WRIW-CD

WRIW-CD, virtual channel 51 (UHF digital channel 17), is a Class A television station licensed to Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is a standard-definition translator of Telemundo owned-and-operated station WYCN-LD (channel 8) which is owned by the Telemundo Station Group subsidiary of NBCUniversal (itself a subsidiary of Comcast). WRIW-CD's parent station maintains studios on Kenney Drive in Cranston (shared with NBC affiliate WJAR [channel 10], owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group).

WRIW-CD
Translator of WYCN-LD, Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
United States
ChannelsDigital: 17 (UHF)
(shared with WPXQ-TV and WLWC[1])
Virtual: 51 (PSIP)
BrandingTelemundo Providence (general)
Noticiero Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra (newscasts)
Programming
Affiliations51.1: Telemundo (O&O)
Ownership
OwnerTelemundo Station Group
(a subsidiary of NBCUniversal)
(NBC Telemundo License LLC)
broadcast: WYCN-LD, WNEU, WBTS-CD, WVIT, WRDM-CD
cable: NECN, NBC Sports Boston
History
First air date
June 7, 1993 (1993-06-07)
Former call signs
  • W23AS (1989–1995)
  • WRIW-LP (1995–2008)
  • WRIW-CA (2008–2013)
Former channel number(s)
  • Analog:
  • 23 (UHF, 1993–1999)
  • 50 (UHF, 1999–2013)
  • Digital:
  • 50 (UHF, 2013–2015)
  • 36 (UHF, 2015–2018)
  • Virtual:
  • 50 (PSIP, 2012–2018)
Independent (1993–1995)
America One (1995–2000)
Call sign meaning
W Rhode Island, Warwick
Technical information
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID70184
ClassCD
ERP1,000 kW
HAAT228 m (748 ft)
Transmitter coordinates41°29′41″N 71°47′4″W
Links
Public license information
Profile
LMS
Websitewww.telemundonuevainglaterra.com

Under a channel sharing arrangement, WRIW-CD shares transmitter facilities with Newport-licensed Ion Television owned-and-operated station WPXQ-TV (channel 69) on Champlin Hill in Hopkinton, Rhode Island. Despite WRIW-CD legally holding a low-power Class A license, it transmits using WPXQ-TV's full-power spectrum. This ensures complete reception across the Providence–New Bedford, Massachusetts television market.

History

At one point, the station broadcast English-language programming, including locally produced programs hosted by former air talent at WHIM.[2] WRIW-LP became a Telemundo affiliate in 2000;[3] ZGS Communications then acquired the station from Viking Broadcasting in 2003.[4][5]

On July 29, 2012, WRIW-CA began broadcasting its signal in digital from the WJAR tower in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, and subsequently changed its call sign to WRIW-CD on January 7, 2013.[6]

On December 4, 2017, NBCUniversal's Telemundo 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 by Sinclair Broadcast Group), which was owned by the network from 1996 to 2006.[7] The sale was completed on July 20, 2018.[8]

In October 2019, WRIW-CD began simulcasting low-power WYCN-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 to Norton, Massachusetts).

Digital channel
Channel Video Aspect PSIP Short Name Programming [9]
51.1480i16:9WRIW-CDSimulcast of WYCN-LD / Telemundo

Newscasts

WRIW-CD began simulcasting the newscasts of Boston sister station WNEU 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]

References
  1. "WRIW / WPXQ CSA". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. April 3, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  2. Fybush, Scott (April 23, 1998). "New TV in Maine". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved September 19, 2009.
  3. Fybush, Scott (November 6, 2000). "WILD's New Owner, And Some Changes at NERW". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved September 19, 2009.
  4. "Application for Consent to Assign Construction Permit or License for TV or FM Translator Station or Low Power Television Station or to Transfer Control of Entity Holding TV or FM Translator or Low Power Television Station". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. August 14, 2002. Retrieved September 19, 2009.
  5. "Application Search Details". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Archived from the original on December 13, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2009.
  6. "Application Search Details". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved July 30, 2013.
  7. Miller, Mark K. (December 4, 2017). "NBCU Adding ZGS Stations To Telemundo". TVNewsCheck. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
  8. "Consummation Notice". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  9. Digital TV Market Listing for WRIW-CD RabbitEars.Info. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
  10. "TELEMUNDO BOSTON'S "NOTICIERO TELEMUNDO NUEVA INGLATERRA" WEEKDAY NEWSCASTS TO AIR IN PROVIDENCE THROUGH TELEMUNDO PROVIDENCE / WRIW" (Press release). Newton, Massachusetts: NBCUniversal. July 20, 2018. Retrieved July 25, 2018.


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