WGTU
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| WGTU / WGTQ | |
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| WGTU: Traverse City / Cadillac, Michigan WGTQ: Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan |
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| Branding | ABC 29&8 Northern Michigan's CW (on WGTU-DT2) |
| Channels | Analog: WGTU: 29 (UHF) WGTQ: 8 (VHF) Digital: |
| Affiliations | ABC CW (on WGTU-DT2) |
| Owner | Tucker Broadcasting (SSA with Barrington Broadcasting) |
| First air date | WGTU: August 23, 1971 WGTQ: 1976 |
| Call letters’ meaning | WGTU: Grand Traverse UHF WGTQ: Grand Traverse Quality |
| Sister station(s) | WPBN-TV "WBVC" |
| Transmitter Power | WGTU: 1303 kW (analog) 64.8 kW (digital) WGTQ: 316 kW (analog) 24 kW (digital) |
| Height | WGTU: 393 m (both) WGTQ: 288 m (both) |
| Facility ID | WGTU: 59280 WGTQ: 59279 |
| Transmitter Coordinates | WGTU: WGTQ: |
| Website | wgtu.com |
WGTU is the ABC-affiliated television station for the northern Lower and eastern Upper Peninsulas of Michigan. Licensed to Traverse City, the station broadcasts an analog signal on UHF channel 29 and a digital signal on UHF channel 31. WGTU's transmitter is located northeast of Kalkaska.
Like other network affiliates serving this vast rural area, the station operates a full-time satellite, WGTQ. Licensed to Sault Ste. Marie, this station broadcasts an analog signal on VHF channel 8 and a digital signal on VHF channel 9. WGTQ's transmitter is located approximately 30 miles SSE of Sault Ste. Marie near Goetzville in rural Chippewa County.
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[edit] Overview
Together, the two stations, which are known on-air as ABC 29&8, serve 23 counties in the northern Lower Peninsula, three counties in the eastern Upper Peninsula, and portions of Northern Ontario including Sault Ste. Marie's Canadian sister city Sault Ste. Marie. Right now, ABC 29&8 has studios located on East Front Street in Traverse City.
ABC 29&8 are owned by Tucker Broadcasting but operated through a shared services agreement (SSA) by Barrington Broadcasting (the owner of NBC affiliate WPBN-TV and its full time satellite, WTOM-TV). Tucker has a sales agreement with cable CW affiliate "WBVC". That station is known on-air as Northern Michigan's CW and is operated out of ABC 29&8's studios. For non-cable subscribers, WBVC is also offered on WGTU's second digital subchannel. It is not offered on WGTQ's digital signal. ABC 29&8 airs 24 hours a day during the week. It airs a test pattern for a short period overnight on the weekends.
[edit] History
WGTU began broadcasting on January 23, 1971. Before that, ABC programming in Northern Michigan was split between CBS affiliate WWTV (soap operas / game shows) and NBC affiliate WPBN (weekend sporting events). In 1976, the station added WGTQ in Sault Ste. Marie to bring the full ABC schedule to the eastern Upper Peninsula.
WGTQ has not been available on cable in Canada since the early-2000s. In Sudbury, the Persona cable system pulled WGTQ in favor of Detroit's ABC affiliate WXYZ-TV. In Rouyn-Noranda and Val-d'Or, Quebec, Cablevision replaced WGTU with Boston's ABC affiliate WCVB-TV. In the Canadian Sault, local cable provider Shaw Communications opted instead for Flint's ABC affiliate WJRT-TV though it was later replaced by WXYZ.
From the start, ABC 29&8 has been locally owned and operated most recently by Tom Scanlon (who also owned Marquette's ABC affiliate WBUP) until the 2003 sale to Max Media. The addition of mandatory digital equipment, mediocre syndicated programming, a wavering ABC primetime line-up, and poor management have contributed to ABC 29&8 continuing to be a station that has long been one of ABC's lowest rated affiliates. It has long been notorious for its low budget and poor on-air quality which may be why it is no longer seen on cable in Canada.
In early-November of 2006, ABC 29&8 upgraded their digital signals to begin offering ABC programs in high definition. ABC 29&8's high definition signal can also be seen on Charter digital cable channel 788.
On September 19, 2007, an application was filed to the FCC by Max Media to sell WGTU to Tucker Broadcasting for $10 million dollars. After FCC approval, Tucker Broadcasting would enter into a joint sales agreement (JSA) with Barrington Broadcasting (owner of WPBN). This would result in WPBN operating WGTU. According to the FCC filing, WPBN would sell advertising time and provide news and other programming for WGTU. The FCC approved the sale in April of 2008. After WPBN renovates their studios this summer, the operations of WGTU & WBVC will move to that location. [1]
[edit] Programming
ABC 29&8 clear the entire ABC schedule. However, through 2008, they did pre-empt whatever ABC is showing the Sunday afternoon before the Super Bowl (usually sporting events such as NBA basketball) to show a six-hour pledge-a-thon from The 700 Club. The pre-emptions have created controversy and people have written to local newspaper Traverse City Record-Eagle questioning ABC 29&8's ability to serve the Northern Michigan audience as an ABC affiliate. The station has aired the show since at least the 1980s but the station's then-parent, Max Media, is partially owned by Pat Robertson's son Tim Robertson. He helped his father legally (albeit barely) make The Family Channel a for-profit company. Most Max Media stations air The 700 Club making some wonder if it is an umbrella company to increase Robertson's affiliation base. Following ABC 29&8's sale to Tucker, it is presently unknown whether or not the station will continue to air the telethons.
ABC 29&8's poor ratings have also cost them affiliation contracts with top-rated shows such as Oprah, Live with Regis and Kelly, Wheel of Fortune, and Jeopardy!. However, they do air The Ellen Degeneres Show, The Tyra Banks Show, and The Rachael Ray Show.
[edit] News operation
ABC 29&8 had news departments when each station signed on but were unable to compete with those of WWTV (9&10 News) and WPBN (7&4 News). Since 1984, there have been virtually no local newscasts. However, there are local news and weather updates that are provided at :25 and :55 past the hour during the weekday edition of Good Morning America. Lori Puckett, who is also the Production / Promotion / Community Affairs Manager for the station, anchors the news breaks. There is also a weeknight 10 minute news update at 11 (known as ABC 29&8 News Break) that is anchored by Lori Puckett as well. This update includes local news, weather, and sports. With new ownership for ABC 29&8, there is a possibility that the station will return to 30 minute news programs.
[edit] External links
- WGTU / WGTQ "ABC 29&8"
- WPBN-TV / WTOM-TV "TV 7&4"
- ABC
- Query the FCC's TV station database for WGTU
- Query the FCC's TV station database for WGTQ
- BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on WGTU-TV
- BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on WGTQ-TV
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