WNT-TV

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WNT-TV
Broadcast information
Branding	Local 13 (general) Local 13 News (newscasts
Slogan	Where the news comes first
Programming
Affiliations	13.1: ITV (since 1997) 13.2: Independent 13.3: Antenna TV 13.4: Ion Television 13.5: Ion Plus
Ownership
Owned by	GamerCraft Broadcast Group (a subsidiary of GamerCraft) (Licensee: WNT Broadcasting Limited)
Sister stations	Radio: WNT, WNT-FM
History
First air date	January 7, 1997
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Class	DT (full-power license)
Links
Website	wnt13.com
Radio station information
Class	DT (full-power license)

WNT-TV, virtual channel 13 (UHF digital channel 32), is an ITV-affiliated television station licensed to Gameria City, Minecraftia, United States. It serves as the flagship television station of the GamerCraft Broadcast Group subsidiary of locally based GamerCraft as part of a duopoly with NBC affiliate WGNB-TV (channel 4). WNT-TV's studios are located at the GamerCraft headquarters on the Gameria Thirteen Communications Center (named after the station's virtual channel) in Gameria City, directly opposite of Minecraftia State University, and its transmitter is located in Lowe.

WNT-TV is available on channel 13 in most cable systems in the Gameria City area, as well as channel 13 on Dish Network and DirecTV. In the few areas in the states of Minecraftia and Mattula where an ITV station is not receivable over-the-air, WNT-TV is available on satellite via DirecTV.

History

Channel 13 prior to 1997

Although Gameria City were assigned VHF channels 2, 4, 9, and 13, there had been dilemmas on the remaining licenses in the area, citing possible interference with adjacent channels in Grassyville and Obispo, Welter. The FCC awarded channel 2 to Craftsman Newspapers (now part of GamerCraft) in 1979 and is signed-on in 1980 as WMFC, an ABC affiliate, displacing WGMR-TV (channel 20, now WGFX-TV); Craftsman sold channel 2 to The New York Times Company in 1989, then to Local TV in 2007, then to the Tribune Company in 2013, and Nexstar (as part of its merger with Tribune) divested the station to Trinome Media in 2019.

Early history

In 1994, over a decade after the awarding the channel 2 license, many radio stations competed for the channel 13 license, citing Obispo's then-ABC (now CBS) affiliate WSGZ-TV's decisions to protect itself from interference. The top contenders were KWS radio (760 AM) and WNT radio (880 AM and 99.1 FM). However, since KWS, a National Public Radio member station, has planned to operate channel 13 as a non-commercial station, by moving the programming of then-PBS member station KWS-TV (channel 53, now a non-commercial independent station) to the frequency, the FCC granted commercial WNT radio a construction permit.

In 1995, locally-born former Mattupolis news reporter Red Gordonia, who formerly worked for future sister station WMMN-TV, purchased WNT-AM-FM and the construction permit from former Minecraftia Governor Greg Davis. Gordonia formed WNT Broadcasting to manage the WNT stations. He then started making preparations for the station. He then turned the construction permit into a license under the callsign WNT-TV, named after its radio sisters

Gordonia originally planned WNT-TV to be an independent station, but he ultimately signed up with the ITV network, having been rejected by other stations.

WNT-TV finally signed-on as the ITV affiliate in Gameria City in January 7, 1997. Before the station's sign-on, cable systems piped in network flagship WBRI-TV in New York City.

A corporate restructuring happened at owner WNT Limited, wherein all assets were under a new company called GamerCraft; Red Gordonia remains the owner of all the WNT/GamerCraft assets, but the new company became a public company and became registered into the NASDAQ.

On December 21, 2019, GamerCraft announced it will merge with The Matthews Company—which has owned NBC affiliate WGNB-TV (channel 4) since 1976 and radio stations WGA (970 AM) and WGA-FM (88.3 FM) since 2018—and acquire all of its assets for $7.1 billion in cash and debt.

Subchannels

WNT-DT2

WNT-DT2, branded on air as Local 13 24/7, is the second digital subchannel of WNT-TV, programmed as an independent station. Over the air, it broadcasts in 1080i high definition on UHF digital channel 32.2 (or virtual channel 13.2 via PSIP). On cable, the subchannel is available on Charter Spectrum channel 1260 in the Gameria City area.

Though originally billed as a 24-hour news channel, the subchannel has become more of an independent station, airing syndicated programming alongside news.

WNT-DT3

WNT-DT3 is the Antenna TV-affiliated third digital subchannel of WNT-TV, broadcasting in 1080i high definition on UHF digital channel 32.3 (or virtual channel 13.3 via PSIP). Through an agreement with Tribune Broadcasting, WNT-TV launched WNT-DT3 as a charter Antenna TV affiliate when the network launched in 2011.

In February 1, 2020, GamerCraft announced that Antenna TV will be replaced on WNT-DT3 with its upcoming food-themed digital service Delicacy.

WNT-DT4

WNT-DT4 is the Ion Television-affiliated fourth digital subchannel of WNT-TV, broadcasting in 1080i high definition on UHF digital channel 32.4 (or virtual channel 13.4 via PSIP). In 2013, after WRBQ-TV (channel 35) decided to drop Ion Television in favor of expanded newscasts, WNT-TV launched WNT-DT4 as an Ion Television affiliate.

WNT-DT5

WNT-DT5 is the Ion Plus-affiliated fifth digital subchannel of WNT-TV, broadcasting in 1080i high definition on UHF digital channel 32.5 (or virtual channel 13.5 via PSIP). The network was also dropped from WRBQ-TV's second digital subchannel in 2013, and WNT-TV launched WNT-DT5 as an affiliate of the network.

WNT-DT6

WNT-DT6 is the sixth digital subchannel of WNT-TV, broadcasting in 1080i high definition on UHF digital channel 32.6 (or virtual channel 13.6 via PSIP). It was activated in February 1, 2020, simulcasting WNT-DT3 and its Antenna TV programming. Once that subchannel switches to GamerCraft's upcoming Delicacy network, Antenna TV will officially move to WNT-DT6.

Digital television

Channel	Video	Aspect	PSIP Short Name	Programming
13.1	1080i	16:9	WNT-HD	Main WNT-TV programming / ITV
13.2			24/7	Local 13 24/7
13.3			Antenna	Antenna TV → Delicacy
13.4			ION TV	Ion Television
13.5			ION PLUS	Ion Plus
13.6			WNT-DT6	Temporary simulcast of WNT-DT3 / Antenna TV

Analog-to-digital conversion

WNT-TV discontinued regular programming on its analog signal, over VHF channel 13, on June 12, 2009, the official date in which full-power television stations in the United States transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate. The station moved its digital signal from its pre-transition UHF channel 66, which was among the high band UHF channels (52-69) that were removed from broadcasting use as a result of the transition, to UHF channel 51 for post-transition operations. Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former VHF analog channel 13.

As part of the SAFER Act, WNT-TV kept its analog signal on the air until July 12 to inform viewers of the digital television transition.

Spectrum reallocation

WNT-TV ceased broadcasting on UHF digital channel 51 from the Murphy Park antenna farm in Gameria City on May 6, 2018, in favor of its new transmitter in Lowe on channel 32, partly because the FCC is recommending television stations to leave channel 51, which could later be removed.

Programming

Syndicated programming

WNT-TV airs reruns of Fox shows Hell's Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares; both shows are produced by ITV America, parent company of the station's affiliate network ITV. The station airs Dr. Phil and Wheel of Fortune, and the station has local rights for BBC series Doctor Who. Independent subchannel WNT-DT2 air Judge Jerry and Maury, produced and distributed by NBCUniversal. The station also airs the Redding animated series produced and distributed by The Matthews Company, which is under merger talks with station owner GamerCraft. However, WNT-TV only airs the feature-length episodes of the series, as the regular episodes are broadcast at future sister station, TMC-owned NBC affiliate WGNB-TV (channel 4).

Preempted programming

WNT-TV preempts certain ITV programs, such as encore (replay) broadcasts of Judge Rinder, as well as certain shows in the afternoon lineup (mostly between the 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. timeslots), to air local news and/or syndicated programming. WNT-DT2 broadcasts This Morning and Loose Women, as well as the Lunchtime News and News at Ten so that the main channel can accommodate airing newscasts. Other preempted programming airs on Ion-affiliated WNT-DT4.

Newscasts

WNT-TV presently broadcasts 66½ hours of locally produced each week (with 8½ hours each weekday, 11½ hours on Saturdays and 12½ on Sundays); in regards to the number of hours devoted to news programming, it is the highest local newscast output among the Gameria City market.

Notable former on-air staff

• John Soble—(now at sister station WMMN-TV in Mattupolis, Mattula)
• Tiffany Miller—(now at sister station WSOE-TV in Endreaville, Welter)