WMFP
Encyclopedia
WMFP is a television station
in the Boston market. The station is licensed to Lawrence, Massachusetts
, and is owned by NRJ TV, LLC. The station's programming primarily consists of programming from the Retro Television Network
. WMFP is carried on Metrocast channel 20, Comcast
channel 20, RCN Cable
channel 21, and Verizon FiOS
channel 23.
. In September 1992, a new broadcast antenna was mounted via a Sikorsky
sky-crane helicopter on top of One Beacon Street
in Boston. WMFP installed a new transmitter on an upper floor of the building, and started broadcasting from Boston in November 1992. The station's president at that time was Boston-area political commentator Avi Nelson. Bill Mockbee, well-known in radio and TV broadcasting in Boston, was the General Manager, and composer/conductor/actor David Morrow was the Operations Manager. WMFP began to carry several NBC
programs in early 1993, including the soap opera Another World
. Avi Nelson sold channel 62 to the Shop at Home Network
in 1995, which began airing the network's home shopping
programming soon thereafter.
On May 16, 2006, Shop at Home's parent company E.W. Scripps announced that the network would be suspending operations, effective June 22, 2006. However, Shop at Home temporarily ceased operations on June 21, and WMFP switched to Jewelry Television
(and, on June 23, to a mixture of both networks).
On September 26, 2006, Scripps announced that it was selling its Shop at Home stations, including WMFP, to Multicultural Television of New York City for $170 million.http://pressreleases.scripps.com/release/877 The sale of WMFP closed on April 24, 2007. Before the sale announcement, an affiliation with MyNetworkTV
was discussed as a possible future course for the station. Eventually, MyNetworkTV chose to affiliate with WZMY-TV
.
In May 2007, Multicultural took over WMFP, and switched the station to a mix of infomercial
s and Gems TV
; the Gems TV affiliation was dropped a year later.
On February 17, 2009, WMFP discontinued broadcasting in analog on channel 62. It is now broadcasting solely on digital UHF channel 18 (virtual channel 62.1) from a facility on the "FM-128" tower in Needham, Massachusetts
.
It was announced on May 12, 2009 that WMFP would begin to offer Retro Television Network
(RTN) within the following two weeks. RTN programming was added to the station's second digital subchannel on May 20, though with its station identification
showing the channel as 18.1. The next day, WMFP began showing RTN content on the main channel as well. (RTN was subsequently rebranded as RTV.)
After Multicultural ran into financial problems and defaulted on its loans, WMFP was placed into a trust; in 2011, the station, along with KCNS
in San Francisco, was sold to NRJ TV (a company unrelated to European broadcaster NRJ Radio
).
The sale was consummated on May 13, 2011. NRJ TV will move the RTV affiliation to it's .2 subchannel in favor of Me-TV on December 15, 2011.
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...
in the Boston market. The station is licensed to Lawrence, Massachusetts
Lawrence, Massachusetts
Lawrence is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States on the Merrimack River. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a total population of 76,377. Surrounding communities include Methuen to the north, Andover to the southwest, and North Andover to the southeast. It and Salem are...
, and is owned by NRJ TV, LLC. The station's programming primarily consists of programming from the Retro Television Network
Retro Television Network
The Retro Television Network is a system of television stations that airs classic television shows as well as more recently produced programs...
. WMFP is carried on Metrocast channel 20, Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
channel 20, RCN Cable
RCN Corporation
RCN Corporation, founded in 1993 and based in Herndon, Virginia, is the first American facilities-based competitive provider of bundled telephone, cable television and high-speed internet service delivered over its own fiber-optic local network to consumers in the Boston, New York, Eastern...
channel 21, and Verizon FiOS
Verizon FiOS
Verizon FiOS is a bundled Internet access, telephone, and television service which operates over a fiber-optic communications network. It is offered in some areas of the United States by Verizon Communications. Verizon was one of the first major U.S...
channel 23.
History
WMFP signed on for the first time on October 16, 1987. Initially, the station broadcast approximately 8 hours per day, using a transmitter located on a hill behind the Baldpate Hospital in Georgetown, MassachusettsGeorgetown, Massachusetts
Georgetown is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 8,183 at the 2010 census. It was incorporated in 1838 from part of Rowley.-History:...
. In September 1992, a new broadcast antenna was mounted via a Sikorsky
Sikorsky Aircraft
The Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation is an American aircraft manufacturer based in Stratford, Connecticut. Its parent company is United Technologies Corporation.-History:...
sky-crane helicopter on top of One Beacon Street
One Beacon Street
One Beacon Street is a modern skyscraper in the Government Center neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. Built in 1972 and refurbished in 1991, it is Boston's 14th-tallest building, standing 505 feet tall, and housing 37 floors...
in Boston. WMFP installed a new transmitter on an upper floor of the building, and started broadcasting from Boston in November 1992. The station's president at that time was Boston-area political commentator Avi Nelson. Bill Mockbee, well-known in radio and TV broadcasting in Boston, was the General Manager, and composer/conductor/actor David Morrow was the Operations Manager. WMFP began to carry several 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...
programs in early 1993, including the soap opera Another World
Another World (TV series)
Another World is an American television soap opera that ran on NBC from May 4, 1964 to June 25, 1999. It ran for a total of 35 years. It was created by Irna Phillips along with William J...
. Avi Nelson sold channel 62 to the Shop at Home Network
Shop at Home Network
The Shop at Home Network was a television network in the United States Before its acquisition by Jewelry Television in 2006, The E. W. Scripps Company owned and operated the network from 2002 until 2006, when the network temporarily ceased operations on June 21...
in 1995, which began airing the network's home shopping
Home shopping
Home shopping commonly refers to the electronic retailing/home shopping channels industry, which includes such billion dollar television-based and e-commerce companies as HSN, QVC, eBay, ShopNBC, Buy.com, and Amazon.com, as well as traditional mail order and brick and mortar retailers as Hammacher...
programming soon thereafter.
On May 16, 2006, Shop at Home's parent company E.W. Scripps announced that the network would be suspending operations, effective June 22, 2006. However, Shop at Home temporarily ceased operations on June 21, and WMFP switched to Jewelry Television
Jewelry Television
Jewelry Television is an American television network, similar to the Home Shopping Network. It was formerly called "America's Collectibles Network" . The privately-held company was founded in 1993 and broadcasts high definition programming 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to over 80 million unique...
(and, on June 23, to a mixture of both networks).
On September 26, 2006, Scripps announced that it was selling its Shop at Home stations, including WMFP, to Multicultural Television of New York City for $170 million.http://pressreleases.scripps.com/release/877 The sale of WMFP closed on April 24, 2007. Before the sale announcement, an affiliation with MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
was discussed as a possible future course for the station. Eventually, MyNetworkTV chose to affiliate with WZMY-TV
WZMY-TV
WBIN-TV is an independent station licensed to Derry, New Hampshire and serving the Boston market. Its transmitter is located on Merrill Hill in Hudson, New Hampshire. Owned by Carlisle One Media, the station has studios on A Street in Derry...
.
In May 2007, Multicultural took over WMFP, and switched the station to a mix of infomercial
Infomercial
Infomercials are direct response television commercials which generally include a phone number or website. There are long-form infomercials, which are typically between 15 and 30 minutes in length, and short-form infomercials, which are typically 30 seconds to 120 seconds in length. Infomercials...
s and Gems TV
Gems TV
Gems TV was a jewellery manufacturer and reverse auction TV shopping network headquartered in Chanthaburi, Thailand. It began its operations in October 2004 in the UK, and then expanded to Germany, America, Japan and China...
; the Gems TV affiliation was dropped a year later.
On February 17, 2009, WMFP discontinued broadcasting in analog on channel 62. It is now broadcasting solely on digital UHF channel 18 (virtual channel 62.1) from a facility on the "FM-128" tower in Needham, Massachusetts
Needham, Massachusetts
Needham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. A suburb of Boston, its population was 28,886 at the 2010 census.- History :...
.
It was announced on May 12, 2009 that WMFP would begin to offer Retro Television Network
Retro Television Network
The Retro Television Network is a system of television stations that airs classic television shows as well as more recently produced programs...
(RTN) within the following two weeks. RTN programming was added to the station's second digital subchannel on May 20, though with its station identification
Station identification
Station identification is the practice of radio or television stations or networks identifying themselves on air, typically by means of a call sign or brand name...
showing the channel as 18.1. The next day, WMFP began showing RTN content on the main channel as well. (RTN was subsequently rebranded as RTV.)
After Multicultural ran into financial problems and defaulted on its loans, WMFP was placed into a trust; in 2011, the station, along with KCNS
KCNS
KCNS is a digital television station in San Francisco, California, in the United States, owned by NRJ TV, LLC. It carries programming from the Retro Television Network on its main channel, and programming from Sino TV and Saigon TV on its subchannels. The station operates on 39 digital, covering...
in San Francisco, was sold to NRJ TV (a company unrelated to European broadcaster NRJ Radio
NRJ Radio
NRJ French multimedia group based in Paris. Since its foundation in 1981 as a French pop music radio station it has grown and evolved to become the NRJ Group...
).
The sale was consummated on May 13, 2011. NRJ TV will move the RTV affiliation to it's .2 subchannel in favor of Me-TV on December 15, 2011.