WMEI

WMEI is a television station in Arecibo, Puerto Rico that broadcasts over digital channel 14. The station is owned by Corporate Media Consultants Group, LLC which 51% is owned by Power Television International and 49% is owned by Max Media. it is Branded as WMEI 14 and TeleMar. WMEI is affiliated with RetroTV from 5AM to 6PM & The Action Channel from 6PM to 5AM on channel 14.1, while The Family Channel broadcasts 24 hours a day on channel 14.2. WMEI maintains studios in Puerta del Condado in San Juan, with additional studios in Yauco and its transmitter is located at Cerro Maravilla in Ponce.

WOST (digital channel 22) is a semi-satellite station in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico and is also part of the TeleMar Television Network. WOST is an affiliate of The Spanish-language Version of The Local AccuWeather Channel. The station brands itself as either WOST 22 or WOST 22 AccuWeather Channel.

History

Former WMEI logo as a MegaTV affiliate between 2009 and 2011.

WMEI was founded on February 28, 1990 by Locally-Owned Arecibo Broadcasting Systems managed by Hector Negroni Cartagena.

On December 28, 1994 WMEI Launches WWKQ-LP Channel 26, a Low Power TV Station in Quebradillas owned by Signal Broadcasting.

WMEI channel 60 signed on as a test signal in 1997, and was operated by Signal Broadcasting, transmitting the Telefe Internacional programming and infomercials.

Also WMEI Began Operations for WQQZ-CA Channel 33 in Ponce On February 12, 1999 also owned by Signal Broadcasting.

WMEI Channel 60 began its regular programming in November 2006, and was an affiliate of Telefe Internacional branded as Mi 60 from 2006 to 2007, showing Informercials from 4PM to 12AM.

WMEI Channel 60 officially Launches Operations as an Independent station on March 20, 2007 at 6:25AM, & it is Branded as TeleMar Puerto Rico from 2007 to 2009, from 2011 to 2013 and Again Since May 11, 2014.

WMEI was affiliated with PBJ from 2014 to 2016.

WMEI is currently a dual affiliate of Tuff TV & The Family Channel, while WOST is an affiliate of the Spanish version of The Local AccuWeather Channel.

In March 2007, WMEI Launched its Digital Satellite Station in Mayaguez, WOST Channel 16.

WMEI switches affiliations becoming an affiliate of Spanish Broadcasting System's Mega TV on November 23, 2009.

WMEI, along with its satellite stations, was off the air for several months in early 2009. This was due to WMEI and WOST having shut down their analog signals in January 2009 to prepare for the digital transition. However, due to the transition date being delayed until June 12, 2009 (from its original February 17 date) and WTIN and WNJX-TV opting to retain their analog signals on WMEI and WOST's post transition channels until June, WMEI and WOST could not begin digital broadcasts until WTIN and WNJX terminated their analog signals.

WMEI was affiliated with Mega TV on November 23, 2009;^[1] the affiliation was previously on WSJU-TV. Prior to this, WMEI had carried a Spanish-language version of The Local AccuWeather Channel, and before that was an independent station.

WMEI became affiliated once again in February 2013, this time with TeLe-Romantica, U.S. Spanish Entertainment Network, which Programming Includes: Telenovelas, Movies, Series & Documentaries. TeLe-Romantica resumes operations in August 2014 due to the station's website failure, and moves its programming to WSJU-TV channel 31.2.

In November 2013, Power Television International acquired the non-license assets of WMEI & its Satellite Stations from Corporate Media Consultants Group for $18 million.

On May 13, 2015, WQQZ-CA changed its call letters to WQQZ-CD.

On January 12, 2016, WMEI, WOST and its satellite stations will sell its spectrum, and participate in the 2016 FCC Spectrum auction (originally scheduled for sometime in 2015, then pushed back a year). The officers said that once the auction is complete, the station would go off the air, or moving to another channel.

On April 1, 2016, WMEI changed its branding, reflecting on the station's digital channel number. the station's new name is WMEI 14. also, WMEI will switch affiliation to Retro Television Network, and broadcasts daily from 5AM to 6PM. No programming changes are expected, and will retain as a Tuff TV affiliate. also, the station affiliated with Gun TV upon that network's launch the same day. Gun TV broadcasts from 12AM to 5AM daily.

on October 18, 2016, WOST went off the air as stated in the form. Station engineers have determined that one of the station’s power amplifiers was damaged during a thunder storm. The station is awaiting the delivery of parts to complete the repair to the power supply. It is expected that it may be another couple of weeks before the repairs are completed.

The licensee respectfully requests Special Temporary Authority pursuant to FCC Rule 73.1635(a)(4). The circumstances of the storm were beyond the control of the licensee. It is acting diligently to repair the station to restore operations but must wait on vendors to deliver equipment.

The licensee also requests a one-day waiver of the 30-day filing deadline to request silent authority. The 30th day for filing the silent STA request was miscalculated. The LMS form will not allow the proper date to be checked that the station went off the air.

On November 11, 2016, WWKQ-LP changed its callsign to WWKQ-LD licensed, as digital operation.

On December 5, 2016, WQQZ-CD went off the air because of a malfunction with its Ktech receiver. It is being repaired on the next few weeks. However, On December 8, 2016, WQQZ-CD returns to the air broadcasting the full Retro TV & Action Channel programming.

In April 2017, WMEI announced that it would shut down in the next few months, following the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)'s incentive auction. The station sold its spectrum for $9,696,619.^[2] Also, WOST will move their channel positions to channel 20, and WQQZ-CD to channel 16.

On May 2, 2017, WOST resumed broadcasting operations with a reduced power of 2 kW.

Digital television

WMEI & WOST's digital signal is multiplexed:

Satellite stations

WMEI & WOST rebroadcasts on the following stations:

References

External links

• Query the FCC's TV station database for WMEI
• Query the FCC's TV station database for WOST
• Query the FCC's TV station database for WWKQ-LD
• Query the FCC's TV station database for WQQZ-CD