WGSA (TV)

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = WGSA
city =
station_
station_slogan =
station_branding = CW 13 "(cable channel)"
analog = 34 (UHF)
digital = 35 (UHF)
other_chs = WGSA-CA 50 Savannah (city)
W25CQ Statesboro
W41CR Hinesville
W32BJ Beaufort SC
affiliations = The CW
network =
founded =
airdate = May 1, 1992
location = Baxley/Savannah, Georgia
callsign_meaning = Georgia SAvannah
former_callsigns = WUBI (1992-1998)
former_channel_numbers =
owner = Southern TV Corporation
licensee =
sister_stations =
former_affiliations = independent (1992-1996)
The WB (1996-1997)
UPN (1997-2006)
effective_radiated_power = 316 kW (analog)
1000 kW (digital)
HAAT = 147 m (analog)
349 m (digital)
class =
facility_id = 69446
coordinates = coord|31|45|52.7|N|82|13|37.4|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=WGSA (analog)
coord|32|2|46.2|N|81|20|26.2|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=WGSA (digital)
homepage = [http://www.wgsa.tv/ www.wgsa.tv]

WGSA ("CW 13") is The CW affiliate serving the Savannah, Georgia market. The station, whose city of license is Baxley, Georgia, signed on the air as WUBI in 1992. It was an independent station at first, joining The WB in 1996 as WB 34, and later becoming a UPN affiliate in early 1997 as "UPN 13", using the station's cable channel for branding. WGSA is owned by Southern TV Corporation and is the only locally owned full power television station in Savannah. WGSA recently launched an HD feed of their station - over-the-air channel 35 and on digital cable in Savannah on Comcast's digital tier (on channel 435). [http://www.wgcw.tv]

WGSA, while part of the Savannah market, is too far from the city proper; as a result, WGSA's programming can be seen in Savannah on WGSA-CA channel 50, a low-powered repeater. Savannah's cable provider, Comcast, places WGSA in its channel lineup as cable channel 13.WGSA-CA was originally W34BO, assigned in mid-November 1992 on channel 34 but the frequency proved problematic. It became WUBI-LP on channel 38 (The WB) in late April 1996 but there were still problems. It became WGSA-LP on channel 50 in mid-September 1998. The upgrade to class A (-CA) came in August 2001.

In January 2006 it was announced that the WB and UPN would end operations in September 2006 to form The CW, a combination of the best programs from UPN and the WB. It was announced on April 23 that WGSA TV and WGSA-CA will affiliate with The CW. In response to this announcement, Comcast removed WB15, A cable only station not affiliated with WGSA, from its station lineup. WB15 served Savannah as part of the WB100+ network. Its successor, The CW Plus, is affiliated with WGCW, a low power station co-owned with WGSA on channel 38, and available to Comcast Savannah customers only as part of their digital lineup on channel 240. WGCW is also available in HD in Savannah via digital television signals on channels 35.2 and 35.3. Other than The CW programming aired in primetime, WGCW features a different daily schedule than WGSA.

WGSA TV 34 now has a modified construction permit for digital television on 35, which makes it high-power and puts the station's transmitter site just west of Savannah. [http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=DT576266.html] This would trigger additional must-carry requirements. WGSA-CA might then continue analog television transmission even after the U.S. Congress and FCC force full-power analog stations off-air. Because WGSA-CA is licensed separately and not as a broadcast translator, it could also become an independent digital at a later date.

On Friday, September 28th, 2007, Savannah Morning News reported that, after years of being the only local station Comcast rebroadcast from an over-the-air signal, WGSA has had a fiber-optic cable placed into their master control connecting directly to the cable company, giving the station a much clearer signal. The newspaper article also reported that WGSA plans to add a digital transmitter in the next 30 days. [http://www.savannahnow.com/node/366323]

In May 2007, WGSA launched a newly redesigned website, [http://www.WGSA.tv WGSA.tv] . The initial WGSA website, launched in September 2006, had a banner with WGSA info while the rest of the site was merely the official website of The CW. WGSA's new site features contact information for the station, its schedule, coupons for area businesses, and more.

Previous WGSA logo

Digital television

After the analog television shutdown and digital conversion, which is tentatively scheduled to take place on February 17, 2009 http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf] , WGSA will remain on its current pre-transition channel number, 35. [http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101234420&formid=387&fac_num=69446 CDBS Print ] ] However, through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers will display WGSA's virtual channel as 34.

References

External links

*TVQ|WGSA
**TVQ|WGSA-CA
**TVQ|W25CQ
**TVQ|W32BJ
**TVQ|W41CR
*BIA|WGSA|TV|TV