WBKP

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = WBKP
city =
station_
station_slogan =
station_branding = CW 5
analog = 5 (VHF)
digital = 11 (VHF)
post_transition = 5 (VHF)
other_chs =
affiliations = The CW
network =
founded =
airdate = October 28, 1996
location = Calumet/Marquette, Michigan
callsign_meaning = Beautiful
Keweenaw
Peninsula
former_callsigns =
former_channel_numbers =
owner = Stephan Marks
licensee = Lake Superior Community Broadcasting Corporation
sister_stations = WBUP
former_affiliations = ABC (1996-2007)
effective_radiated_power = 100 kW (analog)
96.2 kW (digital)
6400 watts (post-transition)
HAAT = 295 m (analog)
388 m (digital)
class =
facility_id = 76001
coordinates = coord|47|2|11.4|N|88|41|43|W|type:landmark_scale:2000 (analog)
coord|46|26|17|N|88|2|58|W|type:landmark_scale:2000 (digital)
homepage =

WBKP is a television station in Calumet, Michigan, serving the Marquette market on channel 5 as an affiliate of The CW Television Network. The station formerly simulcast with WBUP channel 10 in Ishpeming.

The transmitter for WBKP is located on Tolonen Hill near the town of Painesdale, approximately 12 miles (20 km) south of Houghton. The transmitter site at one time was a United States Air Force radar station.

The stations over the air signal can be received across Lake Superior in Thunder Bay, Ontario and the surrounding area.

History

WBKP first went on the air on October 28, 1996 as an affiliate of ABC, with Monday Night Football as their first televised program. In 1997, the station began airing weekday newscasts at 6pm and 11pm, with Dick Reynolds as news anchor.

Shortly thereafter, in August 1997, the station set up a repeater station in Marquette, W28BX. The low power repeater's over-the-air signal was very weak and could only be picked up in the city of Marquette and Negaunee.

In 2001, the station moved its studios from their old home in Calumet, to the Marquette Mall. However, in March 2002, the station dropped its local newscasts, due to low ratings and budget cuts. In January 2003, the station replaced its low-power repeater with a full-power satellite, WBUP channel 10 in Ishpeming, Michigan, and the stations took the branding "ABC 5 & 10."

The original owner, Tom Scanlon sold both stations to Lake Superior Community Broadcasting, a company owned by Stephan Marks of Maryland, in January 2004. Shortly afterward, a new newscast, "UGN News" (with "UGN" meaning "Upper Great Lakes News Network"), debuted, originating from both WBUP and WBKB-TV in Alpena, featuring news from the entire Upper Peninsula and northern Michigan regions. (In addition to WBKP, WBUP, and WBKB, Marks also owns KYUS-TV in Miles City, Montana and KXGN-TV in Glendive, Montana.)

In July 2007, the two stations split. WBKP switched affiliation to The CW, carrying the feed from The CW Plus. WBUP is still carrying ABC programming as "ABC 10" (including UGN News). [http://www.northpine.com/broadcast/archive/news0707.html]

Transition to digital

When analog TV transmissions end on February 17th, 2009, WBKP will turn off its analog transmitter on VHF channel 5 and do a flash cut and move its digital signal to VHF channel 5 from Channel 11 which WBKP has used for its digital channel over the last few years.

External links

*TVQ|WBKP
*BIA|WBKP|TV|TV