A television station is a set of equipment managed by a business, organisation or other entity such as an amateur television (ATV) operator, that transmits video content and audio content via radio waves directly from a transmitter on the earth's surface to any number of tuned receivers simultaneously.
41-827: WCPX-TV (channel 38) is a television station in Chicago, Illinois , United States, broadcasting the Ion Television network. The station is owned and operated by the Ion Media subsidiary of the E. W. Scripps Company , and maintains offices on Des Plaines and Van Buren streets in the Chicago Loop ; its transmitter is located atop the Willis Tower . On October 10, 1964, the Chicago Federation of Labor , owner of WCFL (1000 AM, now WMVP ), filed for
82-528: A barter in some cases. Wacker Drive Wacker Drive is a major multilevel street in Chicago , Illinois, running along the south side of the main branch and the east side of the south branch of the Chicago River in the Loop . The vast majority of the street is double-decked ; the upper level is intended for local traffic, and the lower level for through-traffic and trucks serving buildings on
123-581: A construction permit to build a new television station on channel 38 in Chicago. Approval was not granted until June 5, 1968. In the four years between application and construction, Field Communications changed its application for channel 38 to channel 32 , while competing applicants included a group known as Chicagoland TV and the Warner Bros. film studio. Warner Bros. had dropped out by the time comparative hearings were held in mid-1966. Early progress
164-440: A day on weekdays. The station also ran the live, 90-minute version of The 700 Club from 9 to 10:30 a.m. on weekdays, with hour-long rebroadcasts in the evenings and early mornings. It also aired the two-hour PTL Club , repeating the primary hour in the afternoon. WCFC also aired programming from well known national evangelists such as Rex Humbard , Jimmy Swaggart , Kenneth Copeland and Oral Roberts . The station also ran
205-504: A day, and by 1977, aired for twelve hours a day. In 1982, WCFC began operating on a 24-hour schedule. The next year, it struck a deal to move to a facility built out for the dismantled Catholic Television Network of Chicago on Wacker Drive , relocating from the Kemper Building . Ten years after launching, WCFC-TV had a budget of $ 5 million and 65 employees. A locally produced show called Among Friends , hosted by Rose, aired twice
246-448: A full-time Christian station well into the 1990s. However, in 1996, Lowell Paxson started shopping for stations to serve as affiliates of his new family-oriented Pax TV network (later renamed i and then Ion Television), and nearly two years into his purchases, he had still not been able to buy a station in Chicago. In January 1998, Paxson Communications struck a deal to purchase WCFC—started in 1976 for just $ 850,000—for $ 120 million, with
287-548: A group whose own programming plans were for a station targeted at Chicago's minority communities. The transaction lingered so long that Zenith opted out in 1973; it was the second such purchase where Zenith had backed out, after the company had also contracted to buy KWHY-TV in Los Angeles . With Zenith out of the picture, Chicagoland TV continued to oppose extensions of the WCFL-TV construction permit. On November 18, 1974,
328-415: A much shorter wavelength, and thus requires a shorter antenna, but also higher power. North American stations can go up to 5000 kW ERP for video and 500 kW audio, or 1000 kW digital. Low channels travel further than high ones at the same power, but UHF does not suffer from as much electromagnetic interference and background "noise" as VHF, making it much more desirable for TV. Despite this, in
369-501: A small amount of Catholic programming. One notable guest on Among Friends was Mother Angelica , whose visit to WCFC inspired her to begin EWTN a couple of years later. The station also ran many Christian children's programs, including among others Joy Junction , Davey and Goliath , Bible Bowl , Sunshine Factory , Circle Square and Superbook , and re-runs of The Roy Rogers Show on Saturday afternoons. WCFC-TV remained
410-405: A specially-developed post-tensioned , reinforced , high-performance concrete cast-in-place system, the new road deck was expected to have a lifespan of 75–100 years. Walkways along the river were meant to make the drive more pedestrian-friendly, while restoration of historic limestone elements and reproduction lighting evoked the drive's original 1926 appearance. The 20-month, $ 200-million project
451-581: A system for subscription television over-the-air. It was not until 1971 that the transaction was filed with the Federal Communications Commission . The action had one vocal opponent: Chicagoland TV, which had lost in comparative hearing two years prior. When the deal was filed, Chicagoland TV petitioned to deny the transaction and asked for hearings to put its programming proposal against that of Zenith; they argued that subscription television would exclude poorer viewers, important to
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#1732787000317492-425: A variety of ways to generate revenue from television commercials . They may be an independent station or part of a broadcasting network , or some other structure. They can produce some or all of their programs or buy some broadcast syndication programming for or all of it from other stations or independent production companies. Many stations have some sort of television studio , which on major-network stations
533-496: Is non-commercial educational (NCE) and considered public broadcasting . To avoid concentration of media ownership of television stations, government regulations in most countries generally limit the ownership of television stations by television networks or other media operators, but these regulations vary considerably. Some countries have set up nationwide television networks, in which individual television stations act as mere repeaters of nationwide programs . In those countries,
574-470: Is broadcast via terrestrial radio waves. A group of television stations with common ownership or affiliation are known as a TV network and an individual station within the network is referred to as O&O or affiliate , respectively. Because television station signals use the electromagnetic spectrum, which in the past has been a common, scarce resource, governments often claim authority to regulate them. Broadcast television systems standards vary around
615-494: Is normally known as Upper Wacker Drive and the lower level is Lower Wacker Drive . A short part has a third level, sometimes called Lower Lower Wacker Drive or Sub Lower Wacker Drive . In 1909, architects Daniel Burnham and Edward H. Bennett drew up a plan for the Commercial Club of Chicago to unify the city's urban design and increase its physical beautification. The improvement of traffic flow in Chicago
656-792: Is often used for newscasts or other local programming . There is usually a news department , where journalists gather information. There is also a section where electronic news-gathering (ENG) operations are based, receiving remote broadcasts via remote pickup unit or satellite TV . Outside broadcasting vans, production trucks , or SUVs with electronic field production (EFP) equipment are sent out with reporters , who may also bring back news stories on video tape rather than sending them back live . To keep pace with technology United States television stations have been replacing operators with broadcast automation systems to increase profits in recent years. Some stations (known as repeaters or translators ) only simulcast another, usually
697-610: The 720p resolution format). WCPX-TV shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 38, on June 12, 2009, the official date on which full-power television stations in the United States transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate. The station's digital signal continued to broadcast on its pre-transition UHF channel 43, using virtual channel 38. Television station The Fernsehsender Paul Nipkow ( TV Station Paul Nipkow ) in Berlin , Germany ,
738-405: The broadcast range , or geographic area, that the station is limited to, allocates the broadcast frequency of the radio spectrum for that station's transmissions, sets limits on what types of television programs can be programmed for broadcast and requires a station to broadcast a minimum amount of certain programs types, such as public affairs messages . Another form of television station
779-534: The electricity bill and emergency backup generators . In North America , full-power stations on band I (channels 2 to 6) are generally limited to 100 kW analog video ( VSB ) and 10 kW analog audio ( FM ), or 45 kW digital ( 8VSB ) ERP. Stations on band III (channels 7 to 13) can go up by 5 dB to 316 kW video, 31.6 kW audio, or 160 kW digital. Low-VHF stations are often subject to long-distance reception just as with FM. There are no stations on Channel 1 . UHF , by comparison, has
820-713: The Communication & Creative Arts department at Purdue University Calumet in the Northwest Indiana suburbs, airs Thursday mornings at 5 and 5:30 a.m. During the time NBC was a partner in Pax TV, WCPX carried an encore presentation of WMAQ-TV (channel 5)'s 10 p.m. newscast at 10:30 p.m. before the dissolution of that agreement in the summer of 2005. The station's signal is multiplexed : On April 2, 2009, WCPX officially began broadcasting Ion Television programming in high definition (available in
861-615: The FCC dismissed the Chicago Federation of Labor's request for a time extension; the federation requested the application be reinstated in February 1975. Meanwhile, in 1971, Christian Communications of Chicagoland had been founded, when Pastor Owen C. Carr approached his church's board of directors with a desire to begin a Christian television station for the Chicago area. Carr's then-congregation, The Stone Church, raised $ 135,000 by
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#1732787000317902-559: The U.S., the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is taking another large portion of this band (channels 52 to 69) away, in contrast to the rest of the world, which has been taking VHF instead. This means that some stations left on VHF are harder to receive after the analog shutdown . Since at least 1974, there are no stations on channel 37 in North America for radio astronomy purposes. Most television stations are commercial broadcasting enterprises which are structured in
943-591: The Wacker Drive and Congress Parkway Reconstruction project its Grand Conceptor Award. The project team was led by TranSystems and included roadway, bridge and tunnel improvement work. The project involved complex staging to keep 135,000 vehicles and 150,000 pedestrians moving through the construction zone each day. The following streets intersect Upper Wacker Drive, from south to north and west to east. Most upper-level streets that end at Wacker Drive, with only right turns allowed, are not included. The entire route
984-463: The end of September 1973, at which point Christian Communications of Chicagoland was incorporated. The First National Bank of Evergreen Park financed $ 600,000 for the purchase of needed equipment and a studio. Beating out Chicago's city colleges, Christian Communications struck a deal to buy equipment and receive the construction permit from the Chicago Federation of Labor in June 1975, and the FCC granted
1025-420: The highest point available in the transmission area, such as on a summit , the top of a high skyscraper , or on a tall radio tower . To get a signal from the master control room to the transmitter, a studio/transmitter link (STL) is used. The link can be either by radio or T1 / E1 . A transmitter/studio link (TSL) may also send telemetry back to the station, but this may be embedded in subcarriers of
1066-534: The latter taking it to Lake Shore Drive , and a new lower level starting at Stetson Avenue. At the time, Lake Shore Drive had an S-curve at the river, running where Wacker now goes between Field Boulevard and current Lake Shore Drive. This S-curve was on a viaduct over the Illinois Central Railroad 's rail yard , and was at the level of Upper Wacker; the middle and lower levels dead-ended at that point. The current alignment of Lake Shore Drive
1107-400: The local television station has no station identification and, from a consumer's point of view, there is no practical distinction between a network and a station, with only small regional changes in programming, such as local television news . To broadcast its programs, a television station requires operators to operate equipment, a transmitter or radio antenna , which is often located at
1148-419: The main broadcast. Stations which retransmit or simulcast another may simply pick-up that station over-the-air , or via STL or satellite. The license usually specifies which other station it is allowed to carry. VHF stations often have very tall antennas due to their long wavelength , but require much less effective radiated power (ERP), and therefore use much less transmitter power output , also saving on
1189-644: The proceeds from the sale being used to start the Total Living Network (which then began to be carried on WCFC-LP in Rockford , which had been WCFC-TV translator W51CD, as well as KTLN-TV in San Francisco ). Upon Pax's launch on August 31, 1998, the call letters were changed to WCPX (the television station in Orlando formerly known as WCPX had changed its call sign to WKMG-TV earlier in
1230-476: The programmes seen on its owner's flagship station, and have no television studio or production facilities of their own. This is common in developing countries . Low-power stations typically also fall into this category worldwide. Most stations which are not simulcast produce their own station identifications . TV stations may also advertise on or provide weather (or news) services to local radio stations , particularly co-owned sister stations . This may be
1271-427: The road (and originally a dock ). It is sometimes cited as a precursor to the freeway , though when it was built, the idea was that pleasure vehicles would use the upper level. It is the only street in the city that is prefixed with all four cardinal directions, albeit on different parts of its route. The drive is named for early 20th century Chicago businessman and city planner Charles H. Wacker . The upper level
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1312-760: The transaction in January 1976. On May 26, the call letters were officially changed to WCFC (standing for "Winning Chicagoland for Christ"; a -TV suffix was added two years later), and at 5 p.m. on May 31, 1976, from the Olympic Studios on the city's near west side, WCFC signed on with the Holy Bible opened to the first chapter of Genesis , read by Pastor Carr; this was followed by a broadcast of The 700 Club . Jerry Rose, who previously worked for KXTX-TV in Dallas and helped Pat Robertson build that station,
1353-399: The world. Television stations broadcasting over an analog system were typically limited to one television channel , but digital television enables broadcasting via subchannels as well. Television stations usually require a broadcast license from a government agency which sets the requirements and limitations on the station. In the United States, for example, a television license defines
1394-908: The year), and the Christian lineup was cut back to 5 a.m. to 12 p.m. daily to accommodate Pax programming, which aired from 12 p.m. to midnight, and programming from The Worship Network during the overnight hours. The morning Christian programming was gradually cut back from 2002 to 2005; this, as well as cutbacks in Pax's entertainment schedule, had resulted in much of WCPX-TV's schedule, as with Ion's other stations, consisting of infomercials —a situation that has been reversed since 2009, with gradual expansions of Ion's entertainment schedule. Like most Ion stations, WCPX-TV does not air any newscasts; however, it does carry some public affairs programming. WCPX Positive Living airs Tuesday mornings at 5 a.m., and The Calumet Roundtable , produced by students and faculty of
1435-488: Was a major part of the plan. Among its many recommendations was a double-decked roadway along the river, intended to relieve the congestion at River Street and Rush Street , where 50% of the city's north–south traffic crossed the Chicago River . Charles H. Wacker , chairman of the Chicago Plan Commission , pushed the idea. The original double-decker road, replacing South Water and River Streets,
1476-587: Was completed in 1926 at a cost of $ 8 million and named after Charles Wacker . The 1926 section stretched from Lake Street to Michigan Avenue , the latter of which was also rebuilt into a two-level road. An extension south to Congress Parkway and Harrison Street was built between 1948 and 1954, replacing Market Street (after the Market Street stub of the Lake Street Elevated was removed). Extensions east were built in 1963 and 1975, with
1517-668: Was completed on time and within budget. In spring of 2010, work commenced on rebuilding the north–south section of Wacker, from Randolph Street to Congress Parkway, including the upper and lower levels. This is a continuation of the Revive Wacker Drive project started in 2001. Wacker is the only street to intersect both State Street (the east–west center line) and Madison Street (the north–south center line), although Lake Shore Drive and LaSalle Street/Drive also each cross both dividing lines. In April 2014, The American Council of Engineering Companies awarded
1558-452: Was finished in 1986, and in 1987 Middle Wacker was extended to meet the new alignment. The ramps to bring upper traffic down had already been built; upper has been dead-ended where it used to end at Lake Shore Drive. In 2001–2002, Wacker Drive was redesigned and reconstructed between Michigan Avenue and Lake Street. The original upper deck was crumbling, and the entire roadway did not meet modern standards for road widths and clearances. Using
1599-415: Was hired as the station's general manager. However, while KXTX and its sister stations were programmed as family-friendly independent stations with some religious programming, WCFC-TV aired no secular fare. Initially only broadcasting from 6 to 9 p.m. during the week, and from 12 to 9 p.m. on Sundays, the station gradually expanded its broadcast hours; in the fall of 1976, the station was on the air six hours
1640-538: Was made when the antenna was placed atop the John Hancock Center in 1969, and plans for a general-entertainment independent station and studios were broadly laid out in 1970. In late 1970, however, the Chicago Federation of Labor opted to sell the WCFL-TV construction permit to another Chicago company: Zenith Radio Corporation . Zenith had one reason for pursuing a TV station in Chicago: it had developed
1681-678: Was the first regular television service in the world. It was on the air from 22 March 1935, until it was shut down in 1944. The station was named after Paul Gottlieb Nipkow , the inventor of the Nipkow disk . Most often the term "television station" refers to a station which broadcasts structured content to an audience or it refers to the organization that operates the station. A terrestrial television transmission can occur via analog television signals or, more recently, via digital television signals. Television stations are differentiated from cable television or other video providers as their content