WPCB-TV
Encyclopedia
WPCB-TV is a Christian television station
in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
, USA DMA. It broadcasts its digital signal on UHF
channel 50. It is licensed
to Greensburg
with studios and transmitter in Wall
and is the home of Cornerstone Television
, which originates most of its programs from the station. WPCB-TV programming is also seen on satellite station WKBS-TV, digital channel 46 in Altoona, Pennsylvania
.
, which was running an all-Christian format. Russ came to visit the Christian Broadcasting Network
studios, meeting Pat Robertson
and Jim Bakker
. Concluding that Pittsburgh needed a similar station, Russ applied for channel 22 in the 1970s, but lost to Commercial Radio Institute
in 1975 (CRI would launch that station as secular independent WPTT
three years later). Bixler then applied for channel 40, and was granted a construction permit
for that channel in 1976.
After several hurdles, Bixler was able to get the needed equipment and was able to sell a few hours a day of time to Christian organizations. Finally, on Easter Sunday, 1979, WPCB-TV began operations. The station was on the air for 15 hours a day initially, and within a year expanded to 24-hour operation. Programming consisted of several runs a day of the two hour edition of PTL Club, the 90-minute edition of The 700 Club
, several other shows produced by CBN for the CBN Cable channel, a few children's educational and religious shows, television evangelists like Jimmy Swaggart
, Rex Humbard
, Oral Roberts
, Jerry Fawell, and others, and some local church programs. The station also produced a local variety talk and music show, Getting Together. WPCB's programming remains entirely Christian-oriented to this day. From before their sign on, when a person phones the station, the receptionists answer "Jesus Loves You TV 40".
Over the decades, owing to holding a license to operate a commercial television station, WPCB has received countless offers from commercial broadcasters wanting to convert the station into a conventional independent station, but has flatly refused them each time. However, in 1998, Cornerstone attempted to buy the license for noncommercial station WQEX, which would have required a sale of the channel 40 license. Paxson Communications
made an offer to channel 40; if the deal went through, it would have been relaunched as a Pax TV affiliate. However, at that time the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) did not deem WPCB's religious programming as educational, and Cornerstone's application was withdrawn in 2000; channel 40 was then taken off the market.http://www.post-gazette.com/tv/20000120wqed1.asp A couple years later, the FCC reversed its position.
Russ Bixler died in 2000, and Ron Henbree, who hosted a program on WPCB, took over as the station's president. Henbree died in June 2010.
, digital television receivers displays WPCB's virtual channel
as 40.
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 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, USA DMA. It broadcasts its digital signal on UHF
Ultra high frequency
Ultra-High Frequency designates the ITU Radio frequency range of electromagnetic waves between 300 MHz and 3 GHz , also known as the decimetre band or decimetre wave as the wavelengths range from one to ten decimetres...
channel 50. It is licensed
City of license
A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator....
to Greensburg
Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Greensburg is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States, and a part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The city is named after Nathanael Greene, a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War...
with studios and transmitter in Wall
Wall, Pennsylvania
Wall is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 580 at the 2010 census.-History:Wall is located at the site of a farm purchased by James Walls in 1829. The property, on the south bank of Turtle Creek, was passed to James' sons Henry and John Walls, who lived...
and is the home of Cornerstone Television
Cornerstone Television
The Cornerstone TeleVision Network is a non-commercial Christian broadcast and satellite television network based in Wall, Pennsylvania, United States. Its founder and CEO is Russ Bixler...
, which originates most of its programs from the station. WPCB-TV programming is also seen on satellite station WKBS-TV, digital channel 46 in Altoona, Pennsylvania
Altoona, Pennsylvania
-History:A major railroad town, Altoona was founded by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1849 as the site for a shop complex. Altoona was incorporated as a borough on February 6, 1854, and as a city under legislation approved on April 3, 1867, and February 8, 1868...
.
History
In the 1960s, Rev. Russ Bixler was visiting the Virginia Beach area and came across WYAH-TVWGNT
WGNT, channel 27 , is a television station licensed to Portsmouth, Virginia, USA. WGNT is the CW Television Network affiliate for the Hampton Roads television market and is owned by Local TV, which also operates WTKR , Hampton Roads' CBS affiliate...
, which was running an all-Christian format. Russ came to visit the Christian Broadcasting Network
Christian Broadcasting Network
The Christian Broadcasting Network, or CBN, is a fundamentalist Christian television broadcasting network in the United States. Its headquarters and main studios are in Virginia Beach, Virginia.-Background:...
studios, meeting Pat Robertson
Pat Robertson
Marion Gordon "Pat" Robertson is a media mogul, television evangelist, ex-Baptist minister and businessman who is politically aligned with the Christian Right in the United States....
and Jim Bakker
Jim Bakker
James Orsen "Jim" Bakker is an American televangelist, a former Assemblies of God minister, and a former host of The PTL Club, a popular evangelical Christian television program.A sex scandal led to his resignation from the ministry...
. Concluding that Pittsburgh needed a similar station, Russ applied for channel 22 in the 1970s, but lost to Commercial Radio Institute
Sinclair Broadcast Group
The Sinclair Broadcast Group is an American telecommunications company that operates the largest number of local television stations in the United States. Headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland, it owns a total of 57 stations across the country in 35 primarily small and medium markets, many of...
in 1975 (CRI would launch that station as secular independent WPTT
WPMY
WPMY is the MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station for Western Pennsylvania that is licensed to Pittsburgh. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 42 from a transmitter located in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. Owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, WPMY is the sister station of...
three years later). Bixler then applied for channel 40, and 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...
for that channel in 1976.
After several hurdles, Bixler was able to get the needed equipment and was able to sell a few hours a day of time to Christian organizations. Finally, on Easter Sunday, 1979, WPCB-TV began operations. The station was on the air for 15 hours a day initially, and within a year expanded to 24-hour operation. Programming consisted of several runs a day of the two hour edition of PTL Club, the 90-minute edition of The 700 Club
The 700 Club
The 700 Club is the flagship news talk show of the Christian Broadcasting Network, airing in syndication throughout the United States and Canada. In production since 1966, it is currently hosted by Pat Robertson, Terry Meeuwsen, Kristi Watts, and Gordon P. Robertson, two of whom will host on any...
, several other shows produced by CBN for the CBN Cable channel, a few children's educational and religious shows, television evangelists like Jimmy Swaggart
Jimmy Swaggart
Jimmy Lee Swaggart is a Pentecostal American pastor, teacher, musician, television host, and televangelist. He has preached to crowds around the world through his weekly telecast...
, Rex Humbard
Rex Humbard
Alpha Rex Emmanuel Humbard was a well-known American television evangelist whose Cathedral of Tomorrow show was shown on over 600 stations at the peak of its popularity....
, Oral Roberts
Oral Roberts
Granville "Oral" Roberts was an American Pentecostal televangelist and a Christian charismatic. He founded the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association and Oral Roberts University....
, Jerry Fawell, and others, and some local church programs. The station also produced a local variety talk and music show, Getting Together. WPCB's programming remains entirely Christian-oriented to this day. From before their sign on, when a person phones the station, the receptionists answer "Jesus Loves You TV 40".
Over the decades, owing to holding a license to operate a commercial television station, WPCB has received countless offers from commercial broadcasters wanting to convert the station into a conventional independent station, but has flatly refused them each time. However, in 1998, Cornerstone attempted to buy the license for noncommercial station WQEX, which would have required a sale of the channel 40 license. Paxson Communications
ION Media Networks
ION Media Networks is an American television broadcasting company that owns and operates over 60 television stations in most major American markets. It is now a privately owned company.-History:...
made an offer to channel 40; if the deal went through, it would have been relaunched as a Pax TV affiliate. However, at that time 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) did not deem WPCB's religious programming as educational, and Cornerstone's application was withdrawn in 2000; channel 40 was then taken off the market.http://www.post-gazette.com/tv/20000120wqed1.asp A couple years later, the FCC reversed its position.
Russ Bixler died in 2000, and Ron Henbree, who hosted a program on WPCB, took over as the station's president. Henbree died in June 2010.
Analog-to-digital conversion
After the analog television shutdown and digital conversion, which took place on June 12, 2009, WPCB remained on its pre-transition channel number 50. Through the use of PSIPProgram and System Information Protocol
The Program and System Information Protocol is the protocol used in the ATSC digital television system for carrying metadata about each channel in the broadcast MPEG transport stream of a TV station and for publishing information about television programs so that viewers can select what to watch...
, digital television receivers displays WPCB's virtual channel
Virtual channel
In telecommunications, a logical channel number , also known as virtual channel, is a channel designation which differs from that of the actual radio channel on which the signal travels....
as 40.