WLPX-TV

WLPX-TV is a full-power television station licensed to Charleston, West Virginia, in the United States. It broadcasts on virtual channel 29 and serves the Charleston–Huntington television market. The station carries programming from Ion Television, the national broadcast network formerly known as Pax TV and later as i: Independent Television. WLPX-TV is part of Ion Media, which operates television stations affiliated with the Ion network, and Ion Media is owned by The E. W. Scripps Company. The station’s origins date to a construction permit issued in 1987. The permit went through several extensions before the station progressed toward operation. During its construction phase and during its first month on the air, the station used the call sign WKRP, a reference shared with the fictional radio station from the American television comedy series WKRP in Cincinnati. On October 5, 1998, it adopted the WLPX-TV call sign, which it has used since then. The station has been affiliated with the Ion network continuously from its launch, including the network’s earlier Pax TV and i: branding periods. WLPX-TV’s facilities include offices on Prestige Park Drive in Hurricane, West Virginia, while its transmission facilities are located near Milton. Its service area is defined by the Charleston–Huntington market rather than by a national consumer-facing brand presence. As a local broadcast outlet, its principal function is the over-the-air distribution of Ion Television programming and associated digital multicast services within its coverage area. The station completed the federally mandated transition from analog to digital television in 2009. Regular analog programming on UHF channel 29 ended on June 12, 2009, the nationwide transition date for full-power television stations in the United States. After the transition, WLPX-TV continued using digital UHF channel 39 for its transmitted signal while retaining virtual channel 29 for viewer identification. This distinction allows viewers to find the station under its familiar channel number even though the underlying radio-frequency channel changed. WLPX-TV is therefore best understood as a local broadcast-station brand operating within the Ion Television network and the Scripps corporate structure. Public reference material identifies its licensing location, market, network affiliation, call-sign history, facilities, ownership relationship, and digital-transition history, but does not provide enough information to establish a separate founding organization, named founder, publicly traded status, or a detailed roster of station executives.

WLPX-TV is a television station licensed to Charleston, West Virginia, and serving the Charleston–Huntington designated television market. Its history began with a construction permit originating in 1987. The permit was subject to several extensions before the station moved toward licensed operation. The available station history does not identify a single founder or provide a complete account of the permit holders and ownership changes during the construction period. In the construction phase and during its first month on the air, the station used the call sign WKRP. That call sign was associated with the fictional radio station featured in the television comedy series WKRP in Cincinnati. On October 5, 1998, the station changed its call sign to WLPX-TV. The current call sign has remained the station’s identifying designation since that change. From its beginning as a broadcasting outlet, WLPX-TV has carried the Ion television network. Ion was previously branded as Pax TV and subsequently as i: Independent Television before adopting the Ion Television name. Consequently, the station’s network relationship spans the evolution of the national network’s branding and programming identity. WLPX-TV’s local role has been to distribute that network service to viewers in the Charleston–Huntington market rather than to operate primarily as an independently programmed local station. The station’s physical operations include offices on Prestige Park Drive in Hurricane, West Virginia. Its transmitter is located near Milton, allowing the station to serve its designated market from a separate transmission site. Publicly available reference material does not establish a detailed local-news operation, a separately branded production division, or a substantial consumer-products business associated with WLPX-TV. Its principal offering is television broadcasting through its Ion affiliation and digital subchannel service. A major technical milestone occurred during the United States transition from analog to digital television. WLPX-TV ended regular programming on its analog signal on UHF channel 29 on June 12, 2009, the official nationwide transition date for full-power television stations. The station’s post-transition digital signal remained on UHF channel 39, while virtual channel 29 continued to identify the station for viewers. The use of virtual channel 29 preserved continuity with the station’s established channel identity even after the underlying transmission frequency changed. In its current corporate context, WLPX-TV is operated through Ion Media and is owned by The E. W. Scripps Company. The station remains an Ion Television outlet serving a defined regional broadcast market. The available reference material confirms the station’s network affiliation, call-sign history, locations, ownership structure, and analog-to-digital transition, but does not supply sufficient evidence for a complete chronology of managers, ratings, financial performance, programming schedules, or local promotional campaigns.

• 2009

  Analog television service ends

  [1]WLPX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WLPX-TV ended regular analog programming on UHF channel 29 on June 12, 2009, as part of the United States full-power television transition to digital broadcasting.

• 2009

  Digital signal continues on channel 39

  [1]WLPX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  After the transition, the station’s digital signal remained on pre-transition UHF channel 39 while virtual channel 29 continued to identify the service.

• 1998

  License application and launch period

  [1]WLPX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station applied for its license on September 11, 1998. During its construction phase and first month on the air, it used the WKRP call sign.

• 1998

  Call sign changes to WLPX-TV

  [1]WLPX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  On October 5, 1998, the station adopted the WLPX-TV call sign that it uses today.

• 1987

  Construction permit originates

  [1]WLPX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  A construction permit for the future Charleston-area television station originated in 1987 and later received several extensions.

A local, network-affiliated broadcast station delivering Ion Television programming to viewers in the Charleston–Huntington market.

• Broadcast television network affiliation

  Ion Television

  WLPX-TV’s principal programming service is Ion Television, a national broadcast network distributed through local affiliated stations. The station has carried the network since its inception, including periods when the network used the Pax TV and i: Independent Television names. Through this affiliation, WLPX-TV provides Ion programming to viewers in the Charleston–Huntington market.

• Over-the-air broadcasting · 2009

  Digital terrestrial television service

  WLPX-TV transmits a digital terrestrial television signal for its regional audience. Following the 2009 analog shutdown, the station’s digital transmission used UHF channel 39, while the station continued to appear to viewers under virtual channel 29. The station’s digital signal is multiplexed, allowing the broadcast facility to carry its primary service and digital subchannel programming.

1. 1WLPX-TVen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Ion Televisioniontelevision.com