WOPX-TV
| Orlando, Florida United States |
|
|---|---|
| City of license | Melbourne, Florida |
| Branding | Ion Television |
| Slogan | Positively Entertaining |
| Channels | Digital: 48 (UHF) |
| Translators | WPXB-LD 50 Daytona Beach |
| Affiliations | Ion Television |
| Owner | Ion Media Networks, Inc. (Ion Media Orlando License, Inc.) |
| First air date | 1985 |
| Call letters' meaning | Orlando's PaX TV |
| Former callsigns | WAYK (1985-1992) WIRB (1992-1998) |
| Former channel number(s) | Analog: 56 (UHF, 1986-2009) |
| Former affiliations |
|
| Transmitter power | 1000 kW |
| Height | 456 m |
| Facility ID | 67602 |
| Transmitter coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. |
| Website | iontelevision |
WOPX-TV is a television station based in Orlando, Florida, USA. An affiliate of the Ion Television network, it transmits its digital signal on UHF channel 48, from a transmitter located near Holopaw. The station signed on the air in 1985.
Contents
Digital television
WOPX's digital signal is multiplexed:
Digital channels
| Channel | Video | Aspect | PSIP Short Name | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 56.1 | 720p | 16:9 | ION | Ion Television |
| 56.2 | 480i | 4:3 | qubo | Qubo |
| 56.3 | IONLife | Ion Life | ||
| 56.4 | Shop | Ion Shop | ||
| 56.5 | QVC | QVC | ||
| 56.6 | HSN | HSN |
Station History
WAYK
WAYK signed on in 1985 as an independent station. In 1988, Beach TV Partners signed on WAYQ at channel 26 as a simulcast of WAYK, giving them a signal in Daytona Beach. In early August 1990, owner Beach Television Partners based in Vero Beach filed for Chapter 11 reorganization over an inability to renegotiation loan payment schedule. At the time, the station was only carried part time on CableVision of Central Florida, Orlando's major cable system. WAYK was affiliated with the Beach TV investor, Harry Handley, founded Star Television Network.[1] The network launched in September 1990 only to close down on January 14, 1991.[2]
WIRB
In 1992, the stations were both sold to Robert Rich, who added more paid programming to the channels. WAYK became WIRB, and WAYQ became WNTO. WIRB continued as a low budget independent station but also aired some NBC programs that were not cleared by WESH most notably Leeza (before it went into syndication) and California Dreams. WIRB would air Florida Marlins baseball, Florida Panthers hockey, and Tampa Bay Lightning hockey to Central Florida from around 1993-1996. In 1996 Christian Television Network would buy WIRB (Paxson Communications, now ION Media Networks, took a LMA on the station at the same time) while Florida Media Broadcasters would buy WNTO (which would be later sold to Entravision and became WVEN). WIRB then ran religious shows in the morning, infomercials in the afternoon and evening, and Christian praise and worship music on overnights in addition to the NBC programs not cleared by WESH.
WOPX
In January 1998, Paxson bought the station from CTN and renamed it WOPX and continued with the same format until August 31, 1998.
On August 31, 1998 WOPX took the Pax TV affiliate on along with other stations owned by Paxson. Pax TV introduced family entertainment like dramas, movies, reality shows aimed at the family, game shows, and other programming.
Originally, Pax TV ran from noon to midnight, but has since reduced its schedule several times. It now runs from 6 pm to 11 pm, and there are no original programs on the network, which has been renamed ION. WOPX still fills the rest of its schedule with infomercials and religious shows. WOPX of recent has also carried Tampa Bay Rays Baseball and Tampa Bay Lightning hockey from ION's Tampa affiliate and produced by Fox Sports.
On September 4, 2004, WOPX showed the NASCAR Nationwide Series (then Busch) from Fontana due to local NBC (who at that time broadcast NBS races) affiliate WESH's coverage of Hurricane Francis.
Until the summer of 2005, WOPX had a JSA with WESH, which, during that time, WOPX aired a rebroadcast of WESH's 6 p.m. newscast at 7 p.m.. In July 2005, Paxson dissolved all relationships with other stations, mostly NBC stations—at that time, WESH's news repeats on WOPX ended.
On December 15, 2014, Ion reached a deal to donate WOPX-TV's low-power repeater in Daytona Beach, WPXB-LD (channel 50), to Word of God Fellowship, parent company of the Daystar network.[3]
