WPPX
Encyclopedia
WPPX-TV is the Ion Television network affiliate for the Philadelphia area, broadcasting on digital channel 31. It is owned and operated by ION Media Networks
, formerly Paxson Communications. Its transmitter is located in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia
.
Licensed to Wilmington, Delaware
, the station began operating as WTGI-TV on July 9, 1986, originally as a general entertainment independent station. It mostly broadcast shows that the established Philadelphia stations did not desire, including drama shows, old movies, reruns of old game shows, religious shows, and some network shows that WPVI pre-empted. Reruns of Dynasty
were WTGI's most prominent feature, as well as an attempt at a local newscast entitled "Delaware Valley Tonight". In addition, the station was scheduled to broadcast Philadelphia Big 5
basketball, but that idea was dropped before the season started. A lack of cable system carriage (partly because of the local newscast) and a transmitter located away from the heart of the Philadelphia market left the station with minimal viewership and an inability to sell ad time at a profit.
That November, all the entertainment shows were dropped and WTGI took home shopping programming from services other than Home Shopping Network
which bought its own station at that time as well. They continued to run some rejected ABC shows, infomercials, and religious programs part of the day.
A few years later WTGI became an ethnic channel airing Telemundo
programming part of the day and religious shows part of the day. In 1994 Trinity Broadcasting Network
made an attempt to buy the station but the sale fell through. In 1995 the station was sold to Paxson Communications; it then became an all-infomercial
channel ("inTV") until the launch of the Pax TV network on August 31, 1998, at which time it became WPPX.
Channel 61 was originally allocated to Reading, Pennsylvania
in the 1950s, when WHUM-TV occupied the channel as a CBS affiliate. The allocation was eventually reassigned to Wilmington after the Reading station went dark.
WPPX-TV also has plans for a Mobile DTV feed of subchannel 61.1.
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:...
, formerly Paxson Communications. Its transmitter is located in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
.
Licensed to Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
, the station began operating as WTGI-TV on July 9, 1986, originally as a general entertainment independent station. It mostly broadcast shows that the established Philadelphia stations did not desire, including drama shows, old movies, reruns of old game shows, religious shows, and some network shows that WPVI pre-empted. Reruns of Dynasty
Dynasty (TV series)
Dynasty is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 12, 1981 to May 11, 1989. It was created by Richard & Esther Shapiro and produced by Aaron Spelling, and revolved around the Carringtons, a wealthy oil family living in Denver, Colorado...
were WTGI's most prominent feature, as well as an attempt at a local newscast entitled "Delaware Valley Tonight". In addition, the station was scheduled to broadcast Philadelphia Big 5
Philadelphia Big 5
The Philadelphia Big 5 is an informal association of college athletic programs in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It is not a conference; indeed the five schools that are members of the Big 5 are members of three separate conferences: the Atlantic 10, the Big East, and the Ivy League.The five...
basketball, but that idea was dropped before the season started. A lack of cable system carriage (partly because of the local newscast) and a transmitter located away from the heart of the Philadelphia market left the station with minimal viewership and an inability to sell ad time at a profit.
That November, all the entertainment shows were dropped and WTGI took home shopping programming from services other than Home Shopping Network
Home Shopping Network
Home Shopping Network or HSN began in 1977 as a 24-hour/7 day a week home shopping television network televised via cable, satellite, and some terrestrial channels in the Philippines. HSN can also be shopped online at hsn.com...
which bought its own station at that time as well. They continued to run some rejected ABC shows, infomercials, and religious programs part of the day.
A few years later WTGI became an ethnic channel airing Telemundo
Telemundo
Telemundo is an American television network that broadcasts in Spanish. The network is the second-largest Spanish-language content producer in the world, and the second-largest Spanish-language network in the United States, behind Univision....
programming part of the day and religious shows part of the day. In 1994 Trinity Broadcasting Network
Trinity Broadcasting Network
The Trinity Broadcasting Network is a major American Christian television network. TBN is based in Costa Mesa, California, with auxiliary studio facilities in Irving, Texas; Hendersonville, Tennessee; Gadsden, Alabama; Decatur, Georgia; Miami, Florida; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Orlando, Florida; and New...
made an attempt to buy the station but the sale fell through. In 1995 the station was sold to Paxson Communications; it then became an all-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...
channel ("inTV") until the launch of the Pax TV network on August 31, 1998, at which time it became WPPX.
Channel 61 was originally allocated to Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading is a city in southeastern Pennsylvania, USA, and seat of Berks County. Reading is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area and had a population of 88,082 as of the 2010 census, making it the fifth most populated city in the state after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Erie,...
in the 1950s, when WHUM-TV occupied the channel as a CBS affiliate. The allocation was eventually reassigned to Wilmington after the Reading station went dark.
WPPX-TV also has plans for a Mobile DTV feed of subchannel 61.1.