WMDT

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WMDT
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ChannelsPage Template:Plainlist/styles.css has no content.
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Programming
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Ownership
OwnerMarquee Broadcasting, Inc.
WGDV-LD
History
First air date
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Former channel numberTemplate:Pluralize from text
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  • Analog: 47 (UHF, 1980–2008)
  • Digital: 53 (UHF, 2000–2008), 47 (UHF, 2008–2020)
NBC (secondary, 1980–1992)
Call sign meaning
Maryland / Delaware Television[a]
Technical information[2]
Licensing authority
FCC
16455
ERP246 kW
HAAT307 m (1,007 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
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Links
Public license information
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Websitewww.wmdt.com

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WMDT (channel 47) is a television station in Salisbury, Maryland, United States, affiliated with ABC and The CW Plus. It is the flagship television property of locally based Marquee Broadcasting and has studios on the Downtown Plaza along West Main Street in Salisbury; WMDT's transmitter is located in Wicomico County northeast of Mardela Springs.

WMDT was the second commercial station to serve the Delmarva Peninsula, signing on in April 1980. It struggled financially and was placed in court-appointed receivership less than 18 months after beginning broadcasting. From 1982 to 2013, it was owned by the Brechner family. Marquee Broadcasting acquired WMDT in 2013 as its first TV station property. In local news ratings, WMDT has long been a second-place station to WBOC-TV.

History

Construction and early struggles

In early 1978, the MDV Television Company petitioned the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to insert a second commercial television channel at Salisbury, then served only by primary CBS affiliate WBOC-TV (channel 16) and a Maryland Public Television repeater. MDV head Robert Hennessy said that Delmarva was inadequately served by the Philadelphia and Baltimore stations and that WBOC-TV's local news coverage was also inadequate.[3] The commission assigned the channel in July 1978, allowing potential owners to apply for a construction permit to build and operate the station.[4]

MDV Television received the permit in May 1979. Local authorities in Wicomico County were initially reluctant to allow the construction of a transmitting tower, as some nearby locals feared its construction would affect their health or property values,[5][6] but approved construction of the tower in June.[7] The station announced it had obtained ABC affiliation in July; among its stockholders were William Sheehan and Walter Pfister, former president and director of special news events, respectively, at ABC.[8] WMDT set up in studio facilities that once housed a Rite Aid drug store and restaurant on Salisbury's Downtown Plaza.[9][10] Shortly before launch, it picked up a secondary affiliation with NBC; at launch, it only aired one NBC program, Saturday Night Live.[1][11]

WMDT began broadcasting on April 11, 1980; two months passed before the station aired local news programming.[12] The station struggled in its early years from technical problems, low ratings against WBOC-TV (the only station on Delmarva for 26 years[12]Template:R/superscript), and persistent rumors of financial trouble. In March 1981, MDV announced an infusion of new cash into the business.[13] President J. Paul Audet, who had previously been involved in the startup of TV stations in New Mexico and South Carolina,[8]Template:R/superscript noted that the station was three months late in getting on air, leaving it undercapitalized. In June, a receiver was appointed on a petition from the First National Bank of Maryland, which it owed $3 million plus interest.[12]Template:R/superscript

Brechner ownership

In 1982, a court approved the sale of WMDT to Mid-Florida Television, which owned a partial stake in WFTV in Orlando, Florida.[14][15] The station's law firm, which said it was owed money, objected to the purchase.[16] The sale was finalized in July.[17]

WMDT launched a bureau in Dover, Delaware, as well as translator W27AJ there, in 1987.[18] The next year, the station debuted Newswatch 27, a newscast specifically for Dover and Kent County, produced from a studio in the city and only aired on the translator; the long-term goal was to have television ratings agencies assign Kent County into the Salisbury media market, thereby making it larger and increasing revenues.[19] The Dover translator remained with WMDT, later under the call sign WEVD-LP, until later owner Marquee Broadcasting swapped it for three low-power stations owned by Lowcountry 34 Media in 2020.[20]

WMDT launched a cable-only affiliate of The WB as part of The WB 100+ Station Group in May 2000.[21] This service affiliated with The CW in 2006, when The WB and UPN merged,[22] and was broadcast as a subchannel of WMDT by 2008.[23]Template:R/superscript Upon the launch of The CW, it began airing local midday and 10 p.m. newscasts on that channel.[22]Template:R/superscript

Marquee Broadcasting ownership

Brechner Management Company announced the sale of WMDT to Marquee Broadcasting on August 8, 2013.[24][25] It was the first broadcast property for the company, owned by Brookeville residents Patricia and Brian Lane, who had sought to buy a TV station for five years.[26]

Notable former on-air staff

Technical information and subchannels

WMDT's transmitter is located in Wicomico County northeast of Mardela Springs.[2]Template:R/superscript Its signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of WMDT[31]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
47.1 720p 16:9 ABC ABC
47.2 CW The CW Plus
47.3 480i MeTV MeTV
47.4 Ion Ion Television

Analog-to-digital conversion

WMDT ended regular programming on its analog signal on September 22, 2008.[23] This enabled work to conclude on relocating WMDT's digital signal from its pre-transition channel 53 to channel 47.[23]Template:R/superscript[32] WMDT relocated its signal from channel 47 to channel 29 on March 13, 2020, as a result of the 2016 United States wireless spectrum auction.[33]

See also

Notes

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  1. ^ The owners had hoped to name the station WMDV, with a V for Virginia, but that call sign was already in use.[1]Template:R/superscript

References

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  1. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Leonard, Tom (March 30, 1980). "WMDT-TV: New Salisbury Station Will Soon Be On The Air". The Sunday Times. p. D1. Retrieved May 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Facility Technical Data for WMDT". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Dalecki, Kenneth (April 5, 1978). "New TV Outlet Proposed Here". The Daily Times. p. 11. Retrieved May 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Dalecki, Kenneth B. (July 15, 1978). "FCC Clears Way For New TV Station". The Daily Times. p. 6. Retrieved May 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Tower Snag Is Delaying Things: New TV Station Gets FCC Approval". The Daily Times. May 8, 1979. p. 2. Retrieved May 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Tolbert, Glenn (April 13, 1979). "TV Group Seeks New Hearing". The Daily Times. p. 3. Retrieved May 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Television Tower". The Daily Times. July 3, 1979. p. 3. Retrieved May 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Carter, Bill (July 18, 1979). "New Shore TV station gets ABC affiliation". The Baltimore Sun. p. B6. Retrieved May 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Messick, Kent (December 23, 1979). "Shore Will Soon Have 2 Television Stations". The Sunday Times. p. D1. Retrieved May 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Restaurant Is To Be Closed". The Daily Times. January 10, 1980. p. 10. Retrieved May 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."WMDT(TV)". Broadcasting/Cable Yearbook. 1981. p. B-108.
  12. ^ a b c Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Corddry, Mary (June 12, 1981). "Injunction deals latest of many blows to Shore TV station". The Baltimore Sun. p. C3. Retrieved May 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Channel 47 Battling Financial Problems". The Daily Times. March 8, 1981. p. C13. Retrieved May 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Robinson, Bill (February 2, 1982). "Court OKs Sale Of Channel 47 Station". The Daily Times. p. 3. Retrieved May 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Groer, Anne (July 2, 1981). "Channel 9 ownership approved after 24 years". Sentinel Star. p. 2-C. Retrieved May 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Bedard, Paul (June 20, 1982). "Judge Denies TV-47 Suit Seeking $17,000". The Daily Times. p. A2. Retrieved May 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Salisbury TV unit sold". The Evening Sun. July 9, 1982. p. C7. Retrieved May 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Station expands". The Morning News. July 16, 1987. p. D2. Retrieved May 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Mullinax, Gary (July 11, 1988). "Dover gets its own TV newscast: Station looks northward from Salisbury, Md., for new business". The Morning News. p. B1, B6. Retrieved May 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Miller, Mark K. (April 3, 2020). "Marquee, Low Country Media to Swap LPTVs".
  21. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."WB on the air". The Daily Times. May 9, 2000. p. 3. Retrieved May 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."WMDT to add noon, 10 p.m. newscasts". The Daily Times. September 1, 2006. p. 35. Retrieved May 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ a b c Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.McLain, Kathleen (September 22, 2008). "WMDT digital switch is on, starting today". The Daily Times. p. A5. Retrieved May 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Marquee Broadcasting To Acquire WMDT-TV". WMDT 47 News. August 8, 2013. Archived from the original on August 11, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  25. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Malone, Michael (August 8, 2013). "WMDT in Salisbury, Md. Sells for $9 Million". Broadcasting & Cable. Archived from the original on September 9, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  26. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."WMDT station sold for $9 million". The Daily Times. August 8, 2013. Template:ProQuest.
  27. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Bernstein is CBS-bound as reporter". Asbury Park Press. June 19, 1998. p. C5. Retrieved May 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Cain, Brooke (August 2, 2020). "Fishel's leap of faith' leads him away from his North Carolina home". The News and Observer. pp. 1A, 4A, 5A. Retrieved May 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Stanglin, Doug (May 23, 2014). "Pills possible factor in Fox News anchor's arrest". The Daily Times. USA Today. Archived from the original on April 10, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  30. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Roache, George (July 14, 1995). "A forecast for success: Salisbury's Mike Seidel turns childhood hobby into a career with The Weather Channel". The Daily Times. pp. 11, 12. Retrieved May 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."TV Query for WMDT". RabbitEars. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
  32. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and Second Rounds" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. May 23, 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 29, 2013. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  33. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."FCC TV Spectrum Phase Assignment Table" (CSV). Federal Communications Commission. April 13, 2017. Archived from the original on April 17, 2017. Retrieved April 17, 2017.

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Template:Marquee Broadcasting

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