WPXL
Encyclopedia
WPXL-TV is the local Ion Television (formerly Pax TV and i) affiliate in New Orleans, Louisiana
, owned by Ion Media Networks
. It broadcasts on virtual channel
49.
The station was formerly WCCL, an independent station
. The station went silent from the spring of 1990 until May 25, 1994, where it was returned to the air by Flinn Broadcasting Corporation. Before Pax TV was born, the station carried Home Shopping Network
programming.
After Hurricane Katrina until the end of 2005, WPXL simulcasted NBC
affiliate WDSU
(channel 6), whose transmitter building in Chalmette, Louisiana
was flooded out during the Hurricane Katrina
disaster. The station also added the signals for The Worship Network
, also local Tribune
stations WGNO
(Channel 26, ABC
) and WNOL (Channel 38, CW) to their digital multicasting channels for those in the New Orleans area that can receive digital television
signals. On March 29, 2008, WPXL was finally able to launch qubo
programming on channel 49-2 and Ion Life
programming on 49-3, which each launched a year and a half after Katrina, as WGNO
and WNOL had moved their digital transmissions to WNOL's UHF channel 15. The Worship Network was removed from all Ion-owned stations, including WPXL, on February 1, 2010.
In mid-August 2007, Ion announced that it would be purchasing WPXL and WPXX in Memphis
outright from Flinn Broadcasting for $18 million. http://broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6470612.html
The sale was completed on January 2, 2008.http://www.ionmedia.tv/press/press.cfm?id=73
Digital channels>
Digital Channel
Programming
49.1
ion HD 720p
49.2
qubo
SD 480i
49.3
ion life
SD 480i
On June 12, 2009, WPXL ceased analog broadcasting on channel 49 and continued broadcasting its digital signal on channel 50, completing its analog to digital transition. Through the use of PSIP
, digital television receivers display WPXL-TV's virtual channel as "49".
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, owned by Ion Media Networks
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:...
. It broadcasts on 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....
49.
The station was formerly WCCL, an independent station
Independent station
An independent station is in the category of television terminology used to describe a television station broadcasting in the United States or Canada that is not affiliated with any television network....
. The station went silent from the spring of 1990 until May 25, 1994, where it was returned to the air by Flinn Broadcasting Corporation. Before Pax TV was born, the station carried 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...
programming.
After Hurricane Katrina until the end of 2005, WPXL simulcasted 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 WDSU
WDSU
WDSU, virtual channel 6, is the NBC-affiliated television station for the New Orleans, Louisiana television market. It is owned by Hearst Television, which in turn is wholly owned by the Hearst Corporation. It broadcasts on UHF digital channel 43...
(channel 6), whose transmitter building in Chalmette, Louisiana
Chalmette, Louisiana
Chalmette is a census-designated place in and the parish seat of St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 32,069 at the 2000 census. It is part of the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area...
was flooded out during the Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
disaster. The station also added the signals for The Worship Network
The Worship Network
The Worship Network, or Worship, is a broadcast television service that provides alternative Christian worship-themed programming 24 hours a day, seven days a week...
, also local Tribune
Tribune Company
The Tribune Company is a large American multimedia corporation based in Chicago, Illinois. It is the nation's second-largest newspaper publisher, with ten daily newspapers and commuter tabloids including Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Hartford Courant, Orlando Sentinel, South Florida...
stations WGNO
WGNO
WGNO, channel 26, is the ABC-affiliated television station for the greater New Orleans, Louisiana metropolitan area, as well parts of southern and coastal Mississippi. It is owned by Tribune Broadcasting, and is the only Big Three network affiliate owned by the company.The station offers ABC...
(Channel 26, 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...
) and WNOL (Channel 38, CW) to their digital multicasting channels for those in the New Orleans area that can receive digital television
ATSC
ATSC standards are a set of standards developed by the Advanced Television Systems Committee for digital television transmission over terrestrial, cable, and satellite networks....
signals. On March 29, 2008, WPXL was finally able to launch qubo
Qubo
Qubo is a multi-platform children's television specialty channel endeavor operated as a joint venture between ION Media Networks, NBCUniversal, Nelvana, Scholastic Corporation, and Classic Media...
programming on channel 49-2 and Ion Life
ION Life
ION Life is a digital television network carried by ION Television affiliates, airing lifestyle programming during the day, and movies in the evening. It was launched February 19, 2007...
programming on 49-3, which each launched a year and a half after Katrina, as WGNO
WGNO
WGNO, channel 26, is the ABC-affiliated television station for the greater New Orleans, Louisiana metropolitan area, as well parts of southern and coastal Mississippi. It is owned by Tribune Broadcasting, and is the only Big Three network affiliate owned by the company.The station offers ABC...
and WNOL had moved their digital transmissions to WNOL's UHF channel 15. The Worship Network was removed from all Ion-owned stations, including WPXL, on February 1, 2010.
In mid-August 2007, Ion announced that it would be purchasing WPXL and WPXX in Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
outright from Flinn Broadcasting for $18 million. http://broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6470612.html
The sale was completed on January 2, 2008.http://www.ionmedia.tv/press/press.cfm?id=73
Digital television
The station's digital channel on UHF 50, is multiplexed:Qubo
Qubo is a multi-platform children's television specialty channel endeavor operated as a joint venture between ION Media Networks, NBCUniversal, Nelvana, Scholastic Corporation, and Classic Media...
SD 480i
ION Life
ION Life is a digital television network carried by ION Television affiliates, airing lifestyle programming during the day, and movies in the evening. It was launched February 19, 2007...
SD 480i
On June 12, 2009, WPXL ceased analog broadcasting on channel 49 and continued broadcasting its digital signal on channel 50, completing its analog to digital transition. Through the use of PSIP
Program 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 display WPXL-TV's virtual channel as "49".