WVUA-CA

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = WVUA-CA / WUOA
city =
station_
station_slogan = Your Home Team
station_branding = WVUA 7
analog = WVUA: 7 (VHF)
WUOA: 23 (UHF)
digital =
other_chs = WDVZ-CA 3 Greensboro
WJMY-CA 25 Demopolis
affiliations = America One
ShopNBC "(ShopNBC not seen on WUOA)"
network =
founded =
airdate = WVUA: 1998
WUOA: 2001
location = Tuscaloosa, Alabama
callsign_meaning = WVUA:
Voice of the
University of
Alabama
(named after the radio station)
WUOA:
University
Of
Alabama
former_callsigns = WVUA: WJRD-LP (1998-2001)
WUOA: WLDM (2001-2005)
former_channel_numbers = WVUA: 49 (1998-2001)
owner = University of Alabama
licensee = The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama
sister_stations =
former_affiliations = Pax TV (1998-2002)
effective_radiated_power = WVUA: 0.43 kW
WUOA: 890 kW
HAAT = WVUA: 183 m
WUOA: 266 m
class =
facility_id = WVUA: 70429
WUOA: 77496
coordinates = WVUA:
coord|33|9|36|N|87|30|54|W|type:landmark
WUOA:
coord|33|3|14.2|N|87|32|56.1|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=WUOA
homepage = [http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=WVUA WVUA]

WVUA-CA is a television station owned and operated by the University of Alabama, affiliated with the America One and ShopNBC networks. It operates within the University's College of Communication and Information Sciences, drawing on the resources of its Department of Telecommunication and Film. [http://www.ccom.ua.edu/]

The station began in 1998 as WJRD on Channel 49, bringing local news coverage to west Alabama for the first time since WDBB (17) and WCFT (33) shifted focus to the Birmingham area.

A $1 million gift from the influential Bryant family allowed the University to acquire WJRD in 2001. After moving its operations onto the University campus, the station adopted the call sign WVUA in January 2002.

In addition to repeaters in Greensboro (WDVZ-CA Channel 3) and Demopolis (WJMY-CA Channel 25 and WJMY-LD Channel 22), WVUA's signal is carried cable operators Comcast and Charter Communications in Tuscaloosa and surrounding areas.

In November 2004, Channel 23 LLC filed an application with the FCC to donate its full-power station, WLDM, to the University. Today, as WUOA, Channel 23 serves as a semi-repeater for WVUA.

In 2006, WVUA was added to the Birmingham local stations lineup for both Dish Network and DirecTV, thus adding a substantial number of potential viewers.

Digital television

Because it was granted an original construction permit after the FCC finalized the DTV allotment plan on April 21, 1997 [http://www.transmitter.com/FCC97115/chanplan.html] , WUOA did not receive a companion channel for a digital television station. Instead, on or before February 17, 2009, which is the end of the digital TV conversion period for full-service stations, WUOA will be required to turn off its analog signal and turn on its digital signal (called a "flash-cut"). The University has been granted a construction permit for WUOA to move to channel 6.

WVUA, as a low-power station, is exempt from a mandatory turn-off of its analog signal.

External links

* [http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=WVUA WVUA Homepage]
*TVQ|WVUA-CA
*TVQ|WDVZ-CA
*TVQ|WJMY
*TVQ|WUOA
*BIA|WUOA|TV|TV