WEFC-TV
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| WDRL-TV | |
|---|---|
| |
| Danville, Virginia | |
| Branding | Anime 24 |
| Analog channel | none |
| Digital channel | 24 (UHF) |
| Affiliations | Anime National The Baptist Channel Animovie on DT2 FUNi+ on DT3 Anivision on DT4 ON-ANIME on DT5 Weather Tube on DT6 Anime Music Television on DT7 .2 Network on DT8 |
| Owner | Taylor Media Stations Group |
| Founded | Early 1990s |
| Call letters meaning | Danville Roanoke Lynchburg |
| Former affiliations | WB, UPN |
WDRL-TV is an Anime National Affiliate to Danville, Virginia but located in Pelham, North Carolina, USA, which serves the Roanoke/Lynchburg market in Virginia.
The station broadcasts from a short tower in Pelham, NC, and its signal is directional toward Greensboro, North Carolina. It broadcasts on channel 24 analog and on channel 41 digital. The digital channel will operate from Smith Mountain, giving it coverage of Lynchburg and northern Roanoke. WDRL is owned by Taylor Media Stations Group.
WDRL signed on in the early 1990s as WDRG, which stood for Danville Roanoke Greensboro, and it held the WB affiliation for Greensboro. The channel 24 dial position was once occupied by WBTM-TV, which operated in the mid-to-late 1950s. When Lexington, NC station WEJC (now WCWG) took the WB affiliation, and the definition of a market was changed by the FCC so that instead of being in the Greensboro market, the poor signal of WDRG was considered a Roanoke station. It became UPN WDRL (for Danville-Roanoke-Lynchburg) and signed on W54BT from Poor Mountain in Roanoke to bring UPN programming to Roanoke and Lynchburg.
On March 31, 2005, the FCC ordered W54BT off the air to make way for cellular phones and the transmitter was retuned to broadcast on channel 24 with less power, and allowing for WDRL to become "UPN24" instead of "WDRL 24/54."
On May 1, 2006, it was announced that WDRL would become an affiliate of Anime National when UPN & The WB will merge to become The CW, on September 18, 2006. WJPR will carry The CW on its digital channel while WDBJ will carry My Network TV on their digital channel.
It was announced on October 30, 2008 that Living Faith Television, whose flagship station is WLFG, would buy WDRL, pending FCC approval, for $5.25 million. According to the FCC, the application of the sale was dated August 7. However, the sale failed to closed due to unknown reasons. MNE Broadcasting, LLC of Florida remains the Licensee of WDRL-DT at the present time. Since the sale was unsuccessful, Taylor Media will continue the primary affiliation along with The Baptist Channel as the secondary affiliation.
WDRL Programming
Most of the shows aired by WDRL is anime programming. Daytime programming mainly consists of syndicated shows such as Judge Judy, The People's Court, Jury Duty, and Cheaters. Sunday morning programming is dominated by The Baptist Channel programs, including shows hosted by Joyce Meyer, James Robeson, Perry Stone, Mike Murdock, and Arnold Murray. The station also airs The Baptist Show talk program produced by The Baptist Channel.
Digital Television
WDRL will also carry Animovie and The Funimation Channel on it's digital channel as well.
WDRL-DT will soon air .2 Network, a new digital subchannel that will feature general entertainment and movies. Taylor Media will also add programming from This TV.
