WVOA-LD
ATSC 3.0 station
CityWestvale, New York
Channels
Programming
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
WFBL, WMBO, WMVN, WOLF, WOLF-FM, WOSW, WSEN, WSIV
History
FoundedJune 30, 1992
Former call signs
  • W60BY (1992–1998)
  • WMBO-LP (1998–2013)
  • WVOA-LP (2013–2022)
Former channel number(s)
Analog: 60 (UHF, 1997–2009), 6 (VHF, 2009–2022)
Call sign meaning
The Voice of the Arts
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID14319
ClassLD
ERP2.75 kW
HAAT54.1 m (177 ft)
Transmitter coordinates43°3′30″N 76°9′59″W / 43.05833°N 76.16639°W / 43.05833; -76.16639
Links
Public license information
Radio station information
Frequency87.75 MHz
Technical information
ClassA

WVOA-LD (channel 6) is a low-power television station licensed to Westvale, New York, United States, serving the Syracuse area. The station is owned by Metro TV, Inc., one of the numerous holding companies owned or co-owned by Craig Fox. WVOA-LD's transmitter is located on the WOLF radio tower on West Kirkpatrick Street northwest of downtown Syracuse.

Until July 13, 2021, the station operated a brokered religious format known as "Love Radio"; "Love Radio" had previously aired in the Syracuse area on 103.9 FM, now known as WSEN. The then-WVOA-LP operated on analog channel 6, allowing its audio feed to be heard on the FM radio dial at 87.75 MHz. To meet the legal requirements for visual content, the station ran the display from a Atari Video Music machine that the station's audio signal was fed into.[2]

Prior to adopting that format in October 2013,[3] the then-WMBO-LP carried a feed of NASA TV, which it had carried since returning to the air in November 2010.[4]

WVOA-LP's programming consisted mostly of brokered religious programming from around the United States, with Salem Radio Network's "The Fish" network filling in unsold gaps. A few secular music programs also aired, primarily on weekends.

As part of the FCC's mandated shutdown on low-power analog television stations, the station ended all analog transmissions on July 13, 2021, at 5 p.m. All programs were moved to sister station WSIV.[5] The station was licensed to begin digital TV operations effective January 11, 2022, changing its call sign to WVOA-LD.

On July 20, 2023, a FCC "Report and Order" stated that WVOA-LD would be permitted to apply to resume separate audio operations on 87.75 MHz, using a modified version of the ATSC 3.0 "NextGen TV" standard.[6] It converted to ATSC 3.0 operation on December 15, 2023, and began offering FM6 service under special temporary authority three days later, becoming the fourteenth and final permitted FM6 station. The station simulcasts the programming of WOLF at 87.75 MHz as an ancillary or supplementary analog service of WVOA-LD.[7]

Subchannels

The station's signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of WVOA-LD[8]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
6.1 480i 16:9 WVOA-LD Main WVOA-LD programming
6.2 ThisTV This TV
6.3 720p NewsNet NewsNet
6.4 480i HSN2 HSN2
6.5 QVC QVC

References

  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WVOA-LD". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ "Analog TV Stations Still on the Air in 2021". YouTube.
  3. ^ Herbert, Geoff (October 6, 2013). Syracuse radio station starts playing holiday music 11 weeks before Christmas Syracuse Post-Standard. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  4. ^ Naughton, Peter (November 22, 2010). WMBO-LP returns to the airwaves CNYRadio.com. Retrieved October 8, 2013.
  5. ^ "Analog TV transmission turned off at 5PM Tuesday July 13, 2021. WVOA 87.7 Syracuse New York". YouTube.
  6. ^ "Fifth Report and Order: In the Matter of Amendment of Parts 73 and 74 of the Commission's Rules to Establish Rules for Digital Low Power Television and Television Translator Stations" (FCC 23-58, MB Docket No. 03-185, Adopted: July 20, 2023, Released: July 20, 2023)
  7. ^ "Media Bureau Announces That All LPTV Rules and Filing Requirements Are Now In Effect" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. December 28, 2023. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  8. ^ "RabbitEars query for WVOA". rabbitears.info. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
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