fit the company's religious programming standards.
- 1995
WHNO carries CBS morning programming[1]
Other
The station began carrying CBS This Morning and later The Early Show to fill a morning network-programming gap in the New Orleans market.
- 1994
WHNO begins broadcasting on channel 20[1]
Product launch
WHNO signed on October 20, beginning service as a Christian-oriented independent station with ministry, family-oriented syndicated, and movie programming.
Sources2 sources
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