WTJX-TV

WTJX-TV is a public television station serving the United States Virgin Islands. Licensed to Charlotte Amalie on Saint Thomas, the station broadcasts on VHF channel 12 and operates as a PBS member station. It is owned by the Virgin Islands Public Broadcasting System and is paired with NPR member station WTJX-FM, which broadcasts on 93.1 MHz. The two outlets share studio facilities on Haypiece Hill in Charlotte Amalie, allowing the public broadcasting organization to provide both television and radio services to the territory. The station began broadcasting on August 29, 1972. Its launch expanded access to public television programming in the Virgin Islands, where some PBS content had previously been carried by a commercial television outlet. WTJX-TV established its schedule ahead of the opening of its facilities in July 1972 and began carrying PBS public-affairs programming during prime time with the start of the fall programming season in October of that year. WTJX-TV's coverage extends beyond Saint Thomas through a translator facility serving Saint Croix. The translator, W05AW-D, operates on VHF channel 5 from Christiansted. The Saint Croix operation was developed during the late 1970s, when the station faced a frequency dispute involving ZBTV, a station broadcasting from Tortola on the same channel. By July 2007, WTJX had moved its Saint Croix operation to a larger facility containing a full studio, control room, and editing bays, strengthening the station's ability to produce or manage programming locally. The station completed the federally mandated transition from analog to digital television in 2009. WTJX-TV ended regular analog programming on VHF channel 12 on June 12, 2009, the nationwide transition date for full-power U.S. television stations. Under the SAFER Act, it continued analog transmissions until July 12 with a repeating set of public-service announcements explaining the digital conversion and helping viewers prepare for the change. As a PBS member station, WTJX-TV's role centers on distributing public television programming, educational content, cultural material, news and public-affairs programs to viewers in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The station also maintains a distinct local identity through its territory-wide service footprint and its mascot, Langford the Lizard, which is primarily presented through the station's website. Publicly available reference material does not identify a separate commercial product portfolio, publicly traded ownership structure, or named current executives for WTJX-TV.

WTJX-TV was created to provide a dedicated public television service to the United States Virgin Islands. Before the station began operations, PBS programming such as Sesame Street was carried by the commercial station WSVI-TV. WTJX-TV launched on August 29, 1972, from Charlotte Amalie on Saint Thomas. The station had established its schedule in July in preparation for the opening of its facilities, and it began carrying PBS public-affairs programming during prime time when the fall 1972 programming season commenced in October. The station's development included efforts to extend service to Saint Croix. In November 1978, WTJX was building a low-power relay facility intended to use channel 5. The project encountered opposition from ZBTV, a station based in Tortola that also broadcast on channel 5. WTJX challenged ZBTV's position in the dispute, arguing that a foreign company should not have a superior claim to serve residents of the U.S. Virgin Islands. The eventual Saint Croix translator operation became W05AW-D in Christiansted, providing a relay of WTJX-TV's service on VHF channel 5. By July 2007, the Saint Croix operation had moved into a larger facility equipped with a full studio, control room and editing bays. This expansion gave WTJX a more substantial local technical base on Saint Croix rather than relying solely on a distant transmitter or minimal relay infrastructure. The station's main facilities remain shared with WTJX-FM, the Virgin Islands Public Broadcasting System's NPR member radio station, at Haypiece Hill in Charlotte Amalie. WTJX-TV's primary transmitter is located on Signal Hill. WTJX-TV's analog service ended on June 12, 2009, the date established for the full-power television transition in the United States. The station stopped regular programming on its analog VHF channel 12 signal but retained the analog transmission temporarily under the SAFER Act. Until July 12, viewers who had not yet completed the transition could see a repeating series of National Association of Broadcasters public-service announcements explaining digital television and the steps required to continue receiving broadcasts. The station continues to operate as a PBS member station serving the U.S. Virgin Islands. Its public-facing identity includes the mascot Langford the Lizard, which appears primarily on the WTJX website. Available reference material does not provide a complete list of current or former executives, detailed financial information, or a separate commercial brand portfolio. WTJX-TV is best understood as a public broadcasting service and territorial media institution rather than a conventional consumer-products brand.

• 2009

  Analog television service ends

  [1]WTJX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Regular analog broadcasting on channel 12 ended on June 12, followed by temporary digital-transition announcements through July 12.

• 2007

  Saint Croix facility moves to a larger site

  [1]WTJX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station's Saint Croix operation moved to a facility with studio, control-room and editing capabilities.

• 1978

  Saint Croix relay project faces a channel dispute

  [1]WTJX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WTJX was developing a low-power relay on Saint Croix while contesting ZBTV's use of the same channel from Tortola.

• 1972

  WTJX-TV launches

  [1]WTJX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WTJX-TV began broadcasting on August 29 as a PBS member station licensed to Charlotte Amalie, Saint Thomas.

• 1972

  PBS public-affairs programming enters the station's prime-time schedule

  [1]WTJX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  With the start of the fall programming season in October, WTJX-TV began carrying PBS public-affairs programs during prime time.

A territorial public-service television broadcaster that combines PBS programming with locally relevant access, education, public affairs and cultural service for viewers in the United States Virgin Islands.

• Public television service · 1972

  WTJX-TV channel 12

  The station's primary television service, licensed to Charlotte Amalie on Saint Thomas. It carries PBS programming and other educational, informational, cultural and public-affairs content for viewers in the United States Virgin Islands.

• Digital translator

  W05AW-D

  WTJX-TV's translator facility serving Christiansted and the wider Saint Croix area on VHF channel 5. The facility extends the station's public television coverage beyond its main Saint Thomas transmission service.

• 2009

  Transition from analog to digital televisionGeneration change

  Background

  U.S. full-power television stations were required to transition from analog broadcasting to digital transmission under a federal mandate.

  Action taken

  WTJX-TV ended regular analog service on channel 12 on June 12, 2009, while maintaining a temporary analog information loop through July 12 under the SAFER Act.

  Aftermath

  The station completed its regular-service transition to digital broadcasting and used the temporary loop to inform viewers about the change.

  Source

• 2009

  WTJX-TV completes its analog-to-digital transition[1]WTJX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Product generation · Regulation

  WTJX-TV ended regular analog broadcasting on June 12, 2009, and continued a transition-information loop under the SAFER Act until July 12.

• 2007

  WTJX-TV expands its Saint Croix facilities[1]WTJX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The station's Saint Croix operation moved to a larger facility with a studio, control room and editing bays, supporting its translator service in Christiansted.

• 1972

  WTJX-TV begins broadcasting as a PBS member station[1]WTJX-TVen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  WTJX-TV launched on August 29, 1972, establishing a dedicated public television service for the United States Virgin Islands.

1. 1WTJX-TVen.wikipedia.org
2. 2WTJX official websitewtjx.org