WPFO

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WPFO
ATSC 3.0 station
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CityWaterville, Maine
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Programming
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Ownership
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WGME-TV
History
First air date
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Former call signs
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  • WBDJ (1998)
  • WMPX-TV (1998–2003)
Former channel numberTemplate:Pluralize from text
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  • Analog: 23 (UHF, 1999–2009)
  • Digital: 23 (UHF, 2009–2019)
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  • Pax (1999–2003)
  • Fox (2003–2025)
Call sign meaning
Portland's Fox (former affiliation)
Technical information[2]
Licensing authority
FCC
84088
ERP1,000 kW
HAAT479 m (1,572 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
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Links
Public license information
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WPFO (channel 23) is a television station licensed to Waterville, Maine, United States, serving the Portland area with programming from the digital multicast network Roar. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group alongside CBS/Fox affiliate WGME-TV (channel 13). The two stations share studios on Northport Drive in the North Deering section of Portland; WPFO's transmitter is located on Brown Hill west of Raymond.

WPFO was built as WMPX-TV and began broadcasting in August 1999. It was Portland's Pax affiliate. In 2003, Paxson sold the station to Corporate Media Consultants Group, which converted it to a Fox affiliate that April. At the time, Portland had not had a Fox affiliate since October 2001. WGME-TV began producing a 10 p.m. newscast for WPFO in February 2007 and expanded its relationship with a morning newscast in 2010. Sinclair acquired the station's non-license assets in 2013, with Cunningham Broadcasting purchasing the license in 2017. In December 2025, WPFO's Fox subchannel moved to WGME-TV.

History

Construction and Pax era

Channel 23 was allocated to Waterville, Maine, in 1987 on a petition from the Passamaquoddy Tribe.[3] The tribe, which owned radio stations in Rockland,[4] had expressed interest in starting a station that would cater to local advertisers in the Waterville area unserved by buying ad time on stations in Bangor or Portland.[5] In spite of the allocation, no one applied for the channel.[6]

This changed in 1996, when five applicants filed for channel 23. The only Maine-based group was Diversified Communications, owner of Bangor CBS affiliate WABI-TV. It proposed locating the station's studios in facilities WABI was leasing in Waterville.[7] Because of a backlog of license applications that were mutually exclusive, stemming from a court-ordered end to the comparative hearings that once chose winning applicants in these cases,[8] the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) allowed for financial settlements in dozens of markets. In this window, WinStar Broadcasting emerged with the channel 23 construction permit.[9] WinStar transferred 49 percent of the permit to Paxson Communications Corporation, owner of the then-new Pax network.[10] The tower to broadcast the new station from Oak Hill Road in Litchfield was erected in 1999.[11]

Channel 23 began broadcasting August 27, 1999,[12] as WMPX-TV. It provided Pax its first broadcast coverage in southern Maine; the network had only been available on cable.[13] In August 2000, Portland NBC affiliate WCSH (channel 6) signed a joint sales agreement to provide advertising sales and limited programming to WMPX-TV.[14] WCSH officials twice mentioned the possibility of airing a newscast on channel 23 but had not done so by 2002.[15]

Fox era

In November 2002, Paxson Communications Corporation announced it was selling WMPX-TV to the Ohio-based Corporate Media Consultants Group for $10 million.[16]Template:R/superscript Corporate was a joint venture of Max Media and Power Television.[17] The deal led to speculation that WMPX-TV would become Portland's new Fox affiliate.[16] The year before, Fox had cut ties with WPXT (channel 51), whose owner Pegasus Broadcast Television failed to come to a deal with the network.[18][19] Southern Maine was thus largely dependent on Foxnet for the channel's programming,[16]Template:R/superscript leaving Fox sports programs at the whim of equipment faults related to syndication exclusivity blackouts or locally irrelevant NFL game selections. Corporate Media confirmed WMPX-TV would become the new Portland Fox affiliate when it took over.[20]

Channel 23 became a Fox affiliate under the new WPFO call sign on April 15, 2003.[21] The station operated from office space on Oxford Street in Portland.[22] Beginning in November 2005, it aired a video simulcast of radio station WLOB's morning show with local headlines displayed on the screen, branded as the Fox Morning News.[23] This continued to air until March 30, 2009.[24]

On February 5, 2007, Portland CBS affiliate WGME-TV began producing a nightly 10 p.m. newscast for WPFO after a news share agreement was established between the two. It aired from a secondary set at WGME's studios.[25] The news relationship expanded in 2010 when the newscast was lengthened to an hour; a new two-hour morning newscast from 7 to 9 a.m., titled Good Day Maine, was added.[26]

On October 31, 2013, WGME-TV owner Sinclair Broadcast Group acquired the non-license assets of WPFO from Corporate Media Consultants Group for $13.6 million.[27] An affiliate of Sinclair, Cunningham Broadcasting Corporation, filed to acquire the license assets for $3.4 million on November 19, but the deal was not approved until June 23, 2017.[28] In 2024, WGME began airing a new lifestyle program, ARC Maine, at 9 a.m.; the morning newscast was shortened to an hour, with the 8 a.m. hour replaced by The National Desk.[29]

Sinclair filed to buy WPFO outright from Cunningham in August 2025, following a decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit that struck down limitations on ownership of two of the four highest-rated TV stations in a market.[1] On December 8, 2025, the Fox affiliation was moved to WGME-TV's second subchannel, while WPFO's main channel flipped to Roar.[30] The sale was completed on March 1, 2026.[31]

Technical information and subchannels

Since June 2024, WPFO has served as Portland's ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV) lighthouse station.[32] The station's ATSC 1.0 channels are carried on the multiplexed signals of other Portland television stations:

Subchannels provided by WPFO (ATSC 1.0)[33][34][35]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming ATSC 1.0 host
23.1 480i 16:9 ROAR Roar WGME-TV
23.2 Charge! Charge! WCBB/WMEA-TV
23.3 Comet Comet
23.4 Antenna Antenna TV WGME-TV

WPFO's transmitter is located on Brown Hill west of Raymond[2]Template:R/superscript and broadcasts these channels:

Subchannels of WPFO (ATSC 3.0)[36]
Channel Res. Short name Programming
8.1 1080p WMTW ABC (WMTW) DRM
10.1 WCBB PBS (WCBB)
13.1 WGME CBS (WGME-TV)
13.10 T2 T2
13.11 PBTV Pickleballtv
13.20 GMLOOP GameLoop
13.21 ROXi ROXi
23.1 480i WPFO Roar
26.1 1080p WMEA PBS (WMEA-TV)

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  Subchannel broadcast with digital rights management

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  Subchannel streamed via the Internet[37]

References

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  1. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Assignments". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. August 15, 2025. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  2. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Facility Technical Data for WPFO". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Disman, Miriam (May 1, 1987). "City awarded TV station: FCC to accept bids from would-be owners immediately". Morning Sentinel. Waterville, Maine. Medill News Service. p. 1. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Mangan, Patricia (May 2, 1987). "Area officials applaud plan for TV station". Morning Sentinel. Waterville, Maine. pp. 1, 12. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Passamaquoddies ask for TV station license". The Bangor Daily News. Bangor, Maine. July 25, 1986. p. 5. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Blais, Peter (August 27, 1987). "Consultant reports no one hurrying to snap up UHF channel in Waterville". Morning Sentinel. Waterville, Maine. p. 2. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Firms vie for city TV rights: 5 companies seek to start station in Waterville". Morning Sentinel. Waterville, Maine. October 24, 1996. p. 19. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Let's make a deal—for CPs: Companies scramble to collect unclaimed TV licenses at FCC by Jan. 30". Broadcasting & Cable. January 26, 1998. pp. 6–7. Template:Pq.
  9. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.McConnell, Chris (February 9, 1998). "Dollars, deals fly in CP gold rush: Competing applicants for 50 new stations work out settlements". Broadcasting & Cable. pp. 10–11. Template:Pq and Template:Pq.
  10. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The Pax TV network". Broadcasting & Cable. August 24, 1998. p. 25. Template:Pq.
  11. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Adams, Betty (August 2, 1999). "Neighbor frets about TV tower in Litchfield". Kennebec Journal. Augusta, Maine. pp. A1, A2. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."WPFO". Television & Cable Factbook. Vol. 74. Warren Communications News. 2006. p. A-1064. ISBN 1-57696-058-7.
  13. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."New network carries family programming". Portland Press Herald. Portland, Maine. September 3, 1999. p. 7C. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Routhier, Ray (October 16, 2000). "Affiliates merge resources to expand local TV choices: WCSH-TV reaches a joint sales agreement with WMPX-TV". Portland Press Herald. Portland, Maine. pp. 1B, 3B. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Routhier, Ray (August 24, 2002). "Channel 6 news tops local TV rating race". Portland Press Herald. Portland, Maine. p. 3B. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ a b c Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Routhier, Ray (November 20, 2002). "WMPX's owners-to-be promise new programs". Portland Press Herald. Portland, Maine. pp. 6C, 8C. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Eggerton, John (September 15, 2005). "CMCG Buying Puerto Rico TVs". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
  18. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.McClellan, Steve (September 10, 2001). "The WB inks two Fox affils". Broadcasting & Cable. p. 17. Template:Pq.
  19. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Littleton, Cynthia (September 6, 2001). "2 Pegasus affils making switch from Fox to WB". The Hollywood Reporter. p. 27. Template:Pq.
  20. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Routhier, Ray (December 2, 2002). "New Fox Network affiliate lined up". Portland Press Herald. Portland, Maine. pp. 1B, 3B. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Routhier, Ray (April 12, 2003). "New Fox station, Channel 23, set to go on air Tuesday". Portland Press Herald. Portland, Maine. pp. 1B, 6B. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Routhier, Ray (February 14, 2003). "New station to start airing Fox programs soon". Portland Press Herald. Portland, Maine. p. 2B. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."WLOB's morning news will air on WPFO TV". Portland Press Herald. Portland, Maine. November 8, 2005. p. B4. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Local TV news program off the air". Sun Journal. Lewiston, Maine. April 10, 2009. p. C15. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Murphy, Edward D. (January 25, 2007). "WGME to do news show for Fox". Portland Press Herald. Portland, Maine. p. B2. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."WGME, WPFO To Expand Shared News". TVNewsCheck. March 17, 2010. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
  27. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Malone, Michael (November 6, 2013). "Sinclair Acquires WPFO Portland (ME) Assets For $13.6 Million". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  28. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Application For Consent To Assignment Of Broadcast Station Construction Permit or License". Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
  29. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."ARC Maine to launch on Fox23: A new kind of interactive show for your mornings". WGME. July 16, 2024. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  30. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."How to watch FOX23 starting Dec. 8 due to over-the-air and cable channel changes". WGME-TV. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  31. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Notification of Consummation". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. March 2, 2026. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
  32. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Miller, Mark K. (April 25, 2024). "Five Stations Launch NextGen TV In Portland, Maine". TVNewsCheck. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  33. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Digital TV Market Listing for WGME". RabbitEars.
  34. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Digital TV Market Listing for WCBB". RabbitEars.
  35. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Digital TV Market Listing for WMEA". RabbitEars.
  36. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Digital TV Market Listing for WPFO". RabbitEars.
  37. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."ATSC 3.0 Streams Delivered Via Internet". RabbitEars. Retrieved March 24, 2024.

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