WSPF-CA
Encyclopedia
WSPF-CA channel 35, is St. Petersburg, Florida
's Government-access television (GATV) cable TV channel, broadcasting City Council meetings and other public service programming for St. Petersburg residents, including the standard 3 hours weekly of children's E/I
educational programming mandated by the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC).
St. Petersburg's city channel was first established in January 1990 as a cable TV only affair, on cable 15 (since moved to digital channel 615 in December 2007). Prior to then, the city presented some programs as part of a Local Origination channel on Paragon Cable
(since succeeded by Bright House Networks
).
Channel 35 originally had its start in the early-1990s as W35AJ, which presented general entertainment programming from the Channel America
network (which owned the station). However, the station was on only intermittently, and would be off the air for weeks at a time. Ch.35 was already dark for a couple of years when St. Petersburg acquired the station in February 1995. In December 1999, the calls were changed to WSPF-CA.
WSPF-CA holds a Construction Permit to broadcast a digital signal on channel 38, the former frequency held by WTTA
; ironically, the city of St. Petersburg originally founded the previous occupant of the channel 38 frequency, WSUN-TV
, in 1953.
On November 3, 2011, it was announced that the City of St. Petersburg is in discussion of selling WSPF-CA to Prime Time Partners, a broadcaster based in Miami Lakes
; the company has placed a $500,000 bid to buy the station. If the sale succeeds, Prime Time Partners plan to convert the channel to digital, with a Spanish-language service broadcasting on 35.1, and the city continuing to use the transmitter, but broadcasting on a subchannel. The city announced that the station was up for sale in July 2011, due to the expense of converting the station to digital.
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
's Government-access television (GATV) cable TV channel, broadcasting City Council meetings and other public service programming for St. Petersburg residents, including the standard 3 hours weekly of children's E/I
E/I
E/I, which stands for "educational and informative," refers to a type of children's television programming shown in the United States. The Federal Communications Commission requires that every full-service Terrestrial television station in the U.S. show at least three hours of these television...
educational programming mandated by 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).
St. Petersburg's city channel was first established in January 1990 as a cable TV only affair, on cable 15 (since moved to digital channel 615 in December 2007). Prior to then, the city presented some programs as part of a Local Origination channel on Paragon Cable
Paragon Cable
Paragon Cable was a cable system based in Minneapolis, Minnesota and was owned by Houston Industries.-Beginnings:Formed in the 1980s, Paragon Cable was the largest cable provider in Minnesota with 177,100 subscribers in the Twin Cities and South Central Minnesota...
(since succeeded by Bright House Networks
Bright House Networks
Bright House Networks is a cable television company, the seventh largest cable operator and the sixth largest traditional multiple system operator in the United States owned by Advance/Newhouse, headquartered in Syracuse, New York...
).
Channel 35 originally had its start in the early-1990s as W35AJ, which presented general entertainment programming from the Channel America
Channel America
Channel America was the first United States terrestrial broadcast television network to be intentionally assembled out of LPTV, or low-power television licensees. The network was founded by David Post in 1987 and launched in 1988...
network (which owned the station). However, the station was on only intermittently, and would be off the air for weeks at a time. Ch.35 was already dark for a couple of years when St. Petersburg acquired the station in February 1995. In December 1999, the calls were changed to WSPF-CA.
WSPF-CA holds a Construction Permit to broadcast a digital signal on channel 38, the former frequency held by WTTA
WTTA
WTTA is the MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station for the Tampa Bay Area of Florida that is licensed to St. Petersburg. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 32 from a transmitter in Riverview. Owned by Bay Television, the station is operated by the Sinclair Broadcast...
; ironically, the city of St. Petersburg originally founded the previous occupant of the channel 38 frequency, WSUN-TV
WSUN-TV
WSUN-TV was a television station in St. Petersburg, Florida from 1953 to 1970 and was the first TV station in the Tampa/St. Petersburg television market.-Early history:...
, in 1953.
On November 3, 2011, it was announced that the City of St. Petersburg is in discussion of selling WSPF-CA to Prime Time Partners, a broadcaster based in Miami Lakes
Miami Lakes, Florida
Miami Lakes is a Miami suburban incorporated town and former census-designated place in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 22,676 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S...
; the company has placed a $500,000 bid to buy the station. If the sale succeeds, Prime Time Partners plan to convert the channel to digital, with a Spanish-language service broadcasting on 35.1, and the city continuing to use the transmitter, but broadcasting on a subchannel. The city announced that the station was up for sale in July 2011, due to the expense of converting the station to digital.