WLUC-DT2

WLUC-DT2 is the Fox-affiliated television station for Michigan's Central Upper Peninsula. It is a second digital subchannel of NBC affiliate WLUC-TV owned by Barrington Broadcasting. Over-the-air, the station broadcasts a standard definition digital signal on UHF channel 35.2 (PSIP virtual channel 6.2) from a transmitter on South Helen Lake Road southeast of Republic in rural Marquette County. Known on-air as Fox UP, this can also be seen on Charter channel 11 and in high definition on digital channel 706. It airs programming from the America One network during the late night and morning hours, and to fulfill their E/I requirements. Syndicated programming on the station includes Two and a Half Men, Family Guy, My Name Is Earl, and The Andy Griffith Show among others. Its parent station has studios on US 41/M-28 in Negaunee. Although WLUC-DT2 does not have its own web address, it maintains a separate section within the main channel's website.

History

This subchannel signed-on at some point in late-2005 (under Raycom Media ownership) carrying The Tube Music Network. After that network shut down October 1, 2007 due to a lack of advertising, NBC Weather Plus was added. Later, Weather Plus was dropped in favor of Universal Sports. Throughout its association with those three services, WLUC-DT2 was carried on Charter digital channel 306. In July 2009, WLUC announced it would begin carrying Fox on this second digital subchannel starting August 17.

At this point, Universal Sports was dropped after programming from America One was added in a secondary nature. The subchannel replaced WZMQ (formerly WMQF) as the area's Fox affiliate after it temporarily suspended programming due to previous owner Equity Media Holdings declaring Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. WZMQ is now back on-the-air after being sold to new owners, switching to This TV, and moving MyNetworkTV to a new second digital subchannel. Even before adding Fox to this subchannel, WLUC carried some programming from the network in the early-1990s before WLUK-TV in Green Bay, Wisconsin switched to Fox.

Although subject to blackout restrictions, WLUC-DT2 was scheduled to carry twelve Green Bay Packer and eight Detroit Lions football games during the 2009 season. In addition to the Fox subchannel from WLUC, the network is available in the Upper Peninsula over-the-air from WLUK in Menominee County and via a low powered digital translator of that station in Escanaba. WLUK is carried by Charter in the West and Central Upper Peninsula along with WLUC-DT2 except in Gogebic County which is covered by KQDS-TV from Duluth, Minnesota. The Eastern Upper Peninsula is covered by WWUP-DT 10.2 (a standard definition digital simulcast of WFQX-TV in Cadillac).

Newscasts

After WLUC-DT2 initially added Fox, it offered a nationally syndicated newscast weeknights at 6:30. Known as INN News, the program was produced for America One by the Independent News Network from studios on Tremont Avenue in Davenport, Iowa. This was eventually dropped in favor syndicated programming as the subchannel developed more. Starting September 8, 2009, WLUC-DT2 began airing a local weeknight prime time broadcast (known as Your Fox UP News in Primetime) from a new secondary set. The half-hour broadcast features unique segments such as viewer feedback and daily polls. There is no regular sports segment seen in the show although a quick update can be given on teams with local and regional interest. The news competes with another weeknight thirty minute show airing at the same time on CW affiliate WBKP (produced by ABC affiliate WBUP).

News team

• David Fath - News Anchor
• Karl Bohnak (AMS Seal of Approval) - Chief Meteorologist
• Nikki Junewicz - reporter
• Mike Reling - "On the Town With the Fat Man" segment producer and heard on WUPT-FM 100.3

External links

• WLUC-DT2 "Fox UP"
• Fox