WLMO-LP
Encyclopedia
WLMO-LP is the CBS
-afifliated television station
for Northwestern Ohio that is licensed to Lima
. It broadcasts a low-powered analog signal on UHF channel 38 from a transmitter on Rice Avenue in the city. The station can also be seen on Time Warner
channel 11. Owned by West Central Ohio Broadcasting, the channel is sister to low-powered ABC
affiliate WLQP-LP
and the two are operated by Block Communications
through a shared services
agreement (SSA). This makes them sister to NBC
affiliate WLIO
and all three share studios on Rice Avenue northwest of downtown. Syndicated
programming on WLMO includes: Access Hollywood
, Friends
, George Lopez
and The Dr. Oz Show
. This station can also be seen on WOHL-CD's second digital subchannel on UHF channel 35 which transmits at the same location.
The station signed-on September 22, 1998 with the calls W65DP. It aired an analog signal on UHF channel 65 and was a full-time repeater of WOHL-CA (now WOHL-CD). The channel was spun off in 2002 and became a CBS affiliate with the calls WLMO-LP while moving to UHF channel 38. This aired from a transmitter west of Cridersville
in Auglaize County
. After picking up CBS, WLMO fought an uphill battle with Time Warner. The company initially refused to carry the station on its Lima system due to the presence of two other CBS affiliates, WHIO-TV
from Dayton
and WBNS-TV
in Columbus
. The latter replaced Toledo
's WTOL-TV and WHIO was widely considered the de-facto CBS affiliate for the Lima market
.
With WLMO being a low-powered station with no support from any full-powered channels, Time Warner was not obligated to carry the station. Must-carry
regulations do not apply to low-powered stations regardless of affiliation. However on March 29, 2006, Time Warner added the station to its systems in Lima, Cridersville, and Wapakoneta
. At one point, this station carried America One
on a secondary basis that was shared with WLQP-LP
.
WLMO had applied to the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) to perform a "flash-cut
" of its signal to digital in 2006. This application was dismissed as of July 1, 2009 because the station decided instead to apply for a low-power digital companion channel on UHF channel 47 with the calls WLMO-LD. On September 28, 2009, WLMO terminated its analog operations and programming was shifted to WOHL-CD's second digital subchannel.
On November 29, 2008, it was announced that Metro Video Productions
would sell its stations (including WLMO) to West Central Ohio Broadcasting. One of that company's heads, Allan J. Block, is the chairman of Block Communications (owner of WLIO). While Block assumed control of the station's operations after the sale's completion, it was initially stated that the company would not consolidate WLMO's facilities on South Central Avenue with WLIO. It has since been stated that some consolidation would take place with the station moving to WLIO's studios on Rice Avenue. On June 8, 2010, WLMO-LD was granted a construction permit
. On June 10 to avoid automatic license termination, the FCC granted WLMO special temporary authority
to restore analog service on channel 38. WLMO-LP's analog signal was restored on September 13.
Anchors
Reporters
WLMO features additional personnel from WLIO. See that article for a complete listing.
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
-afifliated television station
Television station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
for Northwestern Ohio that is licensed to Lima
Lima, Ohio
Lima is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northwestern Ohio along Interstate 75 approximately north of Dayton and south-southwest of Toledo....
. It broadcasts a low-powered analog signal on UHF channel 38 from a transmitter on Rice Avenue in the city. The station can also be seen on Time Warner
Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions...
channel 11. Owned by West Central Ohio Broadcasting, the channel is sister to low-powered ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
affiliate WLQP-LP
WLQP-LP
WLQP-LP is the ABC-affiliated television station for Northwestern Ohio that is licensed to Lima. It broadcasts a low-powered analog signal on UHF channel 25 from a transmitter on Rice Avenue in the city. WLQP can also be seen on Time Warner channel 12...
and the two are operated by Block Communications
Block Communications
Block Communications is a privately held holding company of various assets, mainly in the print and broadcast media, based in Toledo, Ohio. The company was founded in 1900 in New York City when Paul Block, a German immigrant who came to the United States fifteen years prior, formed an ad...
through a shared services
Shared services
Shared services refers to the provision of a service by one part of an organization or group where that service had previously been found in more than one part of the organization or group. Thus the funding and resourcing of the service is shared and the providing department effectively becomes an...
agreement (SSA). This makes them sister to NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
affiliate WLIO
WLIO
WLIO is the NBC-affiliated television station for Northwest Ohio licensed to Lima. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 8 from a transmitter at its studios on Rice Avenue in the city. The station can also be seen on Time Warner Cable channel 5 and in high definition on...
and all three share studios on Rice Avenue northwest of downtown. Syndicated
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
programming on WLMO includes: Access Hollywood
Access Hollywood
Access Hollywood is a weekday television entertainment news program covering events and celebrities in the entertainment industry. It was created by former Entertainment Tonight executive producer Jim Van Messel, and is currently directed by Robert Silverstein. In previous years, Doug Dougherty and...
, Friends
Friends
Friends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series revolves around a group of friends in Manhattan. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
, George Lopez
George Lopez (TV series)
"The George Lopez Show" redirects here. For the late-night program hosted by the same comedian, see Lopez Tonight.George Lopez is an American sitcom starring comedian George Lopez...
and The Dr. Oz Show
The Dr. Oz Show
The Dr. Oz Show is an American syndicated television talk show, hosted by Dr. Mehmet Oz, a cardiothoracic surgeon and teaching professor at Columbia University who became famous for his appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show from 2004 until 2009....
. This station can also be seen on WOHL-CD's second digital subchannel on UHF channel 35 which transmits at the same location.
History
Cridersville, Ohio
Cridersville is a village in Auglaize County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,817 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Wapakoneta, Ohio Micropolitan Statistical Area....
in Auglaize County
Auglaize County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 46,611 people, 17,376 households, and 12,771 families residing in the county. The population density was 116 people per square mile . There were 18,470 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile...
. After picking up CBS, WLMO fought an uphill battle with Time Warner. The company initially refused to carry the station on its Lima system due to the presence of two other CBS affiliates, WHIO-TV
WHIO-TV
WHIO-TV, virtual channel 7, is the CBS-affiliated television station licensed to Dayton, Ohio, serving that state's Miami Valley area. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 41 from its transmitter on Germantown Street in western Dayton....
from Dayton
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
and WBNS-TV
WBNS-TV
WBNS-TV, channel 10, is a television station in Columbus, Ohio, USA. The station is an affiliate of the CBS Television Network and is owned by the Dispatch Broadcast Group, a subsidiary of the Columbus Dispatch, along with WBNS radio...
in Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. The latter replaced Toledo
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
's WTOL-TV and WHIO was widely considered the de-facto CBS affiliate for the Lima market
Media market
A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area , Television Market Area , or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same television and radio station offerings, and may also include other types of media including newspapers and Internet content...
.
With WLMO being a low-powered station with no support from any full-powered channels, Time Warner was not obligated to carry the station. Must-carry
Must-carry
In cable television, governments apply a must-carry regulation stating that locally-licensed television stations must be carried on a cable provider's system.- Canada :...
regulations do not apply to low-powered stations regardless of affiliation. However on March 29, 2006, Time Warner added the station to its systems in Lima, Cridersville, and Wapakoneta
Wapakoneta, Ohio
Wapakoneta is a city in and the county seat of Auglaize County, Ohio, United States with a population of 9,474 as of the 2000 U.S. census. It is the principal city of and is included in the Wapakoneta, Ohio Micropolitan S A, which is included in the Lima-Van Wert-Wapakoneta, Ohio CSA...
. At one point, this station carried America One
America One
America One is an over-the-air television network in the United States. The network serves over 170 LPTV, Class A, Full Power, Cable and Satellite affiliate stations...
on a secondary basis that was shared with WLQP-LP
WLQP-LP
WLQP-LP is the ABC-affiliated television station for Northwestern Ohio that is licensed to Lima. It broadcasts a low-powered analog signal on UHF channel 25 from a transmitter on Rice Avenue in the city. WLQP can also be seen on Time Warner channel 12...
.
WLMO had applied to the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) to perform a "flash-cut
Flash-cut
A flash-cut, also called flash-cutover, is an immediate change in a complex system, with no phase-in period.Some telephone area codes were split immediately, rather than being phased in with a permissive dialing period. An example is telephone area code 213, which was split into 213 and 714 all at...
" of its signal to digital in 2006. This application was dismissed as of July 1, 2009 because the station decided instead to apply for a low-power digital companion channel on UHF channel 47 with the calls WLMO-LD. On September 28, 2009, WLMO terminated its analog operations and programming was shifted to WOHL-CD's second digital subchannel.
On November 29, 2008, it was announced that Metro Video Productions
Metro Video Productions
Metro Video Productions is a video production company in Lima, Ohio. Established in 1993 by Greg Phipps, Metro broke into the television market with its acquisition of low-power television stations WOHL-CA and WLQP-LP in Lima, Ohio...
would sell its stations (including WLMO) to West Central Ohio Broadcasting. One of that company's heads, Allan J. Block, is the chairman of Block Communications (owner of WLIO). While Block assumed control of the station's operations after the sale's completion, it was initially stated that the company would not consolidate WLMO's facilities on South Central Avenue with WLIO. It has since been stated that some consolidation would take place with the station moving to WLIO's studios on Rice Avenue. On June 8, 2010, WLMO-LD was granted a construction permit
Construction permit
A construction permit or building permit is a permit required in most jurisdictions for new construction, or adding on to pre-existing structures, and in some cases for major renovations. Generally, the new construction must be inspected during construction and after completion to ensure compliance...
. On June 10 to avoid automatic license termination, the FCC granted WLMO special temporary authority
Special temporary authority
In U.S. broadcast law, a special temporary authorization or special temporary authority is a type of broadcast license which temporarily allows a broadcast station to operate outside of its normal technical or legal parameters...
to restore analog service on channel 38. WLMO-LP's analog signal was restored on September 13.
Newscast
WOHL simulcasts WLIO's weeknight 6 and 11 o'clock newscasts.Anchors
- Amyre Makupson - weeknights
- Jeff Fitzgerald - weeknights at 6 and reporter
- Erik Tyger - weeknights at 11
- Darren Maier (Certified Broadcast MeteorologistCertified Broadcast MeteorologistCertified Broadcast Meteorologist is a rating for meteorologists given by the American Meteorological Society.The Certified Broadcast Meteorologist program was established to raise the professional standard in broadcast meteorology and encourage a broader range of scientific understanding,...
) - Chief Meteorologist seen weeknights - Joe Downs - Sports Director seen weeknights
Reporters
- Tom Nartker - videographer
- Phil Thomas - videographer
- Joe Miles - videographer
- Csaba Sukosd - sports
- Mindy Pauris
- Kyle Adams
- Tricia Bell
- Whitney Scott
WLMO features additional personnel from WLIO. See that article for a complete listing.
Former staff
- Joe Aulisio, sports anchor, now at WKBN/WYFX in Youngstown, Ohio
- Nathan Baker, sports anchor, now at WKEF/WRGT in Dayton, Ohio
- Craig Smylie, sports anchor, now at WJET-TV in Erie, Pennsylvania
- Matt Queen, sports anchor, now at WEAU-TV in Eau Claire, Wisconsin
- Mandy Hackman, reporter/anchor, now at WYTV-TV in Youngstown, Ohio
- Dan Martin, reporter, now at WYTV-TV in Youngstown, Ohio
- Stephanie Stilwell, anchor/reporter, now at News 14 Carolina in Greensboro, NC
- Jason Meyers, meteorologist, Now at WPTA/WISE-TV in Fort Wayne, Indiana
- Doug Lambert, photographer, Now at WHIO-TV in Dayton, Ohio
- Jordan Burgess, reporter/anchor, now at WDTN-TV in Dayton, Ohio
- Joscelyn Moes, reporter, now at WFMZ-TV in Allentown, Pennsylvania
- Pete Cannella, meteorologist, Now at KESQ-TV in Palm Springs, California
- Heather Miller, reporter, now at WUPW-TV in Toledo, Ohio
- Marcus Bailey, meteorologist, Now at WMBD/WYZZ in Peoria, Illinois
- Brad Underwood, reporter/anchor, now at WXIX in Cincinnati, Ohio