WLYH-TV

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = WLYH-TV
city =
station_
station_slogan =
station_branding = CW 15
analog = 15 (UHF)
digital = 23 (UHF)
other_chs =
affiliations = The CW
network =
founded =
airdate = October 1953 (original incarnation) [The "Broadcasting and Cable Yearbook" says October 15, while the "Television and Cable Factbook" says October 9 and some other sources say October 25.]
August 1957 (current incarnation)
location = Lancaster/Lebanon/Harrisburg/York, Pennsylvania
callsign_meaning = Lebanon
York
Harrisburg
former_callsigns = WLBR-TV (1953-1958)
former_channel_numbers =
owner = Nexstar Broadcasting Group (operated by Newport Television under local marketing agreement
sister_stations = WHP-TV
former_affiliations = ABC (1957-1961)
CBS (1961-1995)
UPN (1995-2006)
effective_radiated_power = 1050 kW (analog)
500 kW (digital)
HAAT = 415 m (analog)
381 m (digital)
class =
facility_id = 23338
coordinates = coord|40|15|44.8|N|76|27|50.2|W|type:landmark_scale:2000
homepage = [http://www.cw15.com/ www.cw15.com]

WLYH-TV, CW 15, is the CW Television Network affiliate in the Susquehanna Valley region of Pennsylvania. The station is licensed to Lancaster-Lebanon, Pennsylvania, and broadcasts its analog signal on UHF channel 15. It also operates a digital signal on UHF channel 23. It is owned by Nexstar Broadcasting Group, but operated by Newport Television under a local marketing agreement with the area's CBS affiliate, WHP-TV. Newport also owns certain physical assets. The station's operations are housed at WHP-TV's studios near Harrisburg, while its transmitter is located near Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania.

History

On October 25, 1953, channel 15 first signed on the air as WLBR-TV. The station was owned by Lebanon Television Corporation, formed by the Lebanon Broadcasting Company (WLBR Radio) and the Lebanon News Publishing Company (Lebanon Daily News). The 1 kW transmitter and 572 ft. tower were located just north of Mount Gretna.

In October 1954, after a power loss due to Hurricane Hazel passing through the area, the station went dark. In 1957, Triangle Publications bought the dormant WLBR-TV license. The station signed on with increased power in August 1957. Under Triangle the station became a part-time ABC affiliate and received other programs from sister station WFIL-TV (now WPVI-TV in Philadelphia.

On January 1, 1959, the call letters were changed to WLYH to indicate service to Lebanon, York and Harrisburg. In 1961, WLYH-TV became a CBS affiliate and part of the "Keystone Network", comprising WHP-TV in Harrisburg, WSBA-TV in York, and WLYH. This created a strong combined signal with 55 percent overlap.

In addition to the Mt. Gretna studio, WLYH had studios/offices in the Greist Building in downtown Lancaster during the 1960s. In the early 70's a new full color studio, offices and news film processing facility was constructed in the new Park City Shopping Mall. Two sister companies shared the space, including Park City Communications.

WLYH-TV became a Gateway Communications station in October 1972. Sister stations included WTAJ-TV in Altoona, Pennsylvania, WBNG-TV in Binghamton, New York and WOWK-TV in Huntington, West Virginia. In the late 1970s, Gateway moved WLYH's city of license to Lancaster.Fact|date=September 2008 WSBA-TV left the Keystone group in 1983 to go independent as WPMT.

Clear Channel Communications entered into a 20 year local marketing agreement with Gateway in the fall of 1995. Under this agreement, WLYH's operations were merged with those of WHP-TV, which Clear Channel had recently purchased.

On December 16, 1995 after 34 years as a CBS affiliate, WLYH became a UPN affiliate. In 2003, Gateway sold all of its stations to SJL Broadcasting.

On January 24, 2006 UPN and The WB announced that they would merge networks to form The CW. It was confirmed on Thursday May 18 2006 that WLYH will affiliate with The CW.

Nexstar purchased WLYH's license, along with WTAJ, from SJL in late-2006.

On April 20, 2007, Clear Channel entered into an agreement to sell its entire television stations group, including WLYH's sister station WHP-TV and the LMA with WLYH, to the private equity firm Providence Equity Partners. [http://www.clearchannel.com/Corporate/PressRelease.aspx?PressReleaseID=1943] .

External links

* [http://www.cw15.com/ CW15]
* [http://www.nexstar.tv/news_releases/default.asp?mode=shownews&id=240 WLYH license sold to Nexstar]
*TVQ|WLYH-TV
*BIA|WLYH|TV|TV
*TitanTV|WLYH

References