WZPX

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WZPX
Battle Creek, Michigan
Branding	i
Channels	43 (UHF) analog, 44 (UHF) digital
Affiliations	i
Owner	ion Media Networks
Founded	October 11, 1996
Former callsigns	WJUE, WILV
Former affiliations	UPN (through 1999) The WB (1999-9/2006)
Website	www.paxgrandrapids.tv

WZPX is a television station affiliated with the "i" network (formerly PAX-TV). It broadcasts on analog UHF channel 43 and digital channel 44 in the Grand Rapids, Lansing, and Jackson, Michigan markets. The station is licensed to Battle Creek, Michigan and is owned by ion Media Networks (formerly Paxson Communications).

Contents 1 History 2 Programming 3 Lansing and Jackson 4 The CW/My Network TV 5 Ownership 6 External links

[edit] History

WZPX went on the air on October 11, 1996 under the call letters of WJUE, carrying infomercials. The transmitter is in Vermontville Township in western Eaton County. Within a short period of time the station changed call letters to WILV. When the PAX network was launched in August 1998, the station took the call letters WZPX. For a time WZPX also carried programming from UPN, but on August 31, 1999 UPN programming moved to WXSP. On October 6 that year, WZPX added the WB to its programming.

[edit] Programming

Both the WB and "i" networks offer prime time programming on weekdays, resulting in a scheduling conflict for WZPX. It carries the "i" programs on the same days and times as other stations, and the WB programs 22 hours later than other WB affiliates. For example, a WB program aired Tuesdays at 8pm in other markets is aired on Wednesdays at 6pm on WZPX; promotional spots for these programs announce their local time slots. The station carries a brief announcement when switching from one network's programming to the other's. In part because the station has the added draw of WB programming, WZPX is one of the "i" network's highest rated affiliates.

[edit] Lansing and Jackson

Lansing and Jackson are within coverage of two "i" stations: WZPX and Ann Arbor's WPXD-TV, which also serves Detroit. WPXD's transmitter in northwestern Washtenaw County is actually closer to Lansing and Jackson than to Detroit. However, WZPX's transmitter is in Vermontville Township in western Eaton County, which is within the Lansing broadcast market, and federal "must-carry" rules require Comcast cable systems in Lansing and Jackson to carry WZPX instead of WPXD. ([1], [2])

[edit] The CW/My Network TV

The CW Television Network has announced that it will begin broadcasting in Fall 2006; the network will result from the merger of the WB and UPN networks. It was announced on April 4, 2006 that CBS affiliate WWMT (Channel 3) will carry the CW on digital subchannel 2.2 / 3.2, so WZPX will become an i-only station [3]. WXSP-CA will carry programming from Fox's new television service, My Network TV [4].

[edit] Ownership

WZPX's original licensee was Horizon Broadcasting Corp, which Paxson Communications acquired before the station's sign on.

When Paxson bought WPXD, WZPX was spun off to DP Media because of duopoly rules in effect at that time. Paxson repurchased the station after duopolies were legalized.

[edit] External links

• WZPX-TV 43
• Query the FCC's TV station database for WZPX

Broadcast television in the Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo-Battle Creek/Muskegon area  (Nielsen DMA #39)
WWMT 3 (CBS - The CW on DT2) - WOOD 8 (NBC) - WZZM 13 (ABC) - WXSP 15 (MNTV) - WXMI 17 (Fox) - WUHQ 29 (A1/MTV3) - WGVU 35 / WGVK 52 (PBS) - WUHO 36 (Ind.) - WMKG 38 (FamilyNet) - WOTV 41 (ABC) - WZPX 43 (i) - W48CL 48 (3ABN) - WTLJ 54 (TBN) - WLLA 64 (FamilyNet)

Broadcast Television in the Lansing/Jackson market  (Nielsen DMA #110)
WLNS 6 (CBS) - WILX 10 (NBC) - WHTV 18 (MyNetworkTV) - WKAR 23 (PBS) - W27CN 27 (TBN / TCT) - WPXD 31 (i) - WZPX 43 (i) - WSYM 47 (Fox) - WLAJ 53 (ABC/The CW on DT2)
Local cable television channels JTV (Jackson) - JTV 21 (Jackson) - WBL 5 (The CW)