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WLIO

Lima, Ohio United States
Channels	Digital: 8 (VHF) Virtual: 8
Branding	NBC Lima; Your News Now Fox Lima (8.2)
Programming
Affiliations	8.1: NBC 8.2: Fox/MyNetworkTV
Ownership
Owner	Block Communications (Lima Communications Corporation)
Sister stations	WOHL-CD, WAMS-LD, WPNM-LD
History
First air date	April 18, 1953 (71 years ago) (1953-04-18)
Former call signs	WLOK-TV (1953–1955) WIMA-TV (1955–1971)
Former channel number(s)	Analog: 73 (UHF, 1953–1955), 35 (UHF, 1955–2009) Digital: 20 (UHF, 2000–2001) Virtual: 35 (2000–2009)
Former affiliations	All secondary: DuMont (secondary, 1953–1956) CBS (secondary, 1953–1972) ABC (secondary, 1953–1982) The CW (35.2, via The CW Plus, 2006–2008)
Call sign meaning	Lima, Ohio
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	37503
ERP	40 kW
HAAT	170 m (558 ft)
Transmitter coordinates	40°46′31.6″N 84°7′14.2″W / 40.775444°N 84.120611°W / 40.775444; -84.120611
Links
Public license information	Public file LMS
Website	www.hometownstations.com

WLIO (channel 8) is a television station in Lima, Ohio, United States, affiliated with NBC and Fox. It is owned by Block Communications alongside low-power, Class A dual ABC/CBS affiliate WOHL-CD (channel 35). The two stations (and two repeaters)—which all operate under the collective banner of "Your Hometown Stations"—share studios on Rice Avenue northwest of downtown; WLIO's transmitter is located on Saint Clair Avenue north of downtown.

History

After the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) lifted their "freeze of 1948" for any additional television stations, WLOK, Inc., owner of WLOK (1240 AM) and WLOK-FM (103.3), filed an application on June 25, 1952, to broadcast on the UHF band; WLOK was one of 95 such filings across the country. As part of the application, WLOK proposed expanding the transmitter site of the radio stations—in use since their December 1936 launch—to house both television and radio production. WLOK's transmitter was located on a parcel of land at the intersection of Rice and Woodlawn Avenues, which necessitated a rezoning from residential to commercial. The FCC granted a permit for WLOK on November 20, 1952, to operate on channel 73; competing stations WIMA/WIMA-FM also applied for a permit and received one several weeks later on channel 35, initially planning to house WIMA-TV at the Cook Tower in Lima's downtown. WLOK-TV took to the air on April 18, 1953, becoming one of the first UHF stations to operate in the United States. George Condon, television critic for The Plain Dealer in Cleveland, witnessed WLOK-TV's debut, and praised the station for persevering through construction despite a factory strike preventing the station from getting all the necessary transmitter equipment in time.

In addition to live local shows, WLOK-TV carried programming from NBC, CBS and DuMont, all initially via kinescope and film. NBC filed a request to connect the station into the Bell System coaxial cable network and by September 1953, WLOK was carrying network programs live via microwave relay, signing on every day at noon.

WLOK radio and television was majority-owned by Lloyd Pixley, a famed Ohio State football player who purchased the radio stations from Fort Industry Broadcasting in 1951. In early November 1953, Pixley issued additional stock in WLOK, Inc., to Columbus-based interests that already held a stake in the stations, reducing his share to 34 percent. Several days later, Pixley suffered a heart attack while watching the 1953 Ohio State–Michigan game and was hospitalized ever since; Pixley died on July 30, 1954, at the age of 54. The same day, WLOK personnel were notified that the stations were in the process of being sold, but the buyer's name was not revealed. The buyer was named on October 30 as the Northwestern Ohio Broadcasting Company, parent of WIMA-AM-FM, acquiring WLOK for $750 in stock and $188,691 in assumed obligations.

As part of the deal, WLOK's license was to be shut down and the license surrendered due to FCC regulations banning one company from owning more than one AM station in a market. The FCC approved the deal on December 1, 1954, and WLOK ceased broadcasting seven days later. No loss in personnel took place, and Northwestern kept both WIMA and WLOK-TV operating at their existing studios. Northwestern applied to "move" WLOK-TV to channel 35 on December 7, 1954; the move took place on April 24, 1955, and the station was renamed WIMA-TV. A move to channel 14 was also considered but Northwestern opted to expedite the process by utilizing their existing channel 35 permit. Owing to WIMA's existing affiliation with ABC Radio, the station contracted to carry select ABC shows in late 1954, which it informally had been doing since earlier in the year.

It would eventually lose secondary affiliations with DuMont in 1956, CBS in 1972, and ABC in 1982.

The WIMA stations were split up in 1971, with the radio stations going to Lima Broadcasting Corporation, while WIMA-TV went to Lima Communications Corporation (despite the similarity in names, the two companies were unrelated), owned by the Toledo Blade newspaper and Midwestern Broadcasting of Toledo. As the radio stations kept the WIMA call sign, channel 35 was renamed WLIO (as FCC rules at the time had a restriction on TV and radio stations in the same market, but different ownership using the same call letters). The new owners assumed control on February 1, 1972. In October 1982, Blade Communications (now Block Communications) bought out Midwestern Broadcasting and became sole owner of the station. WLIO's digital signal on VHF channel 8 signed on November 18, 2002.

From late 1998 until September 18, 2006, WLIO operated cable-only WB affiliate "WBOH" in partnership with WB 100+. Specifically, this station performed sales and promotional duties for the cable-exclusive affiliate. After The WB and UPN merged in September 2006 to create The CW, "WBOH" became part of the new network as part of The CW Plus (under the "West Central Ohio CW" branding). WLIO launched a new second digital subchannel in order to offer non-cable subscribers access to the new network. On September 17, 2008, WLIO dropped The CW from its second digital subchannel and began transmitting NBC Weather Plus. The CW network reverted to cable-exclusive status in Lima. The cable channel slot was eventually taken over by WBDT from Dayton as the network's de facto affiliate.

On November 29, 2008, it was announced Metro Video Productions would sell its stations (WLQP-LP, WLMO-LP, and WOHL-CA in Lima, as well as WFND-LP in Findlay) to a Block Communications subsidiary, West Central Ohio Broadcasting. While Block assumed control of those station's operations after the sale's completion on February 5, 2009, it was initially stated the company would not close the WLQP/WLMO/WOHL facilities on South Central Avenue and consolidate them with WLIO. It has since been stated some consolidation would take place with the stations moving to WLIO's studios on Rice Avenue.

WLIO became digital-exclusive on June 12, 2009, after shutting down its analog signal on UHF channel 35. This cleared the way for WOHL-CA (channel 25) to change to digital on channel 35. The call letters were changed to WOHL-CD. On July 13, 2009, WLIO-DT2 became a primary Fox and secondary MyNetworkTV affiliate essentially becoming a second outlet in Lima for the two networks. WOHL-CA shut down its analog signal July 31, 2009. On September 28, 2009, WLQP terminated its analog operations and ABC programming was shifted to WOHL. Primary Fox and secondary MyNetworkTV programming seen on that station continued to be aired on WLIO-DT2 and cable.

Previously, WLIO-DT displayed its virtual channel as 35. However, when WOHL moved to digital channel 35 in August 2009, it began using virtual channel 35. Strictly followed, the virtual channel standard and FCC rules require that WOHL-CD use virtual channel 8 in this situation, corresponding to WLIO's physical channel. However, WLIO moved to virtual channel 8 instead to avoid the conflict, since it does not interfere with WISH-TV in Indianapolis and WJW in Cleveland. Other stations (including KJRW in Eureka, California, and formerly WOAY-TV in Oak Hill, West Virginia) have changed their virtual channel number to match their physical channel without asking the FCC for a waiver, avoiding sanctions as long as the desired channel is not otherwise in use in the service area. WOAY-TV has since reverted to its former analog channel number as its virtual channel number.

News operation

WLIO airs a one-hour morning broadcast at 6 a.m., which is simulcast on WOHL-CD 35.1. Both of WOHL-CD's channels—ABC on 35.1 and CBS on 35.2—simulcast WLIO news weeknights at 6 and 11 p.m.

Weeknights WLIO produces two half-hour newscasts (at 5 and 10) on 8.2. As 8.2 airs news at 5 p.m., it does not air on 8.1, which is a deviation from what has become common for "Big 3" network affiliates.

The only weekend newscasts produced by WLIO are the weekend evening newscasts on its main channel.

Past on-air staff

Adrian Cronauer was a staff announcer and personality at WIMA from 1965 until 1967. Before coming to Lima, his tour of duty in Vietnam and being a disk jockey on an Armed Forces radio station in Saigon later served as the inspiration for the 1987 Touchstone Pictures–released film Good Morning, Vietnam in which Cronauer was portrayed by Robin Williams.

Subchannels

The station's signal is multiplexed:

See also

• Channel 8 digital TV stations in the United States
• Channel 8 virtual TV stations in the United States

References

1. "Facility Technical Data for WLIO". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
2. ^ "History Cards for WLIO". Federal Communications Commission.
3. ^ "WLOK Files TV Channel Application". The Lima News. Lima, Ohio. July 1, 1952. p. 3. Retrieved December 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "New Radio Station on Air; Formal Dedication is Planned by Owner". The Lima News. Lima, Ohio. December 10, 1936. p. 2. Retrieved December 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Hearing Slated for TV Transmitter Zoning Plea". The Lima News. Lima, Ohio. June 24, 1952. p. 3. Retrieved December 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "WLOK Gets TV Green Light". The Lima News. Lima, Ohio. November 20, 1952. p. 1. Retrieved December 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "The Business Beat: Cuffnotes". The Lima News. Lima, Ohio. November 9, 1952. p. 47. Retrieved December 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Lima Will Get Television in 1953". The Lima News. Lima, Ohio. December 31, 1952. p. 56. Retrieved December 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Local Television Makes Debut Saturday Night". The Lima News. Lima, Ohio. April 17, 1953. p. 19. Retrieved January 1, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
10. Condon, George E. (April 20, 1953). "On the Air: Lima Residents Are Thrilled as First Television Station Comes to City". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 32. Retrieved January 1, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "WLOK-TV To Go On Coaxial Cable". The Lima News. Lima, Ohio. February 19, 1953. p. 2. Retrieved January 5, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Live TV Shows Aired By WLOK". The Lima News. Lima, Ohio. September 27, 1953. p. 33. Retrieved January 5, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
13. "Radio Station Transfers Okayed". Telegraph-Forum. Bucyrus, Ohio. United Press. March 31, 1951. p. 6. Retrieved December 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
14. "At Deadline: WCOL Application Filed". Broadcasting-Telecasting. Vol. 41, no. 10. September 3, 1951. p. 4.
15. "New Stock Issued By WLOK Owners". The Lima News. Lima, Ohio. November 12, 1953. p. 4. Retrieved December 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
16. "For the Record". Broadcasting-Telecasting. Vol. 41, no. 10. November 30, 1953. pp. 117–119, 122–124.
17. "L. A. Pixley, OSU Grid Great, Part Owner Of WLOK, Dies". The Lima News. Lima, Ohio. July 31, 1954. p. 1. Retrieved December 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
18. "Sale Of WLOK Announced To Station Staff". The Lima News. Lima, Ohio. July 30, 1954. p. 15. Retrieved December 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
19. "WIMA-WLOK Purchase Before U.S. Commission: Change In Channel Embodied In Request For Official OK". The Lima News. Lima, Ohio. November 4, 1954. p. 13. Retrieved December 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
20. "Sales, approvals total over $14 million in week". Broadcasting. Vol. 47, no. 18. November 1, 1954. pp. 50, 52, 54.
21. "FCC May Take 60 Days To Act On Sale Of WLOK To WIMA". The Lima News. Lima, Ohio. October 30, 1954. p. 2. Retrieved December 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
22. "WLOK Radio Leaves Air; TV Continues". The Lima News. Lima, Ohio. December 9, 1954. p. 4. Retrieved December 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
23. ^ "WLOK Radio May Leave Air Within Next Week". The Lima News. Lima, Ohio. December 2, 1954. p. 13. Retrieved December 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
24. ^ "WLOK-TV Shift To Channel 35 Slated April 24: Changes Required On Sets Operating With Strip Tuners". The Lima News. Lima, Ohio. March 17, 1955. p. 23. Retrieved December 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
25. "Phipps flips Lima low-power cluster". Television Business Report. November 29, 2008. Archived from the original on June 1, 2009. Retrieved December 1, 2008.
26. Sowinski, Greg (December 2, 2008). "WLIO owner buys Fox affiliate, other stations for $2.4 million". The Lima News. Archived from the original on December 6, 2008. Retrieved December 2, 2008.
27. Linkhorn, Tyrel (February 6, 2009). "Sale of WOHL to WLIO parent company complete". The Lima News. Retrieved March 29, 2009.
28. "CDBS Print".
29. "Application View ... Redirecting".
30. "Assignment of Major Channel Number Values for Terrestrial Broadcast in the U.S.". ATSC Standard: Program and System Information Protocol for Terrestrial Broadcast and Cable (Revision C) With Amendment No. 1 (PDF). ATSC. May 9, 2006.
31. "Stations Not Mapping to Analog Channel". RabbitEars.
32. Program schedule - Hometown Stations.com
33. "RabbitEars TV Query for WLIO". RabbitEars.info. Retrieved December 31, 2024.

External links

• Official website

• Lima, Ohio
• NBC affiliates
• Television channels and stations established in 1953
• 1953 establishments in Ohio
• Television stations in Lima, Ohio
• Fox Broadcasting Company affiliates