WDEM-CD
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| History | |
| Founded | January 8, 1986 |
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| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| 54414 | |
| Class | CD |
| ERP | 15 kW |
| HAAT | 219.6 m (720 ft) |
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WDEM-CD (channel 17) is a low-power, Class A television station in Columbus, Ohio, United States. The station is owned by Innovate Corp. and mostly broadcasts subchannels featuring infomercials and diginets. Since December 2024, its primary channel has served as the Columbus affiliate for the Rock Entertainment Sports Network.
History
W17AI began broadcasting in 1987. It was owned by Regional Broadcasting Corporation, owned by Gary and Susan Clarke; beginning in 1988, it primarily served to rebroadcast WWAT-TV in Chillicothe. At the time, WWAT-TV had been removed from all three of the cable systems in the Columbus area.[2][3] This was a change from Clarke's original plan for programming W17AI after he purchased the permit from the LaMarca Group of New York City the year before; he had originally intended on programming oriented to the large campus audience at Ohio State University.[4][5] The Clarkes sold the station in August 1989 to WWAT-TV owner Wendell A. Triplett.[6] In 1991, W17AI split from WWAT-TV to broadcast the Home Shopping Network.[7] The call sign was changed to WDEM-LP in 1998.
In early 2009, the station—still owned by Triplett—changed its programming from home shopping to an arts and culture format known as "Lifeline Columbus" under the leadership of David Chesnet.[8] The station had previously become a Class A station in December 2008, changing call signs from WDEM-CA to WDEM-CD.[9] The station also converted to digital in 2009 and added a subchannel airing Telemundo in 2010. Subchannels aired in the 2010s included Universal Sports and Justice Network (now True Crime Network). Minority Brands, owned by Richard Schilg, acquired WDEM-CD from Triplett for $75,000 in 2014.[10]
On April 3, 2019, HC2 Holdings closed on its acquisition of WDEM from Minority Brands, Inc., for $866,000.[11] The station then moved from channel 17 to channel 24 as part of the repack, with Telemundo replaced by HC2-owned Azteca América.
Since December 4, 2024, WDEM's primary channel has carried programming from Gray Media's Rock Entertainment Sports Network.[12]
Subchannels
The station's digital signal is multiplexed:
| Channel | Res. | Short name | Programming |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17.1 | 720p | WDEM-CD | Rock Entertainment Sports Network |
| 17.2 | 480i | MovieSphere Gold | |
| 17.3 | Black Vision TV | ||
| 17.4 | 365BLK | ||
| 17.5 | Defy | ||
| 17.6 | Outlaw | ||
| 17.7 | NTD America | ||
| 17.8 | Infomercials (4:3) | ||
| 17.9 | |||
| 17.10 | Oxygen | ||
| 17.11 | NBC True CRMZ |
References
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- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Facility Technical Data for WDEM-CD". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Channel 17 has plans for live TV: Station to start with programs from Channel 53". The Columbus Dispatch. August 26, 1988. p. 11F.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Lilly, Stephen (August 29, 1988). "WWAT Buys Share of Channel 17". Columbus Business First. p. 7. Template:ProQuest.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Jones, David (April 21, 1987). "Low-power TV goes strong". The Columbus Dispatch. p. 8B.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Jones, David (September 3, 1985). "CBS looks at invasion by Latin neighbors". The Columbus Dispatch. p. D9.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."At the FCC" (PDF). LPTV Report. October 1989. p. 45.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Broadcast bits". The Columbus Dispatch. November 13, 1991. p. 9E.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Feran, Tim (March 9, 2009). "Tiny station seeks niche as beacon of culture". The Columbus Dispatch. p. 1D.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Report No. 513 Media Bureau Call Sign Actions December 17, 2008". Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved February 5, 2009.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Richard Schilg Acquires WDEM Columbus". Broadcasting & Cable. July 30, 2014.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Jacobson, Adam (April 3, 2019). "HC2 Closes On Columbus Class A". Radio & Television Business Report. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Rock Entertainment Sports Network available in Columbus: How to watch". WOIO. December 4, 2024. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Digital TV Market Listing for WDEM". RabbitEars. Retrieved August 9, 2025.
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