WSTE-DT

WSTE-DT is a full-power television station in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It transmits on digital channel 7 over a four-site distributed transmission system. The station is owned and operated by Univision. It is branded as Tele-Isla.

History

1958-1969

WRIK-TV was established in Ponce, on the south coast of Puerto Rico, after receiving the FCC permit to go on the air on channel 7 on 2 February 1958.^[1] It was the first television station in Ponce, and the third in the Island, trailing WKAQ-TV and WAPA-TV, both established four years earlier. It was owned by Alfredo Ramírez de Arellano, and transmitted as WRIK-TV. Its news director was Manuel Morales-Flores, with Felix Suria as production manager and Edmund Reid as its chief engineer. It transmitted from the Darlington building on Calle Marina in Ponce.^[2] It operated as an independent TV station, as did all stations in Puerto Rico at that time.^[3] In 1964, its staff had expanded to include George A. Mayoral (president), William Cortada (general Manager), Luis A. Wito Morales (commercial manager and news director), Monsita M. Diaz (promotional manager), and Americo Cintron (chief engineer).^[4]

1969-1979

In 1969, David V. Picker, president of United Artists Corporation, and Alfredo Ramirez de Arellano, president of Ponce Television, announced that United Artists would gain control of WRIK-TV in Ponce, together with its affiliate WORA-TV, Channel 5 in Mayaguez. WRIK-TV would operate from color-equipped studios in Ponce and San Juan.^[5] The station's slogan became "W-R-I-K Television Canal 7 Ponce: cubriendo a Ponce y San Juan" (W-R-I-K Television Channel 7 Ponce: covering Ponce and San Juan). In 1970, WRIK-TV was bought by United Artists and moved to San Juan, and renamed Rikavisión.^[6] The station's logo was a rooster. (See the "External links" section below.) From San Juan the station broadcasted El Show de Tito Rodriguez for two seasons. The station also produced, Ahi Va Eso, with Awilda Carbia, Jacobo Morales, and Norma Candal, Contigo Anexo 3, Showtime with Wilkins, and Las Caribelles, El Show de Carol Myles, and the legendary children's show, Rikalandia, hosted by Sandra Zaiter. One 1971 show was also "María", with Lucy Boscana.^[7] The station continued some programming from Ponce, including local news slot. Its news anchor was Rafael L. Torres, in whose name the Southern Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce later created an Excellence in Journalism award.

1979-1987

In 1979, WRIK-TV was acquired by Puerto Rican producer Tommy Muñiz and renamed WLUZ-TV, (branded as Teleluz) on 28 March 1979.^[8] Muñiz was also owner of Radio Luz, WLUZ (AM). Financial troubles forced Muñiz to sell the station to Malrite Communications Group where it became SuperSiete - WSTE.^[9] On 18 February 1987 the station's new call letters became WSTE.^[10] The station acquired limited success at the time using colorful motion graphics, a new logo, major advertising in newspapers, and the broadcasting of famous American sitcoms at the time, such as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and The Simpsons, along with major Hollywood movies of the time. It also was acknowledged for its children's show "El Show de Burbujita y Bolillo", produced by Milly Cangiano, and its Saturday morning cartoons. Along this time, one of Puerto Rico's longest running shows, No te Duermas with Antonio Sánchez El Gangster, started airing on channel 7 as well. Also, Super Siete produced a successful game show, La Hora de Oro with Hector Marcano and El Gangster, & two family oriented comedies, Maripili, and El Cuartel de la Risa.

1987-present

In 1991, Malrite Communications Group bought WLII-TV and WSUR-TV and sold WSTE to Siete Grande Television, Inc. whose owner is Jerry Hartman, a Florida entrepreneur. WSTE was then called El Nuevo SuperSiete (The New SuperSeven). During the 1990s, WSTE was rebranded as Tele-Isla during primetime hours.

In 1995, WLII entered into an affiliation agreement with WORA-TV. This created a conflict with the FCC, as WLII programming was being rebroadcast by 2 different stations across the island; WLII and WSTE in the north, WSUR-TV and WSTE in the south, and WSTE, WNJX-TV and WORA-TV in the west. During this time, the channel proudly showed its coverage channels on its "ident", as 11-9-7-5-22. After admonishment by the FCC, WLII dropped WSTE and WNJX-TV coverage.

On 23 March 2007, Siete Grande Television, Inc. announced it was selling WSTE to Univision.^[11] The sale was approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on October 11, 2007. On 23 June 2009, the station's new call letters became WSTE-DT.^[12]

The channel's SuperSiete "ident" animation, logo, and name survived for over 25 years, dating back to 1987. A new logo with the Tele-Isla branding was introduced a couple of months before the mandated FCC digital switch of 12 June 2009.

Broadcasting

To effectively cover all of Puerto Rico, WSTE used booster-type translator facilities across the island up to the analog shutdown. In order for this booster system to have worked without any interference, WSTE's main transmitter had to be kept silent. The Ponce area was thus served from an auxiliary station transmitting at 100 kW.

WSTE now uses a four site, digital distributed transmission system to cover the island as the booster system had done before it.

Transmitter facilities

WSTE's DTS facilities

WSTE's old analog booster system

References

External links

• Query the FCC's TV station database for WSTE
• BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on WSTE-TV
• Program Information for WSTE at TitanTV.com
• A history of television in Puerto Rico
• WRIK-TV's (Rikavision's) rooster logo in 1976