WVRN-TV (channel 63) was an independent television station in Richmond, Virginia, United States. It operated from November 24, 1984, to September 8, 1988, first as a religious station, then a general entertainment independent station.
 Old WVRN-TV tower | |
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| Channels | |
| Programming | |
| Affiliations | Defunct |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
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| History | |
| Founded | June 27, 1980[1] |
First air date | November 24, 1984[2] |
Last air date |
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Former call signs |
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Call sign meaning | "We're Virginian" |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 63601 |
| ERP | 2,600 kW[2] |
| HAAT | 1,280 ft (390 m)[2] |
| Transmitter coordinates | 37°30′14″N 77°41′53″W / 37.50389°N 77.69806°W[2] |
History
editThe Christian Broadcasting Network received a construction permit for a television station in Richmond on June 27, 1980.[1] The station, which took the WRNX call sign,[3] was to adopt a general entertainment format with cartoons, sitcoms and westerns, as well as religious shows, similar to its other independent stations, including flagship WYAH-TV in Hampton Roads (now WGNT). It was also to run Pat Robertson's The 700 Club three times a day.
However, in 1982, CBN sold WRNX to National Capital Christian Broadcasting, owner of WTKK in Manassas, Virginia, for $34,500.[4] National Capital launched the station on November 24, 1984,[2] as WTLL,[5] airing religious programming previously shown on WRLH-TV. The format featured such Christian programming as The PTL Club, Jimmy Swaggart and many televangelists. For about seven hours a day weekdays and Saturdays, WTLL featured a mix of classic sitcoms, westerns, and some children's programs, including some recent cartoons on weekdays. The station was about 60% Christian and 40% secular. On Sundays, the station only ran Christian programming.
National Capital sold WTLL to Sudbrink Broadcasting for $3 million[6] on March 31, 1986. The station changed its call letters to WVRN-TV on April 28,[7] and took on a full-time general entertainment format, competing directly against WRLH. However, Richmond was not big enough at the time to support two independent stations. As a result, both stations became increasingly unprofitable.
In September 1988, Act III Broadcasting, which had recently taken over WRLH-TV, bought WVRN's assets and merged WVRN's stronger programming onto WRLH's schedule. WVRN was then shut down and its license was returned to the FCC and deleted.[8]
The original broadcasting tower in Midlothian, Virginia, that had been used by WVRN is now owned by Motorola and leased as a transmitter tower by two separately owned local FM radio stations: Audacy-owned urban station WBTJ and VPM Media Corporation-owned public radio station WBBT-FM.
References
edit- ^ a b "For the Record" (PDF). Broadcasting. August 4, 1980. p. 67. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e Television & Cable Factbook 1988 Edition (PDF). 1988. p. A-1097. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
- ^ "For the Record" (PDF). Broadcasting. November 17, 1980. p. 79. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
- ^ "For the Record" (PDF). Broadcasting. June 14, 1982. p. 69. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
- ^ "For the Record" (PDF). Broadcasting. August 29, 1983. p. 120. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
- ^ "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting. January 20, 1986. p. 233. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
- ^ "Call Sign History (DWVRN-TV)". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
- ^ "A TV station consolidation chronology" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. March 1, 1993. p. 39. Retrieved July 16, 2018.