WPNM-LD

WPNM-LD is a low-power television station licensed to Leipsic, Ohio, in the Lima television market. Rather than operating as a fully independent local station, it functions primarily as a translator of Lima-based WOHL-CD, a Class A station carrying ABC and CBS programming. The translator extends the reach of WOHL-CD's services into the northern portion of the market. Its signal is transmitted from the WBGU-TV tower near Belmore, Ohio, while the associated stations use studio facilities on Rice Avenue northwest of downtown Lima. The station began broadcasting on May 28, 1996, as W18BP, a full-time analog translator of WOHL-CA. It originally operated on UHF channel 18. In 1999, the facility was separated from its earlier translator role and became WLQP-LP, taking a UPN affiliation. The station's programming identity changed substantially during the 2006 realignment in which UPN and The WB combined to form The CW. Because another Lima-area service operated the market's WB 100+ outlet, the station's owners pursued ABC programming instead. WLQP-LP became an ABC affiliate on September 1, 2006, restoring a locally available ABC service after WLIO had discontinued its secondary ABC affiliation in 1982. For a period, the station also carried America One programming on a secondary basis shared with WLMO. The station's transition from analog to digital was prolonged by technical and regulatory complications. It applied for a digital flash-cut in 2006, but later pursued a displacement digital facility on channel 45. The Federal Communications Commission granted a construction permit for that facility in June 2010. Analog operations had been terminated in September 2009, with programming shifted to WOHL-CD, but special temporary authority was later granted to restore analog service on a different channel because of interference concerns involving WISE-TV in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The analog signal was restored in September 2010. Ownership and operations also changed during this period. In 2008, Metro Video Productions announced an agreement to sell its stations to West Central Ohio Broadcasting, a Block Communications subsidiary associated with WLIO. Block assumed operational control after the transaction and gradually consolidated facilities, with WLQP-LP eventually associated with WLIO's Rice Avenue studios. In November 2018, the call sign changed to WPNM-LP. During 2019, Block pursued conversion of the station into a digital translator of WOHL-CD, carrying ABC and CBS services on digital subchannels that virtually mapped to channels 35.1 and 35.2. Digital operations began by December 2019, and the call sign changed to WPNM-LD on January 31, 2020. WPNM-LD's current role is therefore primarily technical and distributional: it rebroadcasts WOHL-CD's subchannels to improve over-the-air coverage rather than presenting a separately branded schedule of locally originated programs. Its principal public-facing value is extending ABC and CBS network programming, along with the programming and services associated with the WOHL-CD operation, to viewers around Leipsic and the northern part of the Lima market. Gray Media announced in 2025 that it would acquire Block Communications' broadcast television stations, including WPNM-LD and its related Lima-area stations. The supplied reference material states that the Federal Communications Commission approved the transaction and that it closed on May 6, 2026.

WPNM-LD traces its history to May 28, 1996, when the facility signed on as W18BP, an analog full-time translator of WOHL-CA. It operated on UHF channel 18 and served as part of the WOHL operation rather than as an independent local broadcaster. In 1999, the channel was spun off from that arrangement and adopted the call sign WLQP-LP, becoming a UPN affiliate. The station's affiliation changed during the 2006 network realignment that followed the merger of UPN and The WB into The CW. The Lima market's WB 100+ service was operated by WLIO, and the owners of WOHL-CA and WLQP-LP elected to pursue MyNetworkTV programming for WOHL-CA while seeking ABC for WLQP-LP. The ABC affiliation began on September 1, 2006. This restored a locally available ABC affiliate in the Lima area after WLIO had dropped its secondary ABC affiliation in 1982. WLQP-LP also carried America One programming for a period on a secondary basis shared with WLMO. Digital conversion involved several stages. WLQP-LP initially applied to the FCC for a digital flash-cut, but in 2009 instead sought a displacement low-power digital facility on UHF channel 45. The FCC granted a construction permit on June 8, 2010. Earlier, on September 28, 2009, the station had ended analog operations and shifted programming to WOHL-CD. The FCC later granted special temporary authority to restore analog service on WOHL's former analog allotment because of interference involving WISE-TV's digital operation in Fort Wayne. Analog service returned on September 13, 2010. On November 29, 2008, Metro Video Productions announced that it would sell its stations to West Central Ohio Broadcasting, a Block Communications subsidiary. Block took control of station operations after the sale and later consolidated facilities with WLIO's Rice Avenue studios in Lima. The station's call sign changed from WLQP-LP to WPNM-LP on November 7, 2018. By 2019, Block was converting the facility into a digital translator of WOHL-CD for the northern part of the Lima market. The translator carried ABC and CBS programming on digital subchannels 27.5 and 27.6, with virtual channel mapping to 35.1 and 35.2. Digital operations began by December 2019. On January 31, 2020, the FCC call sign became WPNM-LD, reflecting the station's digital low-power status and completing the transition away from the earlier WLQP-LP identity. The station now functions primarily as a rebroadcast facility for WOHL-CD. Its transmitter is located on the WBGU-TV tower near Belmore, Ohio, while its associated operational facilities are connected with the WLIO studios in Lima. The reference material states that Gray Media announced the acquisition of Block Communications' broadcast television stations in August 2025, including WPNM-LD, and that the FCC approved and the parties completed the transaction on May 6, 2026.

1. 2026Acquisition approval and closing

   The supplied reference states that the FCC approved the acquisition on May 6 and that the transaction closed the same day.

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2. 2025Gray Media announces acquisition

   Gray Media announces a planned acquisition of Block Communications' broadcast television stations, including WPNM-LD.

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3. 2020Call sign changes to WPNM-LD

   The station receives its current digital low-power call sign on January 31.

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4. 2019Digital translator operations begin

   Block Communications commences digital operations as a WOHL-CD translator carrying ABC and CBS services.

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5. 2018Call sign changes to WPNM-LP

   The station adopts the WPNM-LP call sign on November 7.

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6. 2010Digital construction permit granted

   The FCC grants a construction permit for a new displacement low-power digital facility.

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7. 2009Analog operations end

   The station terminates regular analog operations and shifts programming to WOHL-CD before later receiving authority to restore analog service.

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8. 2006ABC affiliation begins

   Following the UPN-WB realignment, WLQP-LP becomes an ABC affiliate effective September 1.

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9. 1999Call sign changes to WLQP-LP and UPN affiliation begins

   The channel is spun off from its earlier translator arrangement and becomes a UPN-affiliated low-power station.

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10. 1996Station signs on as W18BP

    The facility begins analog operation as a full-time translator of WOHL-CA on UHF channel 18.

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A coverage-extension television translator for the Lima, Ohio market, focused on delivering WOHL-CD's ABC and CBS services to Leipsic and surrounding northern-market communities.

• WOHL-CD ABC serviceDigital television network retransmission2019

  WPNM-LD retransmits WOHL-CD's ABC programming to improve over-the-air reception in Leipsic and the northern portion of the Lima market. This is a distribution service rather than a separately originated WPNM-LD schedule.

• WOHL-CD CBS serviceDigital television network retransmission2019

  The station also carries WOHL-CD's CBS programming on a digital subchannel, giving viewers in the translator's coverage area access to the network through the WPNM-LD facility.

• 2025Acquisition by Gray MediaM&A

  Gray Media announced a plan to acquire Block Communications' broadcast television stations, including WPNM-LD and related Lima-area facilities.

  What changed. Gray Media agreed to acquire the station as part of an $80 million portfolio transaction.

  Aftermath. The supplied reference states that the FCC approved the transaction and that it closed on May 6, 2026, placing WPNM-LD within Gray Media's broadcast group.

  Announced portfolio transaction value. $80 million announced transaction value (Announced August 1, 2025; stated closing May 6, 2026)

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• 2019Conversion to a digital WOHL-CD translatorGeneration change

  The low-power television industry was moving from analog to digital operation, and the station's owners sought a facility that could extend WOHL-CD's services into the northern Lima market.

  What changed. Block Communications commenced digital operations and configured the station to retransmit WOHL-CD's ABC and CBS programming on digital subchannels.

  Aftermath. WPNM-LD became primarily a digital coverage-extension facility, with its current call sign adopted in January 2020.

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• 2006Pursuit of ABC affiliation after UPN-WB realignmentStrategy

  The creation of The CW changed the affiliation options available to Lima-area stations. The owners of WLQP-LP sought a major-network affiliation rather than allowing the station to become an unaffiliated remnant of the UPN realignment.

  What changed. WLQP-LP secured an ABC affiliation effective September 1, 2006, while related WOHL operations pursued MyNetworkTV programming.

  Aftermath. The move restored ABC programming to a Lima-area local affiliate after WLIO had ended its secondary ABC affiliation in 1982.

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• 2026FCC approves and transaction closes for Gray Media acquisition

  The supplied reference material states that the FCC approved Gray Media's acquisition of the relevant Block Communications stations on May 6, 2026, and that the transaction closed the same day.

  M&ARegulation
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• 2025Gray Media announces acquisition of Block Communications broadcast stations

  Gray Media announced an agreement to acquire Block Communications' broadcast television stations, including WPNM-LD, WOHL-CD, WAMS-LD, and WLIO, for $80 million.

  M&A
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• 2019WPNM-LP becomes a digital translator of WOHL-CD

  Block Communications commenced digital operations for the low-power station, positioning it as a northern-market translator of WOHL-CD and carrying ABC and CBS programming on digital subchannels.

  Product generation
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• 2008Metro Video Productions announces sale of Lima-area stations to West Central Ohio Broadcasting

  Metro Video Productions announced an agreement to sell its stations, including the facility then operating as WLQP-LP, to West Central Ohio Broadcasting, a Block Communications subsidiary. Block subsequently assumed operational control and consolidated some station operations with WLIO.

  M&A
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1. WPNM-LD
2. Hometown Stations