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Stations that SWAPPED frequencies

Markxxx

Markxxx

I know in the Miami Market, WTVJ Channel Four (O&O - NBC) and WCIX Channel 6 (O&O - CBS) literally swapped frequencies not affiliations. WTVJ went to channel 6 and WCIX went to Channel 4 (becoming WFOR in the process)

Has there ever been any other cases of stations swapping frequencies. I dont' mean switch affiliations, and I'm not counting those that move channels, for instance WPWR moved from Channel 60 to Channel 50, but there was no station on channel 50.

I mean actual swaps.

Thanks <P ID="signature">______________
Once I figured out the meaning of life....Then I forgot to write it down.</P>
 
In the San Francisco market, PBS station KCSM/14 swapped with SIN (now Univision) station KDTV/60 back in the 1970s.

KCSM/60 is now dark, but KCSM-DT/43 remains.<P ID="signature">______________


</P>
 
In Decemeber 1973, in Nashville, WSIX-TV Channel 8 (ABC) swapped dial positions with WDCN-TV Channel 2 (PBS). WSIX became WNGE (now WKRN) on the night of the swap, and WDCN later became WNPT.

Also, in El Paso in July 1981, the ABC affiliate KVIA (Channel 13) switched channels with the PBS station, KCOS (Channel 7). The call letters remain the same, with ABC on 7, and PBS on 13.<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by ShawnHill on 08/23/05 05:31 PM.</FONT></P>
 
In the early and mid 1960's in Upstate NY, WKTV Ch 13 in Utica dropped down from 13 to Ch 2. This allowed new Ch 13's to be dropped into both Albany and Rochester. Then WROC Ch 5 (orginally Ch 6) Rochester swapped channels with WHEN (now WTVH)Ch 8 in Syracuse. That move allowed for Ch 9 to be dropped into Syracuse for WNYS Later WIXT now WSYR. The WSYR call letters were originally in Syracuse on CH 3. Pay attention they'll be a test later.
 
In Orlando back in 1991, Independent WKCF then-Channel 68 swapped frequencies with Brevard County Community College's Channel 18 to provide more coverage of their station being that they were also the flagship station for Orlando Magic Basketball games. Now WKCF is a WB affiliate currently owned by Emmis and WKCF is also where Syndicated morning show "The Daily Buzz" originates from.
 
> In 1970, New Orleans station WVUE-TV (ABC at the time) on
> Channel 12 moved to Channel 8, while WYES-TV (PBS) moved
> from Channel 8 to Channel 12.
>

As a matter of fact, WVUE actually made the switch at 8PM that night -- in the middle of a war movie. Those wanting to see the rest of the movie had to change channels.
 
At some point in the late 60s or early 70s, WEHT-25-ABC moved from Channel 50 to its present location at Channel 25, don't know exactly dates though.

And Harrisburg, Illinois WSIL-3-ABC originally started out on Channel 22 before moving to Channel 3 sometime in the 60s.

Obviously back in the early days of television there were quite a few switches, one being that Chicago lost the Channel 4 signal to nearby Milwaukee (I want to say that WBBM was originally to be on Channel 4 before the realignment).

Another I know if is WSB-TV in Atlanta. Started out on Channel 8 under ownership of the Atlanta Journal, but when the Journal bought out the Constitution (which owned the Channel 2 frequency) the station migrated over to Channel 2 and Channel 8 became the city's PBS station.
 
> I know in the Miami Market, WTVJ Channel Four (O&O - NBC)
> and WCIX Channel 6 (O&O - CBS) literally swapped frequencies
> not affiliations. WTVJ went to channel 6 and WCIX went to
> Channel 4 (becoming WFOR in the process)
>
> Has there ever been any other cases of stations swapping
> frequencies. I dont' mean switch affiliations, and I'm not
> counting those that move channels, for instance WPWR moved
> from Channel 60 to Channel 50, but there was no station on
> channel 50.
>
> I mean actual swaps.
>
> Thanks
>
Not exactly earth-shattering, but about a month ago, Home Shopping Network here in NYC moved from the LPTV on 32 to a slightly more higher-powered signal on Ch. 60, where America's Store was broadcast for at least a decade...that station made its way down to 32.
 
> At some point in the late 60s or early 70s, WEHT-25-ABC
> moved from Channel 50 to its present location at Channel 25,
> don't know exactly dates though.
>
> And Harrisburg, Illinois WSIL-3-ABC originally started out
> on Channel 22 before moving to Channel 3 sometime in the
> 60s.
>
> Obviously back in the early days of television there were
> quite a few switches, one being that Chicago lost the
> Channel 4 signal to nearby Milwaukee (I want to say that
> WBBM was originally to be on Channel 4 before the
> realignment).
>
> Another I know if is WSB-TV in Atlanta. Started out on
> Channel 8 under ownership of the Atlanta Journal, but when
> the Journal bought out the Constitution (which owned the
> Channel 2 frequency) the station migrated over to Channel 2
> and Channel 8 became the city's PBS station.

Which put ABC on Channel 11 in Atlanta until WSB dropped NBC
for ABC in 1980.

Some channel changes I can think of:

WBRC Birmingham, Channel 4 to Channel 6
WTAR (now WTKR) Norfolk, VA, Channel 4 to Channel 3
WGAL Lancaster, PA, Channel 4 to Channel 8
WTVM Columbus, GA, Channel 28 to Channel 9 (28 later became PBS
for that market)
WAVE Louisville, Channel 5 to Channel 3
WHAS Louisviile, Channel 9 to Channel 11
WBTW Florence, SC, Channel 8 to Channel 13
WCTI New Bern, NC, Channel 13 to Channel 12
>
 
> I know in the Miami Market, WTVJ Channel Four (O&O - NBC)
> and WCIX Channel 6 (O&O - CBS) literally swapped frequencies
> not affiliations. WTVJ went to channel 6 and WCIX went to
> Channel 4 (becoming WFOR in the process)
>
> Has there ever been any other cases of stations swapping
> frequencies. I dont' mean switch affiliations, and I'm not
> counting those that move channels, for instance WPWR moved
> from Channel 60 to Channel 50, but there was no station on
> channel 50.
>
> I mean actual swaps.

I'm pretty sure there wasn't actually a channel swap in Miami. NBC and CBS swapped *stations* - the station that was on channel 4 stayed on channel 4 but changed ownership from NBC to CBS; and the station that was on channel 6 also stayed on channel 6 but changed ownership and call letters in the other direction.

In fact, I can't think of *any* other incident since 1980 where two TV stations have actually swapped channels; they've all been cases of swapping *licenses*.

(some of the older cited cases actually did involve channel swaps)
 
> > At some point in the late 60s or early 70s, WEHT-25-ABC
> > moved from Channel 50 to its present location at Channel 25,
> > don't know exactly dates though.

I think it was 1966.

> > And Harrisburg, Illinois WSIL-3-ABC originally started out
> > on Channel 22 before moving to Channel 3 sometime in the
> > 60s.
> >
> > Obviously back in the early days of television there were
> > quite a few switches, one being that Chicago lost the
> > Channel 4 signal to nearby Milwaukee (I want to say that
> > WBBM was originally to be on Channel 4 before the
> > realignment).

That was due to WENR-TV Ch. 7 owner ABC buying United Paramount Theatres, who owned WBKB Ch. 4 via subsidiary Balaban & Katz. Channel 4 was sold to CBS, who changed the call letters to WBBM-TV and moved to Channel 2 a few months later, replacing Zenith's experimental pay-TV station on that channel (which went dark, those facilities later used to put WTTW Ch. 11 on the air). The WBKB call letters moved to Channel 7.

Milwaukee's WTMJ-TV moved from Channel 3 to 4 at the same time, which aleviated interference between it and WKZO-TV Kalamazoo.

> > Another I know if is WSB-TV in Atlanta. Started out on
> > Channel 8 under ownership of the Atlanta Journal, but when
> > the Journal bought out the Constitution (which owned the
> > Channel 2 frequency) the station migrated over to Channel 2
> > and Channel 8 became the city's PBS station.
>
> Which put ABC on Channel 11 in Atlanta until WSB dropped NBC
> for ABC in 1980.
>
> Some channel changes I can think of:
>
> WBRC Birmingham, Channel 4 to Channel 6
> WTAR (now WTKR) Norfolk, VA, Channel 4 to Channel 3
> WGAL Lancaster, PA, Channel 4 to Channel 8
> WTVM Columbus, GA, Channel 28 to Channel 9 (28 later became PBS for that market)
> WAVE Louisville, Channel 5 to Channel 3
> WHAS Louisviile, Channel 9 to Channel 11
> WBTW Florence, SC, Channel 8 to Channel 13
> WCTI New Bern, NC, Channel 13 to Channel 12

These are midwestern stations that moved in 1952:
WTTV Bloomington IN, Channel 10 to Channel 4 (moving most of its operations to Indianapolis at the same time)
WHIO Dayton OH, Channel 13 to 7
WLWD Dayton OH, Channel 5 to 2
WLWT Cincinnati OH, Channel 4 to 5
WCPO Cincinnati OH, Channel 7 to 9
WKRC Cincinnati OH, Channel 11 to 12
WOI Ames IA, Channel 4 to 5
WOC Davenport IA, Channel 5 to 6

Others that moved later on:
WFAM Lafayette IN, Channel 59 to 18 (now WLFI)
WAKR Akron ON, Channel 49 to 23 (now WVPX)
WHIZ Zanesville OH, Channel 50 to 18
WLOK Lima OH, Channel 73 to 35 (now WLIO)
WNDU South Bend IN, Channel 46 to 16
WSBT South Bend IN, Channel 34 to 22
WWLP Springfield MA, Channel 61 to 22
WHYN Springfield MA, Channel 55 to 40 (now WGGB)

And one merger of 2 stations into 1:
WCHU Ch. 33 Champaign IL and WICD Ch. 24 Danville IL merged to become WICD Ch. 15 Champaign in 1966, then as now rebroadcasting WICS Ch. 20 Springfield IL.
 
> WCTI New Bern, NC, Channel 13 to Channel 12


WCTI in New Bern was originally assigned channel 13 during their CP phase but was never actually on 13 because of anticipated conflicts with stations in Virginia. You can get the full story at http://www.wcti12.com/.

KL

<a href="http://home.nc.rr.com/gttyson/lastradio.html">The Last Radio Station<a><P ID="signature">______________
</P>
 
> Milwaukee's WTMJ-TV moved from Channel 3 to 4 at the same
> time, which aleviated interference between it and WKZO-TV
> Kalamazoo.

Five years later, the FCC shifted the UHF channel assignments of 19, 25, 31 (two of the three weren't on the air this point) to 18 (now WVTV; originally on 19), 24 (now WCGV, signed on in 1980), and 30 (WVCY, signed on in 1983).

> > Some channel changes I can think of:
> >
> > WBRC Birmingham, Channel 4 to Channel 6
> > WTAR (now WTKR) Norfolk, VA, Channel 4 to Channel 3
> > WGAL Lancaster, PA, Channel 4 to Channel 8
> > WTVM Columbus, GA, Channel 28 to Channel 9 (28 later
> became PBS for that market)
> > WAVE Louisville, Channel 5 to Channel 3
> > WHAS Louisviile, Channel 9 to Channel 11
> > WBTW Florence, SC, Channel 8 to Channel 13
> > WCTI New Bern, NC, Channel 13 to Channel 12
>
> These are midwestern stations that moved in 1952:
> WTTV Bloomington IN, Channel 10 to Channel 4 (moving most of
> its operations to Indianapolis at the same time)
> WHIO Dayton OH, Channel 13 to 7
> WLWD Dayton OH, Channel 5 to 2
> WLWT Cincinnati OH, Channel 4 to 5
> WCPO Cincinnati OH, Channel 7 to 9
> WKRC Cincinnati OH, Channel 11 to 12
> WOI Ames IA, Channel 4 to 5
> WOC Davenport IA, Channel 5 to 6
>
> Others that moved later on:
> WFAM Lafayette IN, Channel 59 to 18 (now WLFI)
> WAKR Akron ON, Channel 49 to 23 (now WVPX)
> WHIZ Zanesville OH, Channel 50 to 18
> WLOK Lima OH, Channel 73 to 35 (now WLIO)
> WNDU South Bend IN, Channel 46 to 16
> WSBT South Bend IN, Channel 34 to 22
> WWLP Springfield MA, Channel 61 to 22
> WHYN Springfield MA, Channel 55 to 40 (now WGGB)
>
> And one merger of 2 stations into 1:
> WCHU Ch. 33 Champaign IL and WICD Ch. 24 Danville IL merged
> to become WICD Ch. 15 Champaign in 1966, then as now
> rebroadcasting WICS Ch. 20 Springfield IL.
>
Some more...
WTVI (originally licensed to East St. Louis, IL), channel 56 to 36 to 2 (as KTVI)
WTVO Rockford, IL, channel 39 to 17 (WQRF signed on 39 in 1978; now WTVO and WQRF are sister stations)
WMTV Madison, WI, channel 33 to 15 (now a TBN LPTV station is on 33)
 
> > WCTI New Bern, NC, Channel 13 to Channel 12
>
>
> WCTI in New Bern was originally assigned channel 13 during
> their CP phase but was never actually on 13 because of
> anticipated conflicts with stations in Virginia. You can
> get the full story at http://www.wcti12.com/.
>
> KL
>
> The Last Radio Station
>
Channel 13 was originally assigned to New Bern NC, however, up the road in Norfolk VA there was WVEC-TV, channel 15 which had operated since 1953. Somehow, they were able to pull some political strings and get the FCC to reassign channel 13 from New Bern to Norfolk. I believe WVEC switched from 15 to 13 in 1961. The next year WHRO-TV/15 debuted as the educational channel in Norfolk. WVEC had donated their channel 15 facilities to the educational group. Meanwhile, the FCC allocated channel 12 to New Bern, though it was not as good an allotment as 13---there were interference issues with WRVA-TV12 in Richmond VA. After fighting with WRVA-TV for years, WNBE-TV came on the air in 1964 with a reduced power. Now that I think about it, the removal of 13 from New Bern made it possible for WBTW/8 in Florence SC to switch to 13, allowing
WGHP-TV/8 to come on the air in High Point/Greensboro/Winston Salem in 1963.
 
Two more channel changes: WNOK-TV (now WLTX) channel 67 changed to 19 in 1961. Also, WAFB-TV Baton Rouge changed from 28 to 9 sometime in the early 60s. Even better, in New Orleans WVUE started out on 20, moved to 13, then to 12 before finally settling in on 8, as has already been noted.
 
> > > WCTI New Bern, NC, Channel 13 to Channel 12
> >
> >
> > WCTI in New Bern was originally assigned channel 13 during
>
> > their CP phase but was never actually on 13 because of
> > anticipated conflicts with stations in Virginia. You can
> > get the full story at http://www.wcti12.com/.
> >
> > KL
> >
> > The Last Radio Station
> >
> Channel 13 was originally assigned to New Bern NC, however,
> up the road in Norfolk VA there was WVEC-TV, channel 15
> which had operated since 1953. Somehow, they were able to
> pull some political strings and get the FCC to reassign
> channel 13 from New Bern to Norfolk. I believe WVEC
> switched from 15 to 13 in 1961. The next year WHRO-TV/15
> debuted as the educational channel in Norfolk. WVEC had
> donated their channel 15 facilities to the educational
> group. Meanwhile, the FCC allocated channel 12 to New Bern,
> though it was not as good an allotment as 13---there were
> interference issues with WRVA-TV12 in Richmond VA. After
> fighting with WRVA-TV for years, WNBE-TV came on the air in
> 1964 with a reduced power. Now that I think about it, the
> removal of 13 from New Bern made it possible for WBTW/8 in
> Florence SC to switch to 13, allowing
> WGHP-TV/8 to come on the air in High
> Point/Greensboro/Winston Salem in 1963.
>
WNBE (WCTI) actually signed on BEFORE WGHP. WNBE signed on
September 7, 1963; WGHP, October 14, 1963. I lived in Kinston
in 1965 and '66, and remember 12 having a terrible OTA signal,
snowy picture and all. And New Bern is only 35 miles from
Kinston.
<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by bpatrick on 08/24/05 08:35 PM.</FONT></P>
 
Re: UHF Movers

> > Milwaukee's WTMJ-TV moved from Channel 3 to 4 at the same
> > time, which aleviated interference between it and WKZO-TV
> > Kalamazoo.
>
> Five years later, the FCC shifted the UHF channel
> assignments of 19, 25, 31 (two of the three weren't on the
> air this point) to 18 (now WVTV; originally on 19), 24 (now
> WCGV, signed on in 1980), and 30 (WVCY, signed on in 1983).

WCAN-TV had been on Channel 25 but went dark in 1954, four years before the UHF channels were reallocated. They were listed in Vane Jones' station guides for 20 years thereafter as a dark-but-licensed station on 24. No Milwaukee station ever occupied Channel 31, although there were several applications.

> Some more...
> WTVI (originally licensed to East St. Louis, IL), channel 56
> to 36 to 2 (as KTVI)

WTVI was originally on Channel 54, not 56.

> WTVO Rockford, IL, channel 39 to 17 (WQRF signed on 39 in
> 1978; now WTVO and WQRF are sister stations)

> WMTV Madison, WI, channel 33 to 15 (now a TBN LPTV station
> is on 33)

There was a reallocation of several UHF channels in the midwest in the early & mid '60s. In a nutshell they were:

Channel 15: Moved from Bloomington IL to Champaign IL (WICD) & Madison WI (WMTV). Replaced existing stations on 24 & 33 in Danvile & Champaign, respectively.
Channel 18: Assigned to Lafayette IN (WFAM/WLFI).
Channel 22: Assigned to Vincennes IN (WVUT). Replaced Princeton IN's 52.
Channel 23: Moved from Muncie IN to Marion IN (WNDY).
Channel 24: Moved from Danville IL (WDAN/WICD) to Lafayette IN.
Channel 25: Assigned to Peoria IL (WEEK) & Evansville IN (WEHT).
Channel 31: Deleted from Marion IN (WTAF). Replaced by 23.
Channel 33: Moved from Champaign IL (WCHU) and Madison WI (WMTV) to DeKalb IL.
Channel 42: Deleted from Bloomington IN. Replaced by 63 but reallocated to Bloomington in the '70s (WCLJ).
Channel 43: Moved from Peoria IL (WEEK) to Bloomington IL (WYZZ).
Channel 50: Deleted from Evansville IN (WEHT).
Channel 52: Deleted from Princeton IN (WRAY). Changed to 22 in Vincennes IN.
Channel 59: Moved from Lafayette IN (WFAM) to Indianapolis IN (WXIN) and Peoria IL (WAOE).
Channel 63: Assigned to Bloomington IN, replacing 42 (WIIB/WIPX).
 
>Also, WAFB-TV Baton Rouge changed from 28 to 9 sometime in the early 60s.

WDAM-TV in Laurel, Miss., had been on Channel 9 from its sign-on in 1956 until WAFB-TV wanted to move to the better position in 1959, if I recall correctly. WDAM-TV then moved to Channel 7.
 
Re: UHF Movers

> > Some more...
> > WTVI (originally licensed to East St. Louis, IL), channel
> 56
> > to 36 to 2 (as KTVI)
>
> WTVI was originally on Channel 54, not 56.
>

Yeah, and as a point of clarification, when WTVI moved to St. Louis and Channel 36 in 1955, that's when it changed the W to a K in the call letters. It moved to Channel 2 in 1957.
 
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