The cable/digital-only station originates as a sub-channel on the digital side of NBC affiliate sister WFMJ/21. Since Youngstown has no UPN affiliate - cable systems in the market import WUAB/43 out of Cleveland - there was basically no other choice for the new network to be created out of the ashes of WB and UPN.
Of course, WUAB won't be hooking up with The CW, as that affiliation was taken in Cleveland by Winston Broadcasting's WB affiliate WBNX/55. We have yet to learn whether WUAB will hook up with the new alternative to The CW, FOX/NewsCorp's "My Network TV".
The move may bode well for Toledo's WB affiliate, cable-only "WT05", the channel run by Buckeye Cablesystem in that Northwest Ohio city. It at least shows that the CW folks have no problem affiliating with a cable/digital/satellite-only station if it's run well. Of course, "WT05" faces competition with over-air LPTV UPN affiliate WNGT-LP 48, but the latter station's situation is still up in the air due to a bankruptcy...
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I've also heard that WBNX has acquired FCC approval for 1,000,000 watts of power for their digital signal which will start up this summer. That could mean a possible signal reach to Youngstown, or its outskirts, so those that don't have cable might be able to pick up The CW over the air (digital signal only). In comparison, WUAB got approval for 200,000 watts for their digital signal. From my limited knowledge of digital signals I understand it doesn't take as much power to broadcast digitally as it does for analog. Does anyone have any information on the difference in wattage needed between analog and digital signals?
WOW!! I canot believe that Youngstown has a TV station that has made the records of sorts. WBCB is the first sub 100 market CW Affiliate and one of the first cable/digital only stations to sign up. And I should say congrads to WFMJ because they have actually made a quality staion that people want. Now granted right now the programming in the day time is not the best but from the press release adding Seinfeld and Friends from 7:00-8:00 p.m should change that. I would have to assume that other major local programming-related announcements in the near future means that they will be starting a 10'oclock news since when the station first went on air they had said that at some point they were going to do that. Does any one know if WYTV has any plans on starting a sub-chanel? I read in broadcasting cable a few years ago that they were going to but never did. What happened to those plans?
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