WSAZ (Huntington, WV) 3.2 - switched to mostly ME-TV broadcasts

[slappy]

I was pleased to find that WSAZ's 3.2 channel recently switched to a mostly Me-TV lineup. They're still doing some evening (and occasional weekend) syndication of more recent shows, and also re-broadcast some of their news programs there as well, but, it's a big improvement over what was on there before, IMO. Personally, I wish they'd just go full ME-TV, but que sera sera.

I get so few channels in the valley that I live in, that I was thrilled to get some retro-themed programming. Now if they'd just add a subchannel to their 30-WQCW station with some good content, I'd really be amped.

 

[Mr Tony]

I was pleased to find that WSAZ's 3.2 channel recently switched to a mostly Me-TV lineup. They're still doing some evening (and occasional weekend) syndication of more recent shows, and also re-broadcast some of their news programs there as well, but, it's a big improvement over what was on there before, IMO.

Looks like MeTV is from 3am-6PM (according to zap2it)

Personally, I wish they'd just go full ME-TV, but que sera sera.

could be worse. In Jackson, TN they have MeTV for like 4 hours a day. Seriously. The station is a CBS affiliate and when there is no CBS programming or news (the ABC runs CBS as a sub) they put on MeTV.

I get so few channels in the valley that I live in, that I was thrilled to get some retro-themed programming. Now if they'd just add a subchannel to their 30-WQCW station with some good content, I'd really be amped.

Odd that Gray doesnt have a sub on 30 (they own both)

 

[slappy]

Yeah, I can't complain. I'm mostly just peeved that they pre-empt some of the Saturday evening programming. I don't get my 1960's Batman fix...

I keep my fingers crossed that they'll do something with a sub-channel on 30 some day...

 

[andy_horton]

I used to live in that area. Wasn't it called My Z Tv? Or something like that? The programming sucked. This is a much improvement. Now the other locals in that area need to improve on their subchannels. I think 8 has all country, and 13 has just a weather sub. And channel 8 is a lot farther away than the other two locals. The CW has always lacked good programming. WQCW I had hoped being owned by Gray would get better.

 

[andy_horton]

I was lucky. I lived in Meigs county Ohio in a two story house and.when Parkersburg WV got their new stations I could receive their stations, too.

 

[slappy]

I used to live in that area. Wasn't it called My Z Tv? Or something like that? The programming sucked.

Yep, that was the one... and I concur with your sentiment... hah. The only stations I can pick up are WSAZ, WQCW, the Portsmouth PBS stations, and *sometimes* Fox out of Huntington. It's very dependent upon weather conditions. But, yes, while I'm making wishes, I'd love it if Fox would change their ZUUS Country sub over to something else as well.

 

[Chtyan]

I agree I wish WSAZ 3.2 would show full time MeTv, the other programs are just repeats that are on other networks. Not interested!Call or Email and let them know we want full time MeTv that's the only way to get things changed.If you live from Portsmouth to Ashland Put up an outdoor antenna and enjoy WTZP 50.1 and 50.2 Cozi TV and my favorite Antenna TV . Both show classic TV shows. Antenna TV is bringing back Johnny Carson January 1st. Can't wait. WQCW does need a sub channel, hoping to get Hereos & Icons channel in this area soon.

 

[mvcg66b3r]

BTW, does WSAZ still do the "Charleston Split" or has all news production moved to Huntington? The "Charleston Split" is when the station produces separate newscasts for Charleston on W16CE and Suddenlink cable. W16CE still broadcasts in analog per RabbitEars, there was a CP to convert to digital, but it expired in September.
http://www.wsaz.com/home/misc/Charleston_Split_18322959.html
http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=W16CE

Sister station WQCW had a translator in Charleston which was sold off to DTV America. What might happen to W16CE?

 

[Elkview]

I just saw Comet on 11.3 in Charleston Wv. Syfy

 

[Mr Tony]

I just saw Comet on 11.3 in Charleston Wv. Syfy

correct. Sinclair launched CometTV on some of their stations. Its a joint venture between them (Sincalir) and MGM

 

[Elkview]

I love sci fi so I will be watching

 

[dhett]

W16CE still broadcasts in analog per RabbitEars, there was a CP to convert to digital, but it expired in September.

I'm pretty sure all CPs to convert to digital were extended indefinitely until the whole auction mess shakes out.

 

[slappy]

Just a bump to note that WSAZ seems to have dropped some of their syndicated material that would cut in and override the regular ME-TV schedule. I happened to flip past it yesterday, and noticed that Mama's Family was showing at 6:00 PM. In the not too far past, syndicated programming would have been airing then.

I then checked on their online schedule, and it looks like the syndicated material doesn't start airing until 8 PM now, which I want to say is 2 hours later then before. Additionally, the Saturday evening line-up is pure ME-TV now, where as before, maybe a couple hours were not getting shown (if memory serves).

Positive improvement, IMO.

 

[SamCdbs]

WSAZ 3.2, while still mostly branded as "MY Z" is carrying the ME TV programing from 2:30 AM to 8 PM, except for reruning the main channels 6 AM news hour at 7. It carries the MY package from 8-10 and syndication 10-2:30. Really I think what they are doing is buying syndication so that other stations cannot get it and burning it off, as it is so far and away the market leader it can do that. It is full time ME on weekends.

Meanwhile, WOWK, now freed from the incompetent local management and run by Nexstar, has droped it pointless (and unsponsored) weather radar on its .2 and added the Laff and Escape channels. They claim to be looking to add Bounce, but have not. Considering the market's demographics, it would be a hard sell. With WCHS and WVAH both now with .2 and .3 channels, WQCW may stand pat with a single signal.

 

[slappy]

WSAZ 3.2, while still mostly branded as "MY Z" is carrying the ME TV programing from 2:30 AM to 8 PM, except for reruning the main channels 6 AM news hour at 7. It carries the MY package from 8-10 and syndication 10-2:30. Really I think what they are doing is buying syndication so that other stations cannot get it and burning it off, as it is so far and away the market leader it can do that. It is full time ME on weekends.

Meanwhile, WOWK, now freed from the incompetent local management and run by Nexstar, has droped it pointless (and unsponsored) weather radar on its .2 and added the Laff and Escape channels. They claim to be looking to add Bounce, but have not. Considering the market's demographics, it would be a hard sell. With WCHS and WVAH both now with .2 and .3 channels, WQCW may stand pat with a single signal.

Do you think that they'll ever add any subs on the 30.1 CW station (that WSAZ owns now)? I wish they would, but I admittedly understand very little about how those decisions work.

 

[andy_horton]

Here's a little fact about WSAZ... it's call letters used to be considered the worst station A to Z, thus it was called WSAZ!! (Wikipedia and when I lived there they ran a 50 year history of the station and said that!!)

 

[SamCdbs]

The current market "netlet" line up between all the commercial stations (leaving out the ION wasteland) is My/ME, Antenna, Grit, Get, American Sports Network, Comet, Escape, Laff and a promise of Bounce.

Thatt a lot. Considering the market's demographics, black-centric and certainly non-English channels are just not going to work. What is left of real value?

Considering the market's on going decline in population and wealth, there are only so many busineses out there to buy ads, even at a "dollar a holler" as the saying goes.

BTW, the predecessor to the FCC issued WSAZ its call letters just after WSAX and WSAY. The funny call letter stories around here are WCHS, CHS being the airport code. For Charleston, South Carolina. And WVAH, which launched as an independent in the 80s and said it was broadcasting from "West Virginia, Almost Heaven" until it got a cease and desist letter from ASCAP on behalf of John Denver and RCA, at which time WVAH decided it just stood for nothing at all. And in the market just to the south, WOAY in Oak Hill, which sent in a hand written application for WOAK which was misread and the station (then and now among the worst run in the country) was too cheap to pay to get it changed.

 

[Trip]

There are definitely more networks out there. Weigel (MeTV) has Movies!, Heroes and Icons, and Decades. Tribune (Antenna TV) has This TV. NBC has COZI. There's also BUZZR and Justice. Plus other smaller fish.

- Trip

 

[andy_horton]

The current market "netlet" line up between all the commercial stations (leaving out the ION wasteland) is My/ME, Antenna, Grit, Get, American Sports Network, Comet, Escape, Laff and a promise of Bounce.

Thatt a lot. Considering the market's demographics, black-centric and certainly non-English channels are just not going to work. What is left of real value?

Considering the market's on going decline in population and wealth, there are only so many busineses out there to buy ads, even at a "dollar a holler" as the saying goes.

BTW, the predecessor to the FCC issued WSAZ its call letters just after WSAX and WSAY. The funny call letter stories around here are WCHS, CHS being the airport code. For Charleston, South Carolina. And WVAH, which launched as an independent in the 80s and said it was broadcasting from "West Virginia, Almost Heaven" until it got a cease and desist letter from ASCAP on behalf of John Denver and RCA, at which time WVAH decided it just stood for nothing at all. And in the market just to the south, WOAY in Oak Hill, which sent in a hand written application for WOAK which was misread and the station (then and now among the worst run in the country) was too cheap to pay to get it changed.

Those call letter abbreviations are definitely interesting