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WWSI
CityMount Laurel, New Jersey
Channels
BrandingTelemundo 62; Noticiero Telemundo 62
Programming
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
History
First air date
January 17, 2001; 23 years ago (2001-01-17) (in Atlantic City, New Jersey; license moved to Mount Laurel in 2018)
Former call signs
  • WDKZ (1987–1989)
  • WACI (1989–2000)
  • WPHA (2000–2001)
Former channel number(s)
  • Analog: 62 (UHF, 2001–2009)
  • Digital: 49 (UHF, 2002–2018), 34 (UHF, 2018–2019)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID23142
ERP745 kW
HAAT399.8 m (1,311.7 ft)
Transmitter coordinates40°2′30.1″N 75°14′10.1″W / 40.041694°N 75.236139°W / 40.041694; -75.236139
Links
Public license information
Websitewww.telemundo62.com

WWSI (channel 62) is a television station licensed to Mount Laurel, New Jersey, United States, serving as the Philadelphia-area outlet for the Spanish-language network Telemundo. It is owned and operated by NBCUniversal's Telemundo Station Group alongside NBC outlet WCAU (channel 10); it is also sister to regional sports network NBC Sports Philadelphia. The stations' studios are located in Comcast Technology Center on Arch Street in Center City, and they are broadcast from one transmitter in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia.

Channel 62 was assigned to Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 1984 as part of a proceeding to improve local television service throughout the state. Garden State Communications obtained the construction permit in 1987, but construction activity only progressed in 2000, after Council Tree Communications bought a majority stake. The station signed on the air in January 2001 as a Telemundo affiliate, the first in the Philadelphia market in over a year, and aired little local programming first under Council Tree and later ZGS Communications ownership. In 2013, NBC acquired WWSI, which it has integrated with WCAU. This included the 2014 launch of local Spanish-language news and the 2018 move into the Comcast Technology Center. After selling the station's spectrum, WWSI began transmitting from WCAU's tower in 2018 and changed its city of license.

History

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Prehistory and construction

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In 1980, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposed assigning channel 62 to Atlantic City, New Jersey, as part of a proposal to improve television service in the state.[2] The proceeding and channel addition were finalized in 1984,[3] and in August 1986, the FCC designated a group of five applications for the channel for comparative hearing.[4] A settlement agreement was registered with the FCC in 1987, though Garden State Communications was not immediately granted the permit on the issue of short-spacing with other stations.[5] The permit remained dormant for the next decade. In 1990, the Securities and Exchange Commission sued a Philadelphia company for illegally raising funds on behalf of Garden State to build the proposed WACI-TV.[6]

Council Tree Communications filed to acquire a majority stake in the construction permit in 1999.[7] Council Tree was a Longmont, Colorado–based firm in which one of the investors was an Alaska Native–owned corporation.[8] During this time, construction on the station started and faced considerable difficulty. In May 2000, work on the tower along County Route 539 in Little Egg Harbor Township briefly came to a halt as opponents objecting on radiation concerns claimed they had an injunction to stop it.[9] Opponents also decried its proximity to homes and claimed it did not receive proper zoning approval.[10] The dispute was in part resolved when Little Egg Harbor Township agreed to assume ownership of the tower when completed.[11] This was key because it allowed for the exemption from planning board approval, though objectors continued to fight construction.[12] Other objections concerned the potential danger to birds posed by the mast.[13] During the construction process, Council Tree had become involved in Spanish-language broadcasting, principally the Telemundo network. In April 2000, it acquired KSBS-TV, the Telemundo affiliate for the Denver market,[8] and the firm moved to acquire a stake in the network four months later.[14]

The WWSI logo used from 2004 to 2012

After approximately six months of preparations,[15] channel 62 signed on as Telemundo affiliate WWSI on January 17[16] or 26, 2001.[17] It restored the Telemundo network to the Philadelphia market after the previous affiliate, WTVE (channel 51), disaffiliated from the network at the start of 2000.[18] It had local offices near Penn Treaty Park in Philadelphia and in Northfield, New Jersey.[19] Council Tree sold its ownership interest to NBC later in 2001 but did not relinquish WWSI.[20] The station initiated digital broadcasting on channel 49 on November 1, 2002.[16] ZGS Communications acquired WWSI for $10 million in 2008.[21]

NBCU ownership

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ZGS retained the station until agreeing to sell it to NBCUniversal for $20 million in a sale completed in July 2013. The deal created a duopoly with NBC's Philadelphia station, WCAU.[22][23] Following the acquisition, NBC announced its intent to expand WCAU's news department to serve WWSI.[24] It hired a total of 15 new employees,[25] including bilingual reporters who filed stories for WCAU;[26] Ramón Luis Zayas, former news anchor of Telemundo's morning program Un Nuevo Día, was named anchor of the evening newscasts.[27] Noticiero Telemundo 62 began airing at 6 and 11 p.m. on January 13, 2014, from WCAU's studios in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.[26]

After the news launch, WWSI has been included in several group-wide news expansions at Telemundo. In November 2014, the owned-and-operated stations launched news at 5:30 p.m.,[28] followed by 6 a.m. and noon newscasts on April 2, 2018.[29]

NBCUniversal sold the spectrum of WWSI in the 2017 FCC spectrum reallocation incentive auction for $125.9 million.[30] WWSI continued broadcasting on the WCAU multiplex from its existing Philadelphia tower, and its city of license was changed to Mount Laurel, New Jersey,[31] an arrangement NBC believed would improve coverage.[30] Prior to the auction, NBC and Telemundo were double-illuminated from each transmitter.[32]

WCAU and WWSI moved into floors 12 through 14 of the 59-story Comcast Technology Center in Philadelphia in 2018. With the new facility, the Telemundo side of the operation had a news studio nearly the same size as WCAU for the first time.[33][34]

Subchannels

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Subchannels of WCAU and WWSI[35]
License Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
WCAU 10.1 1080i 16:9 WCAU-TV NBC
10.2 480i COZI-TV Cozi TV
10.3 CRIMES NBC American Crimes
10.4 OXYGEN Oxygen
WWSI 62.1 1080i WWSI-TV Telemundo
62.2 480i EXITOS TeleXitos


References

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  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WWSI". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ "3 Networks Oppose UHF Affiliate Plan". Press of Atlantic City. Atlantic City, New Jersey. Associated Press. July 16, 1980. p. 18. Retrieved August 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Vineland Gets TV Channel". Press of Atlantic City. Atlantic City, New Jersey. Associated Press. June 28, 1984. p. 27. Archived from the original on August 30, 2024. Retrieved August 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Notice". Press of Atlantic City. Atlantic City, New Jersey. September 4, 1986. p. 36. Archived from the original on August 30, 2024. Retrieved August 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "In Contest". Broadcasting. August 3, 1987. p. 80. ProQuest 1014715205.
  6. ^ Burke, Richard (May 25, 1990). "Phila. firm accused over investments". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. pp. 16-C, 21-C. Archived from the original on August 30, 2024. Retrieved August 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Public Notice". Press of Atlantic City. Atlantic City, New Jersey. August 5, 1999. p. C7. Archived from the original on August 30, 2024. Retrieved August 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b Caulk, Steve (April 15, 2000). "Spanish TV Station Sold". Rocky Mountain News. p. 4B.
  9. ^ Mc Laughlin, Bill (May 11, 2000). "Tower construction stopped: Opponents claim they have obtained an injunction". Asbury Park Press. Asbury Park, New Jersey. pp. B1, B4. Archived from the original on August 30, 2024. Retrieved August 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Volpe, Gregory J. (June 13, 2000). "LEHT man files suit over cell tower". Press of Atlantic City. Atlantic City, New Jersey. p. C5. Archived from the original on August 30, 2024. Retrieved August 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Mc Laughlin, Bill (June 28, 2000). "Little Egg OKs new plan to lease tower". Asbury Park Press. Asbury Park, New Jersey. p. B2. Archived from the original on August 30, 2024. Retrieved August 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Volpe, Gregory J. (September 30, 2000). "LEHT man signals opposition to cell tower". Press of Atlantic City. Atlantic City, New Jersey. pp. C1, C3. Archived from the original on August 30, 2024. Retrieved August 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Kaskey, Jack (October 23, 2000). "Danger for birds soon may tower over southern N.J." Press of Atlantic City. Atlantic City, New Jersey. pp. A1, A10. Retrieved August 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Schwab, Robert (August 15, 2000). "Council Tree network share to grow: Longmont firm plans to buy stake in Spanish-TV Telemundo". The Denver Post. p. A1.
  15. ^ Bennett, Elizabeth (November 20, 2000). "Spanish-language TV station to debut in Phila". Philadelphia Business Journal. Archived from the original on August 30, 2024. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  16. ^ a b "WWSI, WWSI-DT". Television and Cable Factbook. 2006. pp. A-1455, A-1456.
  17. ^ Colon, Vanessa (February 2, 2001). "Local Spanish TV channel on air". Courier-Post. Camden, New Jersey. pp. 1A, 5A. Retrieved August 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ Horn, Patricia (December 31, 1999). "WTVE-51 will take Telemundo off the air". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. pp. C1, C2. Archived from the original on August 30, 2024. Retrieved August 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Spanish TV station opens Northfield office". Press of Atlantic City. Atlantic City, New Jersey. March 11, 2001. p. F2. Archived from the original on August 30, 2024. Retrieved August 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ Van Allen, Peter (October 22, 2001). "For WWSI, Telemundo deal signals fiesta time". Philadelphia Business Journal. Archived from the original on August 30, 2024. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  21. ^ "Deals". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved January 24, 2008.
  22. ^ "NBCUniversal doubles in Philadelphia with Telemundo outlet". Radio & Television Business Report. March 21, 2013. Archived from the original on August 30, 2024. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
  23. ^ "Telemundo Closes On Purchase of WWSI". TVNewsCheck. July 2, 2013.
  24. ^ "Telemundo's WWSI Gets Ready To Make News". TVNewsCheck. December 10, 2013.
  25. ^ "WWSI Philly Hiring 15 To Launch Local News". TVNewsCheck. September 11, 2013.
  26. ^ a b Darrow, Chuck (January 13, 2014). "La gran historia: NBC10 and WWSI-TV team to create a Spanish-language news program, starting today". Philadelphia Daily News. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. pp. 27, 31. Archived from the original on August 30, 2024. Retrieved August 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ "Zayas to anchor upcoming Telemundo Philly newscast". Media Moves. October 21, 2013. Archived from the original on August 30, 2024. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  28. ^ Villafañe, Veronica (September 18, 2014). "Telemundo adds new 30 min newscast at 14 local stations". Media Moves. Archived from the original on November 30, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  29. ^ Miller, Mark (March 12, 2018). "Telemundo's WWSI Adding Two Newscasts". TVNewsCheck. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  30. ^ a b "NBC Makes Over $480 Million From Auction". TVNewsCheck. April 13, 2017. Archived from the original on July 30, 2017. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
  31. ^ "All Purpose Exhibit for WWSI CP Application to Channel Share". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. Archived from the original on August 30, 2024. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  32. ^ Tobey, Margaret L. (December 13, 2016). "PSIP Notifications for NBC Telemundo License LLC". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. Archived from the original on August 30, 2024. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
  33. ^ Blumenthal, Jeff (October 11, 2018). "A first look at NBC10's new home at the Comcast Technology Center". Philadelphia Business Journal.
  34. ^ "NBCU Philly Stations Make Big Leap To IP". TVNewsCheck. October 11, 2018.
  35. ^ "Digital TV Market Listing for WCAU". RabbitEars.info. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
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