WTBL-LD
A low-power television station serving the Biloxi and Gulfport area of Mississippi.
Last updated August 31, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
WTBL-LD is a low-power television station serving Biloxi, Gulfport, and the wider Mississippi Gulf Coast in the United States. The station is nominally licensed to Pascagoula, Mississippi, although its signal provides only limited coverage in the Pascagoula area. Its principal studios and transmitter are located on DeBuys Road in Biloxi, where it operates alongside Gray Television's WLOX, the market's dual ABC and CBS affiliate. The station traces its regulatory history to a construction permit granted on October 29, 1987, for channel 46 under the call sign W46AV. The permit was transferred to the Trinity Broadcasting Network in 1988, and the station received a license to cover on August 16, 1990. In 2000, it moved to channel 51 and adopted the call sign W51CU. Trinity Broadcasting Network later sold the station to Scranton Broadcasting Company, LLC, owned by Tim Wall, in a transaction completed in 2010. During the transition, the station was renamed WGUD-LP and was relaunched by Scranton on September 1, 2010, as a FamilyNet affiliate with some local programming. The station changed its call sign to WGUD-LD on January 4, 2013. Its programming identity subsequently evolved as FamilyNet was rebranded and replaced in the station's lineup. Around 2011, the station began operating multiple digital subchannels, carrying FamilyNet, MeTV, and Pursuit Channel programming. The Cowboy Channel replaced FamilyNet in July 2017. On October 3, 2022, the station adopted its current WTBL-LD call sign. WTBL-LD operates as a multiplexed digital television service rather than as a conventional full-power network affiliate. Its programming has included MeTV, Telemundo, The Cowboy Channel, and other specialized services. Beginning in October 2024, its third subchannel became affiliated with the Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network, a Gray Television-owned regional sports and entertainment service that serves as a television outlet for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association. The station also has a construction permit to move its signal to digital channel 38; an earlier authorization for such a move expired in 2009. The station's present role is closely linked to Gray Television's Mississippi Gulf Coast operations and to WLOX's Biloxi facilities. It provides localized access to national multicast, Spanish-language, entertainment, sports, and specialty programming, while retaining a separate low-power license and call sign from WLOX.
History
WTBL-LD originated with a construction permit issued on October 29, 1987, for a low-power television station operating on channel 46. The original call sign was W46AV, and the initial permit holder was Tel-Radio Communications Properties. In 1988, the permit was transferred to the Trinity Broadcasting Network. The station received its license to cover on August 16, 1990, establishing its operating history as a licensed low-power broadcaster in the Mississippi Gulf Coast region. In 2000, the station moved from channel 46 to channel 51 and changed its call sign to W51CU. Its ownership changed substantially in 2010, when Trinity Broadcasting Network sold the station to Scranton Broadcasting Company, LLC, associated with broadcaster Tim Wall. While the transaction was still under regulatory and ownership transition, the station changed its call sign to WGUD-LP. Scranton Broadcasting relaunched it on September 1, 2010, as an affiliate of FamilyNet and added some local programming to its schedule. The station's digital development became more significant around 2011, when WGUD-LP began broadcasting three subchannels. The initial multiplex included FamilyNet, MeTV, and Pursuit Channel programming. The station later changed its specialty programming lineup as network brands evolved. On January 4, 2013, the call sign changed again, from WGUD-LP to WGUD-LD, reflecting its digital low-power status. FamilyNet was eventually rebranded, and the station replaced that service with The Cowboy Channel on July 1, 2017. The resulting lineup emphasized multicast entertainment and specialized programming rather than a single conventional national network identity. The station also carried MeTV and other services, and it has been described as serving the Biloxi and Gulfport market while remaining nominally licensed to Pascagoula. On October 3, 2022, WGUD-LD adopted the call sign WTBL-LD. The station is owned by Gray Television and operates alongside WLOX, Gray's dual ABC/CBS affiliate serving the Mississippi Gulf Coast. WTBL-LD's studios and transmitter are located at WLOX's DeBuys Road facilities in Biloxi. This arrangement links the low-power station to a larger local television operation while preserving its separate license and programming identity. WTBL-LD has also pursued technical changes. It currently has a construction permit authorizing a move to digital channel 38. A previous authorization for a similar relocation, granted in 2006, expired on June 19, 2009. The station's present broadcast role includes multicast television, MeTV and Telemundo affiliation, and regional specialty programming. In October 2024, its third subchannel became affiliated with the Gray-owned Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network. That network is the television home of the New Orleans Pelicans, giving WTBL-LD a role in distributing regional professional sports content in addition to entertainment and general television programming.
- 2024
Added Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network
[1]The station's third subchannel began carrying Gray Television's Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network in October 2024.
- 2022
Adopted the WTBL-LD call sign
[1]The station changed its call sign from WGUD-LD to WTBL-LD on October 3, 2022.
- 2017
The Cowboy Channel replaced FamilyNet
[1]The Cowboy Channel replaced FamilyNet on the station's digital lineup on July 1, 2017.
- 2013
Call sign changed to WGUD-LD
[1]The station changed its call sign from WGUD-LP to WGUD-LD on January 4, 2013.
- 2011
Digital subchannels introduced
[1]The station began operating three digital subchannels carrying services including FamilyNet, MeTV, and Pursuit Channel.
- 2010
Sold to Scranton Broadcasting
[1]Trinity Broadcasting Network sold the station to Scranton Broadcasting Company, LLC, owned by Tim Wall.
- 2010
FamilyNet relaunch
[1]The station relaunched as WGUD-LP on September 1, 2010, carrying FamilyNet and some local programming.
- 2000
Moved to channel 51
[1]The station moved to channel 51 and adopted the W51CU call sign.
- 1990
License to cover issued
[1]The Federal Communications Commission issued the station's license to cover on August 16, 1990.
- 1988
Permit transferred to Trinity Broadcasting Network
[1]The station's construction permit was transferred from Tel-Radio Communications Properties to the Trinity Broadcasting Network.
Products and positioning
A Mississippi Gulf Coast low-power television station providing a mix of multicast network services, Spanish-language programming, classic television entertainment, specialty content, and regional sports.
Broadcast television · 1990
Local digital television service
WTBL-LD is a low-power digital television station serving the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Its transmission is multiplexed into multiple subchannels, allowing it to distribute several branded television services through one broadcast facility. Although licensed to Pascagoula, the station is primarily associated with Biloxi, Gulfport, and the surrounding coastal market.
Multicast network programming · 2011
MeTV programming
MeTV programming forms part of WTBL-LD's multicast offering. The service is known for carrying classic television programming and gives the station a recognizable entertainment-oriented national network identity within its local broadcast footprint.
Spanish-language television
Telemundo programming
Telemundo-affiliated programming is among the station's identified services, extending its offering to Spanish-language television audiences in the Mississippi Gulf Coast region. The available reference material does not specify the precise subchannel number or schedule.
Regional sports and entertainment · 2024
Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network
WTBL-LD's third subchannel began carrying the Gray Television-owned Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network in October 2024. The network provides regional sports and entertainment content and serves as a television outlet for New Orleans Pelicans games and related coverage.
Brand decisions
2024
Launch of Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network carriageProduct launchBackground
Gray Television developed the Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network as a regional sports and entertainment service.
Action taken
WTBL-LD added the network to its third subchannel beginning in October 2024.
Aftermath
The station expanded its programming mix to include regional sports content, including New Orleans Pelicans coverage.
2022
Call-sign transition to WTBL-LDStrategyBackground
The station had operated under the WGUD-LD call sign since 2013.
Action taken
The call sign was changed to WTBL-LD on October 3, 2022.
Aftermath
The station continued operating as a Gray Television-owned Mississippi Gulf Coast low-power broadcaster.
2017
Replacement of FamilyNet with The Cowboy ChannelStrategyBackground
FamilyNet's eventual rebranding required a change in the station's affiliated programming.
Action taken
The station replaced FamilyNet with The Cowboy Channel on July 1, 2017.
Aftermath
The station continued its multi-subchannel strategy with a specialty entertainment service in place of FamilyNet.
2010
Sale from Trinity Broadcasting Network to Scranton BroadcastingM&ABackground
The station changed ownership after Trinity Broadcasting Network agreed to sell it to Scranton Broadcasting Company, LLC, associated with Tim Wall.
Action taken
Scranton Broadcasting completed the acquisition and relaunched the station under the WGUD-LP identity.
Aftermath
The station adopted a FamilyNet-centered programming identity and added some local programming.
Recent events
- 2024
Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network added to a station subchannel[1]
Product launch · Other
Beginning in October 2024, the station's third subchannel became affiliated with Gray Television's Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network, including television coverage of the New Orleans Pelicans.
- 2022
Station adopts the WTBL-LD call sign[1]
Other
The station changed its call sign from WGUD-LD to WTBL-LD on October 3, 2022.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/wtbl-ld · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled