 | |
| |
|---|---|
| City | Princeton, New Jersey |
| Channels | |
| Branding | WMCN44 |
| Programming | |
| Affiliations |
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| Ownership | |
| Owner |
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| WTVE,WPHY-CD | |
| History | |
First air date | May 29, 1981; 43 years ago (1981-05-29)[a] |
Former call signs | WWAC-TV (1981–2003)[3] |
Former channel number(s) |
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| |
Call sign meaning | Market Connect Network |
| Technical information[4] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 9739 |
| ERP | 30 kW |
| HAAT | 294 m (965 ft) |
| Transmitter coordinates | 40°2′30.9″N75°14′21.9″W / 40.041917°N 75.239417°W /40.041917; -75.239417 |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Website | www |
WMCN-TV (channel 44) is atelevision station licensed toPrinceton, New Jersey, United States, serving thePhiladelphia area with programming fromShop LC. It is owned byWRNN-TV Associates alongsideWillow Grove, Pennsylvania–licensedindependentWTVE (channel 51) andTrenton, New Jersey–licensedClass A stationWPHY-CD (channel 25). WMCN-TV's studios are located on Dobbs Lane inCherry Hill, New Jersey. Through achannel sharing agreement withPBS member stationWHYY-TV (channel 12), WMCN-TV transmits using WHYY-TV's spectrum from an antenna in theRoxborough section of Philadelphia.
The station first signed on the air on May 29, 1981, as WWAC-TV, originally licensed toAtlantic City, New Jersey, and broadcasting onUHF channel 53.[5] The station changed its callsign to WMCN-TV in 2003. In 2009, the station was rebranded as "Get It On TV Philadelphia" to reflect its focus on the entire Philadelphia market, not just Atlantic City. Most of the station's programming consisted ofinfomercials, many of which were produced by WMCN for local companies. The remainder of WMCN's schedule was filled with several hours per week of regionalfaith-based telecasts as well aschildren's and community interest programming.
In 2011, WMCN obtained rights to broadcast games from theArena Football League'sPhiladelphia Soul, broadcasting a majority of their regular season games on the station.[6]
In 2012, the station was once again rebranded as "WMCN44", signaling a shift towards a more traditional independent station. WMCN also added several syndicated programs to its schedule, includingCold Case Files,Dog the Bounty Hunter andPunk'd. On September 10 of that year, WMCN announced that it would produce three new original weekly series:A New View, an issues-oriented show hosted by formerWTXF-TV (channel 29) personality Dawn Stensland,Tolly's Awesome Friends, a series centered on noteworthy locals hosted by ex-WTXF sports director Don Tollefson, andPhilly Sports Spotlight, a locally focused series hosted by formerWPVI-TV (channel 6) sports anchor Phil Andrews.[7]
On December 4, 2014, voluntary assignment of the station's license was changed from Lenfest Broadcasting, LLC to WMCN License Holdings, LLC, which had exactly the same ownership structure as Lenfest.[8][9]
In the fall of 2016, WMCN added programming fromNewsmax TV during the 4–6 p.m. and 8–9 p.m. hours, as well as nightly broadcasts of theCowtown Rodeo and motorsports newsmagazineRaceline TV, plus the weeklyRing of Honor Wrestling series.
In theFederal Communications Commission (FCC)'sincentive auction, WMCN-TV sold its spectrum for $63,144,027 and indicated that it would enter into a post-auction channel sharing agreement.[10] On July 14, 2017, NRJ TV, owner ofWPHY-CD, agreed to purchase WMCN for $6 million; on July 24, 2017, it assigned its right to acquire the station toWRNN-TV Associates in a deal not filed with the FCC until December.[11] On February 14, 2018, WMCN entered into a channel sharing agreement withPBS member stationWHYY-TV (channel 12);[1] as the WHYY-TV signal does not reach Atlantic City, WMCN has changed its city of license toPrinceton, New Jersey.[2]
As a result of the 2017 RNN acquisition, WMCN began simulcasting the programming of its parent company's primary station, New York-basedWRNN, thus extending its coverage into the Delaware Valley.
On May 20, 2021, RNN and iMedia Brands announced an agreement to affiliate most of RNN's television stations (including WMCN) withhome shopping networkShopHQ. WMCN began carrying ShopHQ programming on June 28, 2021.[12]
In August 2023, WMCN ceased carrying ShopHQ and replaced it withShop LC.
| License | Channel | Res. | Aspect | Short name | Programming |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WHYY-TV | 12.1 | 1080i | 16:9 | WHYY | PBS |
| 12.2 | 480i | WHYY2 | |||
| 12.3 | Ykids | PBS Kids | |||
| WMCN-TV | 44.1 | 720p | WMCN-HD | Shop LC | |
| 44.2 | 480i | 4:3 | The 365 | 365BLK | |
| 44.3 | Outlaw | Outlaw | |||
| 44.4 | HRTLAND | Heartland |
On August 22, 2011, WMCN announced that it would carryBounce TV on digital subchannel 44.2 starting on September 26, 2011.[15]
On December 15, 2014, WMCN-TV lost its affiliation with Bounce TV; sub-channel 44.2 was temporarily replaced withSMPTE color bars. Just over two weeks later, onDecember 31,Soul of the South Network took over the frequency.
WMCN discontinued regular programming on its analog signal, overUHF channel 53, in October 2002. The station's digital signal began operating on UHF channel 44,[16] instead of its former UHF analog channel 53, which was among the high band UHF channels (52–69) that were removed from broadcasting use as a result of thedigital television transition in 2009. WMCN was the first television station in the United States to receive permission from the FCC to discontinue its analog signal. The move to digitalchannel 44 was intended to provide better signal coverage of the Philadelphia market from a new transmitter location which would qualify formust-carry status oncable television in the metropolitan area.