WXPO-TV
Encyclopedia
WXPO-TV was a short-lived television station that was licensed to Manchester, New Hampshire
, but mainly targeted the Boston
market. Owned by Merrimack Valley Communications, the station aired on channel 50.
; however, its transmitter and "main" studio was on Governor Dinsmore Road in Windham, New Hampshire
to comply with Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) regulations requiring that a station's transmitter be located within 15 miles of the city of license. The original vision was to air business news during the daytime, and a general entertainment format — including sports — late in the afternoon and in the evening.
Its Treehouse 50 program in the afternoons gained a cult following with Boston-area college students, as it had slapstick comedy and the Warner Bros.
cartoons
that had been released to television stations at that time. The station also attempted to do live remotes with some mixed success. In addition, WXPO was infamous for a New Year's Eve
show that by 1:00 a.m. had started to become particularly strange.
WXPO also attempted a news operation; in addition to the financial news programming, it was the first station to have news updates every hour (a precursor to the 24 Hour News Source
format used by many stations in the 1990s), and was the first New England television station to air a ten o'clock newscast (WKBG-TV, now WLVI-TV
, also attempted such a newscast during this time, but did not launch it for another two months); however, it did not have any newsfilm and relied solely on AP
slides to provide visuals.
However, the station's coverage in many parts of Greater Boston
was spotty at best. The Lowell studio was located less than 1,000 feet from the WLLH
transmitter, making high-quality production impossible during the day due to RF interference with the cameras. Advertisers were scared off when the Lowell Sun
blacklisted anyone who advertised on the station. Bills went unpaid for several months.
By early 1970, the vast majority (90%) of the staff was removed from the payroll, although many continued with the station, believing it could pull through. However, the spring of that year saw the closure of the Lowell studio. Finally, in June the power company pulled the plug at the Windham studios during a Maverick
rerun, taking WXPO off the air.
On July 17, 1973, channel 50 returned to the air with a test transmission, with plans to return the station to the air later that year, possibly as New Hampshire's CBS
affiliate. Those plans were never realized, and the WXPO-TV license was deleted in 1975. The channel would remain silent
until September 1983, when WNDS (now WBIN-TV) began operations.
Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is in Hillsborough County along the banks of the Merrimack River, which...
, but mainly targeted the Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
market. Owned by Merrimack Valley Communications, the station aired on channel 50.
History
WXPO-TV signed on early in October 1969, from two studios. Its offices and master production facilities were located on Dutton Street in downtown Lowell, MassachusettsLowell, Massachusetts
Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County...
; however, its transmitter and "main" studio was on Governor Dinsmore Road in Windham, New Hampshire
Windham, New Hampshire
Windham is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 13,592 at the 2010 census.- History :The area was initially home to the Pawtucket Native Americans. Scottish immigrants began to settle in the area in 1719. The region was known as “Nutfield” and included what...
to comply with 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) regulations requiring that a station's transmitter be located within 15 miles of the city of license. The original vision was to air business news during the daytime, and a general entertainment format — including sports — late in the afternoon and in the evening.
Its Treehouse 50 program in the afternoons gained a cult following with Boston-area college students, as it had slapstick comedy and the Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
cartoons
Warner Bros. Cartoons
Warner Bros. Cartoons, Inc. was the in-house division of Warner Bros. Pictures during the Golden Age of American animation. One of the most successful animation studios in American media history, Warner Bros. Cartoons was primarily responsible for the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies theatrical...
that had been released to television stations at that time. The station also attempted to do live remotes with some mixed success. In addition, WXPO was infamous for a New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
show that by 1:00 a.m. had started to become particularly strange.
WXPO also attempted a news operation; in addition to the financial news programming, it was the first station to have news updates every hour (a precursor to the 24 Hour News Source
24 Hour News Source
The 24 Hour News Source brand was a common name used by American television stations starting in the early 1990s for brief hourly news updates, usually running 30 seconds to a minute in length. At its peak, dozens of stations across the U.S. were producing these brief news updates...
format used by many stations in the 1990s), and was the first New England television station to air a ten o'clock newscast (WKBG-TV, now WLVI-TV
WLVI-TV
WLVI, digital channel 41, is a television station licensed to Cambridge, Massachusetts which serves as the CW affiliate for the Boston, Massachusetts television market. WLVI is owned by Sunbeam Television, and is a sister station to WHDH, Boston's NBC affiliate. The two stations share studios at...
, also attempted such a newscast during this time, but did not launch it for another two months); however, it did not have any newsfilm and relied solely on AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
slides to provide visuals.
However, the station's coverage in many parts of Greater Boston
Greater Boston
Greater Boston is the area of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts surrounding the city of Boston. Due to ambiguity in usage, the size of the area referred to can be anywhere between that of the metropolitan statistical area of Boston and that of the city's combined statistical area which includes...
was spotty at best. The Lowell studio was located less than 1,000 feet from the WLLH
WLLH
WLLH is a radio station in the Merrimack Valley region of Massachusetts, licensed to Lowell, Massachusetts. The station is owned by Gois Broadcasting, LLC, and airs a tropical music format. In addition to a transmitter in Lowell, there is a synchronous transmitter in Lawrence, together forming...
transmitter, making high-quality production impossible during the day due to RF interference with the cameras. Advertisers were scared off when the Lowell Sun
Lowell Sun
The Sun is a daily newspaper based in Lowell, Massachusetts, United States, serving towns in Massachusetts and New Hampshire in the Greater Lowell area and beyond. Its circulation is about 50,000...
blacklisted anyone who advertised on the station. Bills went unpaid for several months.
By early 1970, the vast majority (90%) of the staff was removed from the payroll, although many continued with the station, believing it could pull through. However, the spring of that year saw the closure of the Lowell studio. Finally, in June the power company pulled the plug at the Windham studios during a Maverick
Maverick (TV series)
Maverick is a western television series with comedic overtones created by Roy Huggins. The show ran from September 22, 1957 to July 8, 1962 on ABC and stars James Garner as Bret Maverick, a cagey, articulate cardsharp. Eight episodes into the first season, he was joined by Jack Kelly as his brother...
rerun, taking WXPO off the air.
On July 17, 1973, channel 50 returned to the air with a test transmission, with plans to return the station to the air later that year, possibly as New Hampshire's CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliate. Those plans were never realized, and the WXPO-TV license was deleted in 1975. The channel would remain silent
Dark (broadcasting)
In the broadcasting industry, dark is a term used to describe a radio station or television station that has gone off-the-air for an indefinite period of time, or as defined by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission , a "silent" station...
until September 1983, when WNDS (now WBIN-TV) began operations.