WATM-TV

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = WATM-TV
city =
station_
station_slogan = Start Here
station_branding = ABC 23
analog = 23 (UHF)
digital = 24 (UHF)
other_chs =
affiliations = ABC
network =
founded =
airdate = November 28, 1974 (original incarnation)
October 13 1986 (current incarnation)
location = Altoona/Johnstown/State College, Pennsylvania
callsign_meaning = Altoona Television Market
former_callsigns = WOPC (1974-early 1980s)
WWPC-TV (1986-1988)
former_channel_numbers = 38 (1974-early 1980s)
owner = Palm Television, LP
"(operated by Peak Media, LLC)"
licensee =
sister_stations = WWCP-TV
former_affiliations = Fox (1987-1988, as satellite of WWCP-TV)
effective_radiated_power = 708 kW (analog)
1000 kW (digital)
HAAT = 324 m (analog)
311 m (digital)
class =
facility_id = 20287
coordinates = coord|40|34|6.5|N|78|26|36.5|W|type:landmark_scale:2000
homepage = [http://www.abc23.com/ www.abc23.com]

WATM-TV is an ABC-affiliated television station on channel 23 in Altoona, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by Palm Television, but is operated by Peak Media under a local marketing agreement with the area's Fox affiliate, WWCP-TV. It is operated out of WWCP's studios in Johnstown. Its transmitter is located in northwestern Blair County, Pennsylvania. WATM's signal is somewhat weak (708,000 watts); many viewers have difficulty receiving the station even in Altoona (approximately five miles from the transmitter). It only provides grade B coverage of the other two major cities in the market, Johnstown and State College. Viewers in most of the market must rely on cable to watch WATM.

History

On channel 38

This station originally signed on in 1974 as WOPC-TV, on channel 38, Altoona's ABC affiliate. At the time, Altoona/State College and Johnstown were separate markets. The station was unable to afford a network feed; for most of its history engineers simply switched to and from the signal of WTPA-TV (now WHTM-TV) in Harrisburg. Already struggling for viewership, it was dealt a fatal blow in 1982, when Johnstown and Altoona/State College were collapsed into a single market. WOPC's signal was all but unviewable in the western portion of the enlarged market. It went dark shortly afterward. For the next few years, WHTM was the de facto ABC affiliate for the eastern side of the market, while WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh served the western portion.

On channel 23

In 1986, WWCP-TV, the area's soon-to-be Fox affiliate, faced a problem. It had originally been slated to be a Pittsburgh station, but its owners petitioned the FCC to move the license to Johnstown. In their petition, WWCP's owners cited lower programming costs in the Johnstown/Altoona/State College market. They also cited possible interference with WJW in Cleveland. The FCC granted the request, on condition that WWCP build its transmitter in a location that would allow Pittsburgh to get a grade B signal from the station. However, this meant that channel 8 would be virtually unviewable in the eastern portion of the market.

WWCP's owners solved this problem by buying the dormant channel 38 license and moving it to channel 23. As a result, the old WOPC returned to the air on October 13 as WWPC-TV, a satellite of WWCP.

At the time, WHTM and WTAE both pre-empted moderate amounts of ABC programming, and it soon became obvious that Johnstown/Altoona/State College needed its own ABC affiliate. As a result, WWPC split from WWCP and became an ABC affiliate on August 27, 1988 under new calls, WATM. The station was later sold to Palm Television in order to comply with FCC ownership regulations regarding network affiliates. However, WATM is still managed by WWCP (which remains a Fox affiliate) under a local marketing agreement, as Peak Media feared that if allowed to operate separately, both stations would be put in jeopardy of going dark.

Programming

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WATM began airing newscasts in 1992. It had only one newscast, airing at 11:00. WATM's newscast was based out of State College, but its separate news department was shut down in December 2002 due to "poor quality." After that, it merged with WWCP's news department in Johnstown.

On November 28, 2007 [http://www.tribune-democrat.com/local/local_story_332113055.html The Tribune Democrat] of Johnstown reported that WWCP/WATM's news department would shut down effective January 14, 2008. NBC affiliate WJAC-TV will take over the production of WWCP's 10:00 newscast, and will simulcast its 11:00 news on WATM. According to a written statement, the news department had lost millions of dollars over the last 15 years, and Peak Media felt it was no longer feasible to carry on.

WATM still produces its own Good Morning America news and weather cut-ins Tuesday through Saturday with former WWCP co-anchor Sherry Stalley, who was still under contract when the news department shut down. This is because WJAC has prior commitments with news and weather cut-ins for Today. The cut-ins use WJAC-produced video from the previous night, and the same graphics package used by WJAC's FOX 8 News production. No news cut-ins are produced on Sundays and Mondays, and the weather cut-ins are filled by station promos.

Digital television

The station's digital channel is multiplexed:

Analog-to-digital conversion

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] , WATM-TV will remain on its current pre-transition channel number, 24. [http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101233208&formid=387&fac_num=20287 CDBS Print ] ] However, through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers will display WATM-TV's virtual channel as 23.

ABC 23 News Anchors As Of Final Broadcast

* Angie Boddorf(news anchor) Monday-Friday Edition
* Travis Koshko [http://www.charlottesvillenewsplex.tv/station/bios/weather/15403496.html] (chief meteorologist) Monday-Friday Edition (now at WCAV as chief meteorologist}
* Sean Dreher (news anchor) Weekend Edition
* WIll Driscoll (meteorologist) Weekend Edition
* Greg Whitmer(sports director) Monday-Friday Edition
* Matt Parsons(sports) Weekend Edition

References

External links

* [http://www.abc23.com/ abc23 website.]
*TVQ|WATM
*BIA|WATM|TV|TV