WNHO-LD
WNHO-LD is a low-power television station serving the Fort Wayne, Indiana area and formerly serving Defiance, Ohio.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WNHO-LD is a low-power television station operating on UHF channel 35 in the Fort Wayne, Indiana market. The station was established in 1992 by Lankenau Small Media Network as W19BN on channel 19. It subsequently became WDFM-LP, reflecting its association with WDFM radio in Defiance, Ohio, and later adopted the WNHO callsign after being transferred from iHeartMedia to American Christian Television Services. For much of its earlier history, the station served northwestern Ohio rather than Fort Wayne. Its coverage included Defiance and portions of Fulton, Henry, Paulding, and Williams counties. The station was initially operated alongside WDFM radio and carried a largely syndicated schedule with programming focused on subjects such as gardening, motorsports, agriculture, home improvement, and personal health. Its low-power status limited its reach compared with full-power television stations, but it provided a local over-the-air outlet in the Defiance area. The station's ownership and role changed substantially in 2018. iHeartMedia donated the facility, then known as WDFM-LP, to American Christian Television Services, the owner of Lima, Ohio-based religious and independent station WTLW, later known as WLMA. The transfer was completed on October 5, 2018, and the callsign changed to WNHO-LP. ACTS acquired the station as a UHF repeater for WTLW. The arrangement was intended to improve reception in areas where WTLW's physical low-VHF channel made over-the-air coverage difficult. In 2019, ACTS announced plans to convert the station to digital operation and move it to channel 35. WNHO-LD began digital broadcasting on October 4, 2019. This transition changed the station's technical designation from WNHO-LP to WNHO-LD and positioned it as a digital relay outlet for the ACTS-related programming operation. WNHO-LD ceased broadcasting on August 1, 2024, as WLMB prepared to relocate to physical channel 35, which would have made the station redundant. The station returned to the air on July 25, 2025, as a Fort Wayne station on UHF channel 35. The current station is identified as being owned by Metro Video Productions, Inc., with its transmitter located on Whittern Road near Monroeville, Indiana. WNHO-LD is therefore best understood as a small-market broadcast-station brand whose identity has evolved through several call signs, owners, service areas, and technical configurations rather than as a national media brand.
History
WNHO-LD traces its origins to March 2, 1992, when Lankenau Small Media Network established a low-power television facility on channel 19 under the callsign W19BN. In March 1997, the station adopted the callsign WDFM-LP, aligning it with WDFM radio in Defiance, Ohio. The station later moved from channel 19 to channel 26 to accommodate the digital signal of Fort Wayne station WISE-TV, whose digital operation used channel 18. In December 1998, Jacor Broadcasting acquired WDFM and WDFM-LP from Lankenau Small Media Network. Jacor subsequently became associated with Clear Channel through a merger. When Clear Channel agreed in 2007 to sell its television-station group to Newport Television, WDFM-LP was excluded from that transaction because it was operated directly by the affiliated radio station rather than through Clear Channel's television group. Until 2018, WDFM-LP was operated by the organization connected with WDFM radio, later associated with iHeartMedia. Its schedule consisted mainly of syndicated programs covering practical and specialist subjects, including gardening, motorsports, agriculture, home improvement, and personal health. The station's service area centered on Defiance and extended across parts of several surrounding northwestern Ohio counties. In July 2018, iHeartMedia filed to donate WDFM-LP to American Christian Television Services. ACTS operated WTLW in Lima, Ohio, later known as WLMA, and sought the facility as a UHF repeater. WTLW's physical low-VHF channel made reliable over-the-air reception difficult across parts of its intended market. The transfer closed on October 5, 2018, and the station changed its callsign to WNHO-LP. ACTS announced in early 2019 that it intended to upgrade the operation to digital television and move it to channel 35. WNHO-LD began transmitting digitally on October 4, 2019. The LD suffix reflected the station's digital low-power status, while the new channel gave the operation a UHF platform better suited to its repeater role. The facility stopped operating on August 1, 2024, when WLMB's planned move to physical channel 35 threatened to duplicate the station's function. It returned on July 25, 2025, now described as a Fort Wayne station operating on UHF channel 35. The station's transmitter is located on Whittern Road near Monroeville, Indiana, and the current owner is identified as Metro Video Productions, Inc. Across its history, WNHO-LD has moved from a locally operated Defiance low-power outlet to a repeater associated with religious and independent programming and, later, to a Fort Wayne-area digital station.
- 2025
Returned as a Fort Wayne station
[1]WNHO returned to the air on July 25, 2025, operating from the Fort Wayne area on UHF channel 35.
- 2024
Broadcast operations suspended
[1]WNHO ended operations on August 1, 2024, because a planned WLMB channel relocation would have made the facility redundant.
- 2019
Digital channel 35 operation launched
[1]WNHO-LD signed on digitally on October 4, 2019, following a planned technical upgrade and channel move.
- 2018
Transferred to American Christian Television Services
[1]The facility was donated by iHeartMedia to American Christian Television Services, with the transfer completed on October 5.
- 2018
Renamed WNHO-LP
[1]The callsign changed from WDFM-LP to WNHO-LP after the ownership transfer.
- 1998
Acquired by Jacor Broadcasting
[1]Jacor Broadcasting acquired WDFM and WDFM-LP from Lankenau Small Media Network in December 1998.
- 1997
Calls changed to WDFM-LP
[1]The station adopted the WDFM-LP callsign in March 1997.
- 1992
Station established as W19BN
[1]Lankenau Small Media Network established the low-power television station on March 2, 1992, operating on channel 19.
Products and positioning
A local low-power television outlet and digital broadcast service serving the Fort Wayne area, with historical coverage of northwestern Ohio and an earlier role as a repeater for religious and independent programming.
Low-power digital television station · 2019
WNHO-LD over-the-air television service
WNHO-LD is the station's primary broadcast service. It operates as a low-power digital television facility on UHF channel 35 and currently serves the Fort Wayne, Indiana area. Earlier versions of the station served Defiance and nearby counties in northwestern Ohio.
Television programming
Syndicated and independent programming
During its earlier WDFM-LP period, the station carried a schedule centered primarily on syndicated programming. Reported subject areas included gardening, motorsports, agriculture, home improvement, and personal health. Later, the facility served as a repeater associated with religious and independent television programming.
Brand decisions
2024
Temporary suspension of broadcastingStrategyBackground
WLMB's planned relocation to physical channel 35 was expected to make WNHO-LD's existing role unnecessary.
Action taken
WNHO-LD ended operations on August 1, 2024.
Aftermath
The station later returned to the air as a Fort Wayne operation on July 25, 2025.
2019
Upgrade from analog low-power operation to digital channel 35Generation changeBackground
American Christian Television Services sought to improve the station's technical usefulness as a repeater and planned a move from the prior low-power configuration to a digital UHF operation.
Action taken
WNHO-LP was upgraded and began digital broadcasting as WNHO-LD on October 4, 2019, on channel 35.
Aftermath
The station operated as a digital UHF service until suspending operations in 2024.
2018
Donation and conversion to a repeater facilityM&ABackground
The former WDFM-LP facility was difficult to place within Clear Channel's television-group sale because it was operated directly by the affiliated radio station. iHeartMedia later pursued a donation to American Christian Television Services, which wanted a UHF repeater for its Lima-based service.
Action taken
The facility was transferred to American Christian Television Services, and its callsign changed to WNHO-LP.
Aftermath
The station became associated with ACTS's WTLW operation and was positioned to improve reception in areas affected by WTLW's low-VHF transmission frequency.
Recent events
- 2025
WNHO-LD returns to the air as a Fort Wayne station[1]
Product launch
The station resumed broadcasting on July 25, 2025, operating as a Fort Wayne outlet on UHF channel 35.
- 2024
WNHO-LD ends operations[1]
Other
WNHO-LD stopped broadcasting on August 1, 2024, as a planned relocation of WLMB to physical channel 35 was expected to make the station unnecessary.
- 2019
WNHO-LD begins digital operation on channel 35[1]
Product launch · Product generation
The station signed on as a digital facility on October 4, 2019, following plans to upgrade the former analog low-power operation and move its broadcast channel to 35.
- 2018
iHeartMedia agrees to donate WDFM-LP to American Christian Television Services[1]
M&A
iHeartMedia filed to transfer the low-power station, then operating as WDFM-LP, to American Christian Television Services. The transaction required a callsign change and was completed later that year.
- 2018
WNHO-LP changes callsign after transfer to American Christian Television Services[1]
M&A
Following completion of the transfer on October 5, 2018, WDFM-LP became WNHO-LP and was intended to operate as a UHF repeater for WTLW in Lima, Ohio.
Sources2 sources
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