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Lexington, Kentucky United States |
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Branding | ABC 36 (general) ABC 36 News (news) MyKentuckyTV (on DT2) |
Slogan | Your Neighbors. Your News. |
Channels |
Digital: 40 (UHF) Virtual: 36 () |
Subchannels | 36.1 ABC 36.2 MyNetworkTV 36.3 Justice Network 36.4 Laff 36.5 Escape 36.6 Antenna TV |
Affiliations | ABC |
Owner |
Morris Multimedia (WTVQ-TV, LLC) |
First air date | September 7, 1968 |
Call letters' meaning | We Tell Viewers Quicker or TeleVision |
Former callsigns | WBLG-TV (1968–1974) WTVQ-TV (1974–2009) |
Former channel number(s) |
Analog: 62 (UHF, 1968–1980) 36 (UHF, 1980–2009) |
Transmitter power | 635 kW |
Height | 286 metres (938 ft) |
Facility ID | 51597 |
Transmitter coordinates | 38°2′2.8″N 84°23′37.6″W / 38.034111°N 84.393778°W |
Licensing authority | FCC |
Public license information: |
Profile CDBS |
Website |
WTVQ.com MyTVQ2 WTVQ Antenna TV |
WTVQ-DT is the ABC-affiliated television station for Lexington, Kentucky. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 40 from a transmitter located at the station's studios on the outer loop of Man o' War Boulevard (a.k.a. KY 1425) in the Brighton section of Fayette County. By coincidence, competitor WKYT-TV's studios are just across Winchester Road from the Channel 36 facilities. WTVQ-DT is owned by Morris Multimedia. Syndicated programming on the station includes Judge Judy, Entertainment Tonight, and Extra.
WTVQ-DT is also seen on Charter Spectrum in the Lexington area on channels 10 (SD) and 908 (HD).
The station launched as WBLG-TV on September 7, 1968 and was located on channel 62. At the time, this was one of the highest full-power television channels assigned in the country. It was founded by Lexington area businessman Roy White and Reeves Broadcasting along with WBLG radio (AM 1300, now WLXG), and was the third commercial television station to begin broadcasting in the Lexington market.
From the first day of operation, and because of its radio sister's affiliation with ABC, WBLG was the ABC affiliate for central Kentucky. WKYT, the former primary affiliate with ABC, became the CBS affiliate. Reeves Broadcasting went into bankruptcy and eventually White ended up as the sole owner of WTVQ-TV. In 1974, the station changed its call letters to the current WTVQ-TV after White sold the TV station to Starr Broadcasting company, while White retained ownership of WBLG radio. Eventually, Starr Broadcasting also went into bankruptcy. In 1979, Shamrock Broadcasting purchased the station from Starr Broadcasting. Shamrock was wholly owned by Roy Disney, nephew of Walt and son of Walt's brother Roy. In 1980, Shamrock installed a new 1.5 million watt transmitter and moved WTVQ from channel 62 to channel 36 in June of that year (channel 62 later carried the now-defunct WBLU-LP). The station underwent a major renovation in 1985 that doubled the existing office space and created all new technical facilities. On January 30, 1992, Park Broadcasting purchased WTVQ from Shamrock Broadcasting.