WGSR-LD

WGSR-LD is a low-power independent television station serving Reidsville, North Carolina, the Piedmont Triad market in North Carolina, and parts of Southside Virginia. The station broadcasts digitally on channel 47, with PSIP also on channel 47. One High-Definition (720p) subchannel and two Standard-Definition (480i) subchannels are active and transmitting programming 24 hours a day. WGSR is owned by the Star News Corporation. The station's analog signal on Channel 39 was discontinued in 2009

History

The station began in 1982 as "WCTV-3," a Public-access television station on what was then Alert Cable in Reidsville. On March 7, 1988, the FCC granted an original construction permit to then-station manager Robert Tudor to broadcast on UHF channel 14 under the call letters W14AU. Over-the-air programming was largely supplied by satellite networks, but the station produced its own nightly newscast. W14AU also began a weekly call-in program, Monday Night Live.

In August 1996, the FCC approved the sale of the station to Carolina Blue Communications, owned by Daniel Falinski. Under his leadership, the station expanded to a more regional focus. Following an established custom of TV stations in the Greensboro market, the station acquired Roman-numeral call letters WXIV-LP, and changed its branding to "The Boob Tube". Second-run situation comedies dominated the broadcast schedule during this period, with overnight programming brokered to a home-shopping network.

Digital channel conversion of the area's full-power broadcasters resulted in channel 14 being assigned as the digital channel for WGPX-TV of Burlington, and WXIV-LP was forced to seek a new channel on which to broadcast in order to remain on the air. Engineering studies determined that channel 39 was the only possibility for the station to continue broadcasting, and in April 2004, the station moved to channel 39.

At the time of the channel switch, Carolina Blue Communications was in the process of selling the station to Star News Corporation, owner of Martinsville-based NewsChannel 18, a cable-only news outlet. Since WXIV-LP was moving from channel 14 to channel 39, its old call letters no longer held any meaning, so the station changed call letters again, this time to WGSR-LP, reflecting the station's new Star-39 brand.

Full-time digital transmission commenced on channel 47 on June 4, 2009, and the current call letters of WGSR-LD became official. Subchannels were added on August 17, 2009. Subchannel 47.1 was upgraded to High-Definition (720p) on February 23, 2011.

Programming

WGSR-LP has expanded its local coverage of the Reidsville NC-Martinsville-Danville VA area, and has developed "Star News", a news-talk program which airs daily on the station from 5 to 8 pm. Due to WFMY having the ACC Basketball rights, some sporting events produced by CBS air on the station, and until October 2006, the station broadcast Baltimore Orioles baseball games. On May 31, 2008, WGSR-LP aired EliteXC: Primetime through its secondary affiliation with CBS, after primary affiliate WFMY chose to pass on airing it.

WGSR-LP began organizing the annual Reidsville Downtown Christmas Parade in late 2006, and now puts the event on annually, broadcast live. Every spring and summer, WGSR co-sponsors and broadcasts monthly "Cruise-In Weekends" in Downtown Reidsville.

Star News has gained a reputation for tackling controversial subjects not approached by the region's full-power broadcasters, as well as giving extensive coverage to the news of the "Dan River Region". The station has come under fire for exposing several scandals, including crime, that have involved governmental officials and other public figures in the local area.^[1]

References

External links

• WGSR website
• WGSR News website for Eden
• WGSR News website for Martinsville
• WGSR News website for Reidsville
• Star Weather website
• Query the FCC's TV station database for WGSR-LD