WOTF-TV
CityDaytona Beach, Florida
Channels
Programming
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
History
First air date
1988 (1988)
Former call signs
  • WLSY (February–December 1987)
  • WAYQ (December 1987–1996)
  • WNTO (1996–2000)
  • WVEN-TV (2000–2017)
Former channel number(s)
  • Analog: 26 (UHF, 1988–2009)
  • Digital: 49 (UHF, until 2020)
  • Translator: W46DB 46 Melbourne
Call sign meaning
Orlando Telefutura (former name of UniMás)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID131
ERP130 kW
HAAT428 m (1,404 ft)
Transmitter coordinates28°55′11.1″N 81°19′6.6″W / 28.919750°N 81.318500°W / 28.919750; -81.318500
Links
Public license information

WOTF-TV (channel 26) is a television station licensed to Daytona Beach, Florida, United States, serving the Orlando area as an affiliate of the digital multicast network Grit. The station is owned by Entravision Communications, and has a transmitter near Orange City, Florida.

History

The station was assigned on February 9, 1987, with the call sign of WLSY. On December 10 of that year, the call sign was changed to WAYQ. In 1988, Beach TV Partners signed on WAYQ at channel 26 as a simulcast of Melbourne's WAYK, giving them a signal in Daytona Beach. In early August 1990, owner Beach Television Partners based in Vero Beach filed for Chapter 11 reorganization over an inability to renegotiation loan payment schedule. At the time, the station was only carried part-time on CableVision of Central Florida, Orlando's major cable system. WAYK was affiliated with the Beach TV investor, Harry Handley, who founded the Star Television Network.[2] The network launched in September 1990 only to close down on January 14, 1991.[3]

In 1992, WAYK and WAYQ were both sold to Robert Rich, who changed their format to feature more paid programming. The two stations' callsigns were respectively changed to WIRB and WNTO on July 22, 1996.

WVEN and WOTF

WVEN's logo prior to January 1, 2013.

In 1996, the two stations were split up with Paxson Communications acquiring WIRB (whose call letters would be changed to the present day WOPX-TV), while WNTO was purchased by Entravision Communications. On November 23, 2000, WVEN-TV became the station's call sign and the station also affiliated with Univision.

On December 4, 2017, as part of a multi-market realignment, the programming and call signs of WVEN-TV and sister station WOTF were swapped: WVEN-TV and its Univision programming moved to the Univision-owned channel 43 facility, while Entravision's digital channel 49 and virtual channel 26 facility became the new home of UniMás affiliate WOTF-TV.[4]

This was the new UniMás station logo until 2022.

On October 13, 2021, Univision announced it would take over operation of WVEN, as well as Tampa Bay Univision affiliate WVEA-TV, effective January 1, 2022, coinciding with the end of licensing agreements on December 31, 2021, effectively ending WOTF's UniMás affiliation.[5]

Technical information

Subchannels

The station's signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of WOTF-TV[6]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
26.1 1080i16:9WOTF-DTGrit
26.2 480iLATVLATV
26.3 CometComet
26.4 ChargeCharge!
26.5 CourtTVCourt TV
26.6 NewsmaxJewelry TV
26.7 ShopHQShopHQ

Analog-to-digital conversion

WOTF-TV (as WVEN-TV) ended programming on its analog signal, on UHF channel 26, on June 12, 2009, as part of the federally mandated transition from analog to digital television.[7] The station's digital signal continued to broadcast on its pre-transition UHF channel 49, using virtual channel 26.

Former translators

WOTF-TV (as WVEN-TV) also previously operated low-power analog translator stations WVCI-LP (channel 16) in Orlando and W46DB (channel 46) in Melbourne.

References

  1. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WOTF-TV". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ↑ Strother, Susan G. (August 11, 1990). "Independent Tv Stations Struggle To Work Out Financial Problems". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  3. ↑ Strother, Susan G. (January 17, 1991). "Tv Network Signs Off – Out Of Cash". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Cambios programación UniMas y Univision". Entravision Communications. November 10, 2017. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
  5. ↑ Marcial Ocasio, Jennifer A. (October 13, 2021). "Univision taking over Spanish-language TV stations in Orlando, Tampa". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Digital TV Market Listing for WOTF". RabbitEars.Info. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  7. ↑ List of Digital Full-Power Stations
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