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WHME/WHMB flips to Univision

Sometime in the mid to late 1970s, WHMB hired a new GM from Pat Robertson’s Norfolk VA station. He added a full lineup of 50s and 60s sit-com and western reruns much like what the Robertson owned stations aired. Not long after that, the new GM outbid the other Indianapolis stations for rights to re-air the TV mini-series “Roots.” Louisiana born WHMB station owner and pentecostal evangelist Lester Sumrall - claiming “Roots” promoted African mysticism - was so outraged that the GM was fired. And gradually, the reruns began to disappear. A few remained but most were replaced with preaching and teaching shows reflecting Sumrall’s pentecostal beliefs. Lester died in 1996. It’s been years since I’ve seen WHMB but - remembering Lester’s thinking - I found it worthy of a chuckle when I heard a few years back that much of the station’s programming revolved around minority focused sit-com reruns. One can only begin to imagine what Lester’s reaction to this latest move might have been.
 
Ma Gee said:
Sometime in the mid to late 1970s, WHMB hired a new GM from Pat Robertson’s Norfolk VA station. He added a full lineup of 50s and 60s sit-com and western reruns much like what the Robertson owned stations aired. Not long after that, the new GM outbid the other Indianapolis stations for rights to re-air the TV mini-series “Roots.” Louisiana born WHMB station owner and pentecostal evangelist Lester Sumrall - claiming “Roots” promoted African mysticism - was so outraged that the GM was fired. And gradually, the reruns began to disappear. A few remained but most were replaced with preaching and teaching shows reflecting Sumrall’s pentecostal beliefs. Lester died in 1996. It’s been years since I’ve seen WHMB but - remembering Lester’s thinking - I found it worthy of a chuckle when I heard a few years back that much of the station’s programming revolved around minority focused sit-com reruns. One can only begin to imagine what Lester’s reaction to this latest move might have been.
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Speaking of which, I think WHME could have gotten Fox by now, but they don't want to be like what happened with KWHB with WB where they pre-empt shows that goes against their beliefs and Sinclair would renew their contract with Fox before WHME can get it, plus the fact that Univision was cheaper to affiliate with than Fox or even CW. But with Lester if he saw this move than he would just sell the station to them or he would be fine with that rather than just throw their shows to late nights or even pull Univision for Lester's stations
 
Loganfly said:
But with Lester if he saw this move than he would just sell the station to them or he would be fine with that rather than just throw their shows to late nights or even pull Univision for Lester's stations.
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I’m sorry but with due respect if you think Lester Sumrall would have sold his stations to or been fine with his stations programming Univision, I suspect you don’t know much about Lester Sumrall or how he operated his stations.
 
Perhaps a more valid question is why they chose after 50 years to affiliate (Fox, Univision, CW or whoever) in the first place. Has Christian television reached that point where they can no longer find the viewer donation dollars to survive and the churches to buy airtime?
 
Ma Gee said:
Perhaps a more valid question is why they chose after 50 years to affiliate (Fox, Univision, CW or whoever) in the first place. Has Christian television reached that point where they can no longer find the viewer donation dollars to survive and the churches to buy airtime?
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I think that national ones like TBN and Daystar still survive because they are everywhere, even if there's no affiliate in that market or not. Compare that to FBC where their only channels that makes them money are FETV and FMC. And even if WHME went with Fox and not Univision, it will end up being similar to their treatment of The WB on their former owned KWHB
 
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