WRIW-CD

Translator ofWYCN-LD, Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island United States
Channels	Digital: 2 (VHF), shared withWSBE-TV[1] Virtual: 51
Branding	Telemundo Providence Noticiero Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra (newscasts)
Programming
Affiliations	51.1:Telemundo 51.2:Cozi TV 51.3:Oxygen
Ownership
Owner	Telemundo Station Group (NBC Telemundo LicenseLLC)
Sister stations	Broadcast:WYCN-LD,WNEU,WBTS-CD,WVIT,WRDM-CD Cable:NECN,NBC Sports Boston
History
First air date	June 7, 1993 (32 years ago) (1993-06-07)
Former call signs	W23AS (1989–1995) WRIW-LP (1995–2008) WRIW-CA (2008–2013)
Former channel numbers	Analog: 23 (UHF, 1993–1999), 50 (UHF, 1999–2013) Digital: 50 (UHF, 2013–2015), 36 (UHF, 2015–2018), 17 (UHF, shared withWPXQ-TV andWLWC, 2018–2021) Virtual: 50 (2012–2018)
Former affiliations	Independent (1993–1995) America One (1995–2000)
Call sign meaning	Rhode Island,Warwick
Technical information[2]
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	70184
Class	CD
ERP	13.6 kW[1]
HAAT	273.4 m (897 ft)[1]
Transmitter coordinates	41°51′55.4″N71°17′12.7″W / 41.865389°N 71.286861°W /41.865389; -71.286861[1]
Links
Public license information	Public file LMS
Website	www.telemundonuevainglaterra.com/noticias/local/rhode-island/

WRIW-CD (channel 51) is aClass A television station inProvidence, Rhode Island, United States. It is astandard-definitiontranslator ofTelemundoowned-and-operated stationWYCN-LD (channel 8) which is owned by theTelemundo Station Group subsidiary ofNBCUniversal. WRIW-CD's parent station maintains studios on Kenney Drive inCranston (shared withNBC affiliateWJAR [channel 10], owned by theSinclair Broadcast Group).

Under achannel sharing arrangement,^[1] WRIW-CD shares transmitter facilities withPBS member stationWSBE-TV (channel 36) on Pine Street inRehoboth, Massachusetts. Despite WRIW-CD legally holding alow-power Class A license, it transmits using WSBE-TV's full-power spectrum. This ensures complete reception across the Providence–New Bedford, Massachusettstelevision market.

At one point, the station broadcastEnglish-language programming, including locally produced programs hosted by former air talent atWHIM.^[3] WRIW-LP became a Telemundo affiliate in 2000;^[4]ZGS Communications then acquired the station from Viking Broadcasting in 2003.^[5][6]

On July 29, 2012, WRIW-CA began broadcasting its signal in digital from theWJAR tower inRehoboth, Massachusetts, and subsequently changed its call sign to WRIW-CD on January 7, 2013.^[7]

On December 4, 2017,NBCUniversal'sTelemundo Station Group announced its purchase of ZGS' 13 television stations, including WRIW-CD. This made WRIW the second television station in the Providence market to have been an owned-and-operated station under NBC ownership—after WJAR (channel 10, now an NBC affiliate owned bySinclair Broadcast Group), which was owned by the network from 1996 to 2006.^[8] The sale was completed on July 20, 2018.^[9]

In October 2019, WRIW-CD began simulcasting low-powerWYCN-LD in order to reach the entire Providence−New Bedford market (the latter station changed its city of license to Providence and moved its transmitter toNorton, Massachusetts).

WRIW-CD began simulcasting the newscasts of Boston sister stationWNEU on July 20, 2018, immediately following the completion of the sale to NBCUniversal. In the announcement, WNEU president and general manager Mike St. Peter stated his intention to hire a Providence-based reporter for the newscast.^[10]

• Official website

• 1993 establishments in Rhode Island
• Low-power television stations in Rhode Island
• Spanish-language television stations in the United States
• Telemundo Station Group
• Television channels and stations established in 1993

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