KWHB

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KWHB
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Channels	47 (UHF) analog, 48 (UHF) digital
Affiliations	LeSEA
Owner	LeSEA Broadcasting
Founded	December 29, 1981
Call letters meaning	K World Harvest Broadcasting
Former callsigns	KTCT (1984-1986) KBJH (1981-1984)
Transmitter Power	835 kW (analog)  9 kW (digital)
Website	www.kwhb.com

KWHB is a television station in Tulsa, Oklahoma and is an owned-and-operated station of the LeSEA network. The station runs a schedule of Christian programming along with a few hours of secular general entertainment daily.

The station broadcasts its analog signal on UHF channel 47, and its digital signal on UHF channel 48. On cable, KWHB can be seen on channel 7 on Cox Tulsa.

[edit] History

The station originally signed on the air on December 29, 1981 as KBJH. Much about the station's early history is unknonwn, but on April 1, 1985, newly rechristened KTCT became a Christian television station. They were owned by Coit Drapery and Cleaners inc. They ran programming from the PTL television network full-time. This included shows like The PTL Club, Heritage Village USA, 100 Huntly Street, Kenneth Copeland, Jerry Falwell, Jimmy Swaggart, Richard Roberts, and many others. KTCT was believed to stand for "Tulsa Christian Television". The station suffered financial problems early on and had cut back to about 6 hours a day by the end of 1985. The station was put up for sale at that time. The owners though wanted to sell it to a Christian religious broadcaster. Soon after Le Sea Evangelistic Ministries (also known as World Harvest Ministries) headed by the late Lester Sumerall along with his sons and based out of South Bend Indiana would purchase the station.

They kept some of the PTL programming and added shows like 700 Club, Le Sea Alive, Lester Sumerall Teaches, Dwight Thompson, and many other religious shows. By 1987 they also added family entertainment programming weekday afternoons from 2 to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.. They also began accepting commercial advertising at that point.

In 1988, when Channel 41 went dark they picked up a few of the cartoons from that station. Over the years some of the shows ran included Ozzie & Harriet, Mister Ed, Little Rascals, Dennis The Menace (both the animated and sitcom), Brady Bunch, I Love Lucy, Andy Griffith, Jetsons, Yogi & Friends, Ducktales, Family Ties, Cosby Show, and many others. Though the station ran a decent amount of general entertainment programming TV Guide failed to include this station in its listings throughout their existence. The reason is unknown because in other markets TV Guide included stations that are full-time Christian stations.

In 1995, KWHB picked up affiliations of the Kids WB programming as well as family oriented prime time WB shows. They did not run shows that were too suggestive in content, however. As a result, The WB only had an affiliate for children's shows and not a primary affiliate in Tulsa for several years.

In 1998, Acme TV signed WB 19 KWBT on and at that point. Kids' WB! and the few WB shows airing on KWHB moved there making KWHB an independent again.

[edit] External link

• Query the FCC's TV station database for KWHB