WSPF-CD

WSPF-CD is a low-power, Class A television station licensed to St. Petersburg, Florida, and serving the wider Tampa Bay market. The station broadcasts on digital channel 35 and operates from a transmitter facility in Riverview, Florida. It is owned by Total Christian Television, a Christian broadcasting organization, and its current identity reflects the station's role as a religious television outlet rather than its earlier municipal and Spanish-language programming history. The station first went on the air in 1989 under the call sign W35AJ. It initially operated as an owned-and-operated station of Channel America, making it an early network-owned commercial station in the Tampa Bay market. Operations were inconsistent, however, and the station was periodically off the air for extended periods. By the time the City of St. Petersburg acquired it in February 1995, W35AJ had already been silent for approximately two years. Under municipal ownership, the station was used for public-service and government-access programming. It carried St. Petersburg City Council meetings and other material intended for local residents, while also broadcasting educational programming required under Federal Communications Commission rules. This terrestrial service complemented the city's cable-based government-access channel, which had been established in January 1990 and was later branded StPeteTV. In December 1999, the station's call sign changed to WSPF-LP. After it obtained Class A status, the call sign changed again in 2001 to WSPF-CA. The city eventually sought a buyer because of the cost of converting the facility from analog to digital transmission. In 2011, Miami Lakes-based Prime Time Partners submitted a reported $500,000 offer and proposed converting the station to digital operation with a Spanish-language service on its primary channel. The Federal Communications Commission approved the transaction in May 2012. Around June 30 of that year, the station began digital broadcasting on UHF channel 38, using a transmitter site in Riverview. Its call sign consequently became WSPF-CD. Following the digital transition, the station carried MundoFox, later known as MundoMax, on its primary digital channel and infomercial services on additional subchannels. The station was subsequently made available to digital cable subscribers across the Tampa Bay market through Bright House Networks beginning in August 2014. The city considered using a WSPF-CD subchannel to continue distributing StPeteTV over the air, but that plan was not ultimately implemented; the municipal channel remained available through cable and online distribution. WSPF-CD's history illustrates several transformations in local broadcasting: from a short-lived network-affiliated commercial outlet, to a city-operated public-service station, to a privately owned digital broadcaster, and ultimately to a religious television station under Total Christian Television. Publicly available reference material identifies the station's ownership and broad format, but does not provide a complete current schedule, detailed ratings history, or a definitive chronology for every programming change.

WSPF-CD began broadcasting in 1989 as W35AJ. The facility was initially associated with Channel America as an owned-and-operated station, but its operation was intermittent and it experienced lengthy periods off the air. After the station had been silent for roughly two years, the City of St. Petersburg acquired it in February 1995. Municipal ownership changed the station's function. Rather than operating primarily as a conventional commercial outlet, it carried St. Petersburg City Council meetings, local public-service material, and educational programming required by the FCC. This role complemented the city's cable government-access service, which had been established in January 1990. The station adopted the call sign WSPF-LP in December 1999 and later became a Class A facility, receiving the WSPF-CA designation in 2001. The City of St. Petersburg placed the station on the market in 2011, citing the expense associated with converting the analog facility to digital operation. Prime Time Partners, a Miami Lakes-based broadcast group, offered a reported $500,000 and announced plans for a digital Spanish-language service. The FCC approved the sale on May 29, 2012. Around June 30, 2012, the station commenced digital transmissions on UHF channel 38 and moved its transmitter to the Riverview antenna farm. The change to digital operation produced the WSPF-CD call sign. Initial digital programming included MundoFox, later renamed MundoMax, on channel 35.1, with infomercials on additional subchannels. Although the city explored placing its StPeteTV government-access service on a WSPF-CD subchannel, that terrestrial distribution plan was not adopted. StPeteTV continued through local cable systems and online access. In 2014, Bright House Networks announced market-wide carriage of WSPF-CD for digital cable subscribers, beginning August 1. The station is now identified in reference material as a religious television station owned by Total Christian Television. Its history therefore spans network-affiliated commercial broadcasting, municipal public-service television, Spanish-language digital programming, and Christian religious broadcasting.

• 2014

  Expanded cable distribution

  [1]WSPF-CDen.wikipedia.org

  Bright House Networks begins market-wide carriage of the station for digital cable subscribers.

• 2012

  Digital transition and WSPF-CD designation

  [1]WSPF-CDen.wikipedia.org

  The station begins digital broadcasting from Riverview on UHF channel 38 and becomes WSPF-CD.

• 2001

  Station receives Class A designation

  [1]WSPF-CDen.wikipedia.org

  Following its upgrade to Class A status, the station changes its call sign to WSPF-CA.

• 1999

  Call sign changes to WSPF-LP

  [1]WSPF-CDen.wikipedia.org

  The station adopts the WSPF-LP call sign in December.

• 1995

  City of St. Petersburg acquires the station

  [1]WSPF-CDen.wikipedia.org

  The city acquires the previously intermittent and largely silent station in February and uses it for local government-access and public-service programming.

• 1989

  Station launches as W35AJ

  [1]WSPF-CDen.wikipedia.org

  The station begins broadcasting as W35AJ and is associated with Channel America as an owned-and-operated outlet.

A local low-power Christian television broadcaster serving the Tampa Bay market, with a history that includes municipal public-service programming and Spanish-language network programming.

• Broadcast television · 2012

  WSPF-CD digital television service

  The station's primary broadcast product is its low-power Class A digital television signal serving St. Petersburg and the Tampa Bay area. The signal is transmitted from Riverview, Florida, and is multiplexed into multiple digital channels. Programming has changed over time, moving from municipal and public-service content to Spanish-language network programming and, according to current reference material, religious television under Total Christian Television.

• Government-access television · 1995

  Municipal public-service programming

  During the period of city ownership, WSPF carried St. Petersburg City Council meetings and other local public-service material. It also provided educational programming associated with FCC requirements. The city considered using a station subchannel to extend its StPeteTV cable service over the air, but the proposal was not implemented.

• Spanish-language television · 2012

  MundoFox and MundoMax programming

  After the station's digital conversion, its primary digital channel carried MundoFox, a Spanish-language television network later renamed MundoMax. Additional digital channels carried infomercials during this period. This programming represented the station's planned repositioning under Prime Time Partners after its sale by the city.

• 2012

  Conversion from analog to digital broadcastingGeneration change

  Background

  Following the ownership transfer, Prime Time Partners planned to convert the station to digital operation.

  Action taken

  WSPF-CA launched a digital signal on UHF channel 38, moved its transmitter to Riverview, and changed its call sign to WSPF-CD.

  Aftermath

  The station gained multiplexed digital channels and initially carried MundoFox, later MundoMax, alongside infomercial services.

  Source

• 2012

  Adoption of Spanish-language digital programmingStrategy

  Background

  Prime Time Partners proposed using the station's main digital channel for Spanish-language television after acquiring the facility.

  Action taken

  The station launched MundoFox on its primary digital channel and used additional subchannels for infomercials.

  Aftermath

  The Spanish-language format became part of the station's post-conversion history before its later identification as a religious outlet owned by Total Christian Television.

  Source

• 2011

  City pursues sale to Prime Time PartnersM&A

  Background

  The City of St. Petersburg sought a buyer in part because converting the station to digital transmission was costly. Prime Time Partners submitted a reported $500,000 bid and proposed a Spanish-language digital service.

  Action taken

  The city negotiated the proposed transaction and submitted it for regulatory review.

  Aftermath

  The FCC approved the sale in May 2012, enabling the station's digital conversion and change in ownership.

  Reported purchase bid. $500,000 bid (2011)

  Source

• 2014

  WSPF-CD receives expanded Bright House cable carriage[1]WSPF-CDen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Bright House Networks announced that WSPF-CD would be carried across the Tampa Bay market for its digital cable subscribers beginning August 1.

• 2012

  FCC approves sale of WSPF-CA to Prime Time Partners[1]WSPF-CDen.wikipedia.org

  M&A · Regulation

  The Federal Communications Commission approved the transfer of the station from the City of St. Petersburg to Prime Time Partners.

• 2012

  WSPF-CA begins digital broadcasting and becomes WSPF-CD[1]WSPF-CDen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch · Product generation

  The station launched its digital signal on UHF channel 38, moved its transmitter to Riverview, and adopted the WSPF-CD call sign.

• 2011

  City of St. Petersburg considers sale of WSPF-CA[1]WSPF-CDen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  The City of St. Petersburg disclosed discussions to sell the station to Prime Time Partners. The prospective buyer proposed a digital conversion and a Spanish-language service.

1. 1WSPF-CDen.wikipedia.org