WTAM-LP

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WTAM-LP
Tampa, Florida
Branding TV Visión
Channels 30 (UHF) analog,
no digital
Affiliations Multimedios
Owner Lotus Communications Corporation
Founded August 2005
Call letters meaning W TAMpa
Website http://www.lotuscorp.com

WTAM-LP is a low-power television station in Tampa, Florida. It provides over-the-air service to the Tampa - St. Petersburg area on analog channel 30 from its transmitter in Riverview. WTAM-LP broadcasts Spanish-language programming from the Mexican Multimedios Television network under the TV Visión name. It is owned by Lotus Communications Corporation of Los Angeles, California.

The station signed on in August 2005 as TV Informa 30, but closed down in February 2006, after failing to find any cable system that would offer the channel in their line-up. [1] Being a low-powered station with no connections with any local full-powered outlets, WTAM was exempt from the Federal Must-carry rules that full-powered stations enjoyed, meaning that cable and satellite companies weren't obligated to offer the channel. Apparently not having the funds or the patience, Lotus opted to shut down WTAM, instead of keeping the station on the air as a terrestrial-only offering.

As of November 2006, WTAM has returned to the air as TV Visión, presumably with Multimedios programming. It is unclear when WTAM signed back on, or if it ever closed down at all (despite what the source article says).

WTAM-LP is not related to the news / talk radio station in Cleveland, Ohio, WTAM (AM).

On February 19, 2009, which is the end of the digital TV conversion period for full-service stations, WTAM-LP will be required to turn off its analog signal and turn on its digital signal (called a "flash-cut").

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