WTVE
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| WTVE | |
|---|---|
| Reading, Pennsylvania | |
| Branding | Philadelpia's RTN 51 |
| Analog channel | 51 (VHF) |
| Digital channel | none |
| Affiliations | RTN ShopNBC Worship Network The Baptist Channel on DT2 |
| Owner | Taylor Media Stations Group |
| Founded | May 4, 1980 |
| Call letters meaning | |
| Former affiliations | SelecTV, Independent |
WTVE is a Reading, Pennsylvania television station broadcasting programing from the Retro Television Network, ShopNBC and the Worship Network on channel 51. It has operated since May 4, 1980[1].
Programming of various types was seen on the station, including at one point Telemundo. A local newscast was established in 2000, entitled "Philly TV News". It was an attempt to build up the station as a player in the Philadelphia TV news arena, but the production failed to attract viewers and was cancelled.
WTVE also aired nightly newscasts from its on-air inception in 1980 until late 1983 when programming shifted to an over-the-air pay-per-view movie format called SelecTV. The original news programs were called "TV51 Total News" and aired at 5:30 and 10pm weeknights. Total News was targeted primarily at viewers in Berks and Schuylkill Counties in an effort to fill a local news void for those people living on the far western edge of the Philadelphia DMA. Original TV 51 newscasters included Bob Smith (longtime WEEU radio newsman), Frank Mooney (longtime Reading radio and TV personality and "voice" of Boscov's department stores), and Ross MacCallum (sports). Later Suzy Sands (local radio personality and newscaster)joined the news team to anchor the 10pm news. Weekend newscasts were anchored by Mike Reinert and Karen Kaye. At this same time, Jeffrey D. Miller (one-time "Night Mayor" on Reading radio) hosted a late night talk show called "NightBeat". Miller also anchored and reported for the nightly news programs. TV51 also aired "Independent Network News" at 10:30pm. The program was produced by WPIX in New York and delivered via satellite to independent stations around the country in the days before Fox, UPN, CW, etc. In this era, WTVE was known for airing Berks and Schuylkill County high school football games via tape delay on Saturday evenings. Albright College basketball was also broadcast in a similar manner. (Photos in the history section of WTVE's offcial website feature Frank Mooney, Bob Smith, and Ross MacCallum and were taken circa fall 1980).
WTVE's studio and transmitter are located in Reading; its signal barely reaches Philadelphia's suburbs and Lebanon, which is in the eastern part of the Harrisburg market. As a result, WTVE depends on "must-carry" rules to reach home-market Philadelphia viewers on cable.
WTVE originally had a repeater in Philadelphia on WWJT-LP channel 7, but it has since gone dark.
They have aired various Pennsylvania Football. Last Year they broadcast 4 Albright College Football games. And this year they will be an affiliate for the PASportsfever Network. In addition, Temple University's newscast "Temple Update" airs on the station on Mondays at 7:30am.
Digital Signal
WTVE is one of the first station in the US to transmit its digital signal using a so-called "Distributed Transmission System." [2] WTVE has received special temporary authority from the FCC to operate WTVE-DT via 8 low-powered transmitters scattered across its coverage area, rather than relying on one large signal.
The station transmits from sites in or near:
WTVE-DTS1 Reading, PA (225m 0.76kW DA) WTVE-DTS2 Bethlehem, PA (155m 2.8kW DA) WTVE-DTS3 North East, MD (87m 0.11kW DA) WTVE-DTS4 Quarryville, PA (193m 1.0kW DA) WTVE-DTS5 Myerstown, PA (63m 1.15kW DA) WTVE-DTS6 Lambertville, NJ (95m 0.6kW DA) WTVE-DTS7 Philadelphia, PA (378m 126kW DA) WTVE-DTS8 Brockton, PA (138m 4.25kW DA)
