WOLE-DT

WOLE-DT is a Spanish-language full-power television station serving western Puerto Rico on channel 12. Although licensed to Aguadilla, the station’s market identity is closely associated with Mayagüez and the western part of the island. It operates as a full-time satellite of WLII-DT, the San Juan–area station associated with the TeleOnce service and owned by Liberman Media Group. WOLE-DT also operates translator W21CX-D on channel 21, licensed to Mayagüez. The station began broadcasting as WOLE-TV on May 10, 1960, becoming the second television station established on Puerto Rico’s west coast. It was initially owned by Western Broadcasting Corporation of Puerto Rico. During its early period, the station produced some local programming, but its schedule later became more dependent on infomercials, reportedly reflecting limited local advertising demand. Its affiliation history has changed several times. WOLE carried WAPA-TV programming from 1960 to 1979 and again from 1984 to 1994. It affiliated with WKAQ-TV and the Telemundo network from 1979 to 1984, and then again from January 1995 through the end of 2014. A major strategic change came in 2015. Univision Communications announced in October 2014 that WOLE would become a semi-satellite of WLII-DT, then the Univision station serving Puerto Rico. The transition took effect on January 1, 2015, ending WOLE’s carriage of WKAQ-TV and Telemundo programming. Univision subsequently bought WOLE-DT from Western Broadcasting Corporation of Puerto Rico for approximately $3.67 million; the transaction was announced in 2018 and completed on December 5 of that year. WOLE’s ownership changed again as part of a broader regulatory restructuring. In 2020, the proposed acquisition of control of Univision Communications by ForgeLight and Searchlight Capital created an overlap issue because the investment firms also had an interest in Hemisphere Media Group, owner of WAPA-TV and its western Puerto Rico repeater. To address ownership limits, Univision agreed to sell WLII-DT and its satellite stations, including WOLE-DT and WSUR-DT, to Liberman Media Group. The transactions closed on December 10, 2020. Liberman later revived the TeleOnce branding for the Puerto Rico service, and the on-screen identity changed from Univision Puerto Rico to TeleOnce on February 18, 2021. WOLE has also maintained a local-news role. It formerly produced Edición Puerto Rico, a weekday newscast focused on events in Puerto Rico and distributed through television, WLII, the station’s website, and Facebook Live. Its current local contribution consists of western-region segments for Las Noticias TeleOnce under the title Las Noticias en el Oeste. The station’s sales office is in the Westernbank Building in downtown Mayagüez, while its transmitter is located at Monte del Estado in Maricao. Its programming and technical operations are linked to WLII’s facilities in Guaynabo and Aguadilla.

WOLE-TV began broadcasting on May 10, 1960, as the second television station on Puerto Rico’s western coast. Western Broadcasting Corporation of Puerto Rico owned the station at launch. Its earliest operations included locally produced programming, although the schedule eventually shifted toward a heavier reliance on infomercials, reportedly because local businesses showed limited interest in television advertising. The station’s first decades were defined by changing affiliations. It served as a repeater for WAPA-TV from 1960 through 1979 and again from 1984 through 1994. Between those periods it carried WKAQ-TV and Telemundo programming. WOLE returned to the WKAQ-TV/Telemundo relationship on January 1, 1995, and maintained that affiliation through December 31, 2014. Univision Communications announced on October 15, 2014, that WOLE would become a semi-satellite of WLII-DT. The programming change took effect on January 1, 2015. WOLE consequently dropped WKAQ-TV and Telemundo programming, while Telemundo began discussions concerning the western Puerto Rico service previously associated with another WLII satellite. In July 2018, Univision announced that it would purchase WOLE-DT from Western Broadcasting Corporation of Puerto Rico. The reported purchase price was approximately $3.67 million, and the sale closed on December 5, 2018. A subsequent ownership reorganization followed the proposed 2020 change in control of Univision Communications. ForgeLight and Searchlight Capital agreed to acquire a controlling interest in Univision, but both firms also had an interest in Hemisphere Media Group, which owned WAPA-TV and a western Puerto Rico repeater operating in the same broad market. Because of the resulting ownership-limit considerations, Univision announced the sale of WLII-DT and its satellite stations, including WOLE-DT, to Liberman Media Group. The transaction closed on December 10, 2020. Univision retained several other Puerto Rico assets, including WSTE-DT, WKAQ-AM, and WKAQ-FM. Liberman Media Group appointed Winter Horton as general manager in January 2021. WLII-DT and its repeaters continued to air Univision Puerto Rico programming for a short period, but the on-screen identity changed to TeleOnce on February 18, 2021. The revived TeleOnce brand connected the station group with a prior Puerto Rico television identity. WOLE’s local programming has included the news program Edición Puerto Rico, which aired on weekdays at 5:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. and focused on Puerto Rican events. The program was also distributed through WLII, Facebook Live, and the station’s website. WOLE later contributed regional reports to Las Noticias TeleOnce through the segment title Las Noticias en el Oeste. The station’s sales office is located in downtown Mayagüez, its transmitter is at Monte del Estado in Maricao, and it operates translator W21CX-D on channel 21 in Mayagüez.

• 2021

  TeleOnce identity launches

  [1]WOLE-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The station group changes its on-screen branding from Univision Puerto Rico to TeleOnce on February 18.

• 2020

  Liberman Media Group acquires the station

  [1]WOLE-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The sale of WOLE-DT and related WLII satellite stations to Liberman Media Group closes on December 10.

• 2018

  Univision purchase closes

  [1]WOLE-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Univision completes its acquisition of WOLE-DT from Western Broadcasting Corporation of Puerto Rico on December 5.

• 2015

  Becomes a WLII-DT semi-satellite

  [1]WOLE-DTen.wikipedia.org

  WOLE begins carrying programming from Univision’s WLII-DT service and ends its Telemundo affiliation.

• 1995

  Second WKAQ-TV and Telemundo period begins

  [1]WOLE-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The station resumes its WKAQ-TV and Telemundo affiliation on January 1.

• 1984

  Returns to WAPA-TV programming

  [1]WOLE-DTen.wikipedia.org

  WOLE again operates as a WAPA-TV repeater.

• 1979

  First WKAQ-TV and Telemundo affiliation

  [1]WOLE-DTen.wikipedia.org

  WOLE changes from its initial WAPA-TV repeater role to a WKAQ-TV and Telemundo affiliation.

• 1960

  WOLE-TV begins broadcasting

  [1]WOLE-DTen.wikipedia.org

  The station launches on May 10 as the second television station on Puerto Rico’s west coast.

A western Puerto Rico television outlet combining local regional coverage with programming supplied by its parent station and network service.

• Television station · 1960

  WOLE-DT channel 12

  WOLE-DT is the station’s primary digital television service, licensed to Aguadilla and serving Mayagüez and western Puerto Rico. It operates as a full-time satellite of WLII-DT and carries the broader TeleOnce service together with locally relevant western-region content.

• Television translator

  W21CX-D channel 21

  W21CX-D is WOLE-DT’s translator service licensed to Mayagüez. It extends the station’s broadcast coverage within the western Puerto Rico market.

• Local news

  Edición Puerto Rico

  Edición Puerto Rico was a former local news program produced by WOLE-DT. It aired on weekdays in evening time slots and covered events in Puerto Rico, with additional distribution through WLII, Facebook Live, and the station’s website.

• Regional news

  Las Noticias en el Oeste

  Las Noticias en el Oeste is WOLE-DT’s western Puerto Rico news contribution to Las Noticias TeleOnce. The segments provide regional reporting within the wider TeleOnce news operation.

• 2021

  Transition to TeleOnce brandingStrategy

  Background

  Following Liberman Media Group’s acquisition of the Puerto Rico station group, the company revived a former local television brand.

  Action taken

  WLII-DT and its repeaters, including WOLE-DT, changed their on-screen identity from Univision Puerto Rico to TeleOnce on February 18, 2021.

  Aftermath

  WOLE continued operating as part of the TeleOnce-linked WLII network under Liberman ownership.

  Source

• 2020

  Divestiture to Liberman Media GroupM&A

  Background

  The proposed change in Univision ownership created overlap concerns because the acquiring investment firms also had an interest in a group owning a competing Puerto Rico station and western repeater.

  Action taken

  Univision sold WLII-DT and satellite stations including WOLE-DT to Liberman Media Group. The transaction closed on December 10, 2020.

  Aftermath

  Liberman became WOLE-DT’s owner and later restored the TeleOnce identity across the station group.

  Source

• 2018

  Univision acquires WOLE-DTM&A

  Background

  WOLE had been operating as a retransmission and semi-satellite partner of Univision’s Puerto Rico station.

  Action taken

  Univision bought WOLE-DT from Western Broadcasting Corporation of Puerto Rico for a reported $3,666,666.64; the sale closed on December 5, 2018.

  Aftermath

  Univision consolidated ownership of its Puerto Rico station lineup until the station was later divested to Liberman Media Group.

  Reported purchase price. 3666666.64 (2018 transaction)

  Source

• 2015

  Shift to WLII-DT semi-satellite operationStrategy

  Background

  Univision Communications reorganized its Puerto Rico television distribution, while WOLE’s prior WKAQ-TV and Telemundo affiliation was ending.

  Action taken

  WOLE-DT began carrying WLII-DT programming as a semi-satellite on January 1, 2015.

  Aftermath

  The station became part of Univision’s Puerto Rico service and no longer carried WKAQ-TV and Telemundo programming.

  Source

• 2025

  TeleOnce announces planned end of Univision affiliation[1]WOLE-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  TeleOnce announced that its affiliation agreement with Univision would expire at the end of 2025, after which the service was expected to operate independently.

• 2021

  TeleOnce branding replaces Univision Puerto Rico identity[1]WOLE-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  After Liberman Media Group completed its acquisition, WLII-DT and its repeaters switched their on-screen identity from Univision Puerto Rico to TeleOnce.

• 2020

  Liberman Media Group acquires WLII-DT and its Puerto Rico satellites[1]WOLE-DTen.wikipedia.org

  M&A · Regulation

  To address ownership-limit concerns arising from the change in control of Univision Communications, Liberman Media Group acquired WLII-DT and satellite stations including WOLE-DT and WSUR-DT.

• 2018

  Univision announces purchase of WOLE-DT[1]WOLE-DTen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Univision Communications announced an agreement to acquire WOLE-DT from Western Broadcasting Corporation of Puerto Rico for approximately $3.67 million. The transaction closed later that year.

• 2015

  WOLE-DT becomes a semi-satellite of WLII-DT[1]WOLE-DTen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  WOLE-DT ended its Telemundo and WKAQ-TV programming relationship and began operating as a semi-satellite of Univision’s Puerto Rico station WLII-DT.

1. 1WOLE-DTen.wikipedia.org
2. 2WOLE-DT official websitewole12.com