WSHM-LP
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| WSHM | |
|---|---|
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| Springfield / Holyoke, Massachusetts | |
| Branding | CBS 3 Springfield |
| Slogan | Springfield's New Choice for Local News |
| Channels | Analog: 67 (UHF) Digital: 41 (UHF) & |
| Affiliations | CBS Weather (on DT3) |
| Owner | Meredith Corporation |
| Founded | 1988 (as TBN affiliate) November of 2003 (as CBS affiliate) |
| Call letters’ meaning | Springfield / Holyoke, Massachusetts |
| Sister station(s) | WFSB |
| Former callsigns | W42AU (1988-1994) W67DF (1994-2003) |
| Former affiliations | TBN (1988-2003) |
| Transmitter Power | 1.6 kW |
| Height | 265 m |
| Facility ID | 67980 |
| Transmitter Coordinates | |
| Website | cbs3springfield.com |
WSHM-LP, channel 67, is the CBS-affiliated television station for Springfield, Massachusetts that is owned by the Meredith Corporation. Its transmitter is located on Mount Tom in Holyoke and has studios at Monarch Place in downtown Springfield. Master control and some internal operations of WSHM are located at the studios of sister station WFSB on Capital Boulevard in Rocky Hill, Connecticut. That station serves as the CBS affiliate for the state of Connecticut except Fairfield County. WSHM is seen on channel 3 on most cable systems in the Pioneer Valley as well as DirecTV satellite. As a result, it is known on-air as CBS 3 Springfield.
Contents |
[edit] Digital signal
The station's digital signal is multiplexed.
| Channel | Programming |
|---|---|
| 67.1 / 41.1 | main WSHM programming / CBS SD |
| 67.3 / 41.3 | CBS 3 Springfield Now (24-hour local weather channel) |
Since its sign-on, WSHM has not broadcasted a digital signal of its own. Instead, it is offered on WFSB's second digital subchannel. There was an application filed with the FCC that called for WSHM to launch its own low-power, digital station on channel 49. It was dismissed in June of 2006. A previous application to move its analog signal to channel 45 was dismissed in 2004 at WSHM's request.
More recently, WSHM had a low-powered, digital station construction permit to build and use channel 41 from a transmitter located on the WHYN-FM tower on Mount Tom. The FCC approved it in early April of 2007. This new channel for WSHM will most likely be the new stronger digital signal upgrade that is described on the station's website. The launch is planned for sometime in 2008. According to current television listings, channel 41 has signed on although no on-air digital signals have been received yet. A high definition signal of WSHM became available on Comcast cable channel 803 on February 28, 2008. Previously, WFSB-DT has been offered on that channel.
Even if WSHM did not have a digital signal of its own, it would not be required to turn off its analog signal and turn on a digital signal because of its low powered status. This action, called a flash cut, will be mandatory for all high powered television stations on February 17, 2009.
[edit] History
WSHM-LP began its life as W42AU on channel 42, a low-power station and part of religious broadcaster Trinity Broadcasting's nationwide network. In 1994, it moved to channel 67 and was re-named W67DF. TBN sold the station to Meredith in 2003. At that point, WFSB was looking at setting up a separate Springfield operation, for reasons ranging from advertising to complaints from New England Patriots fans in weeks when WFSB chose to air other AFC games instead. In November of 2003, the channel was re-launched as WSHM-LP and it took WFSB's spot on most Massachusetts cable systems.
Prior to WSHM's launch, WFSB had a long legacy (dating back to 1965 when WHYN-TV, today's WGGB, ended its secondary affiliation with CBS) of being the default CBS affiliate in the Springfield market (the WHYN call letters now belong to a pair of Springfield area radio stations, which partner with WSHM for winter weather storm closings). WFSB bought syndicated programming for the Hartford / New Haven as well as the Springfield / Holyoke markets. It also blocked attempts by WGGB to switch affiliation from ABC to CBS. In August of 2006, WSHM redesigned its website. The station also changed their logo from one resembling sister station KPHO to a logo resembling (unrelated to) CBS affiliate KYW-TV. In April of 2007, WSHM redesigned its website again.
On May 25, 2007, WFSB's downtown Hartford studios were flooded by a water main break. The water damaged the station's remote trucks and its electrical and telephone systems. The flooding knocked out power and phone service to the building, which in turn caused WFSB to go dark. WSHM's master control was also affected and the station went black for about an hour mid-afternoon, and then intermittently throughout the evening. There were some points during the weekend that its "CBS 3 Springfield" IDs were being seen on WFSB, and WFSB's IDs were seen on WSHM. On June 27, the master controls of WFSB & WSHM were moved from WFSB's old studios at 3 Constitution Plaza in downtown Hartford to channel 3's new facilities in Rocky Hill.
[edit] News operation
In October of 2005, WSHM started a news department and began producing newscasts from its studios. Local news airs weeknights and Saturdays at 6 and 11 as well as on Sundays at 6:30 and 11. During its newscasts, WSHM uses WFSB's weather radar that is known as "Early Warning Pinpoint Doppler". It is renamed as "Live Doppler" for use on WSHM. The radar is located at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut which offers an even coverage area for the two stations. Right now, it is unknown if WSHM will produce weekday morning news.
The long-term ratings ramifications of WSHM starting up a newsroom and challenging established competitors WWLP and WGGB remain to be seen. WSHM has struggled to make a dent in the ratings of either station, particularly WWLP who has held the number 1 position in the local Nielsen ratings for over three decades.
WBZ-TV, the CBS affiliate for Boston, shares its resources with WSHM for news coverage of eastern Massachusetts. Along with CBS News, WSHM is also a CNN affiliate. The station offers a live stream of its 24-hour local weather channel, known as CBS 3 Springfield Weather Now, on its website. The weather channel is very similar to WFSB's Channel 3 Eyewitness News Now except there are no local news segments. With the sign-on of a digital signal of WSHM, the weather channel can now also be seen on its third digital subchannel. The station airs Better Springfield weekday mornings at 10.
[edit] News team
Anchors
- Doug Lezette - News Director seen on weeknights at 6
- Jennifer Thome - weeknights at 6 and 11
- Liz Tufts - weekends
- reporter
Meteorologists
- Brandon Butcher (AMS and NWA Seals of Approval) - Chief seen on weeknights
- Jeremy Schmidt - weekends
- Nick Morganelli (AMS Seal of Approval) - fill-in
Sports
- Scott Harris - Director seen on weeknights
- Jonathan Selig - weekends
- host of Bernie's Valley Sports Replay
- sports reporter
Reporters
- Lesley Tanner
- Miranda Grossman
- Matthew Campbell
- Matt DeLucia
- Justine Judge
[edit] Former personalities
- Tom Bevacqua - fill-in meteorologist
- Harry Cicma - now sports reporter and fill-in sports anchor at WJAR-TV
- Anne Ebeling - now reporter at Parents TV
- Lindsay Liepman - now anchor and reporter at WINK-TV
- Tracy McCain - now at WFMY-TV
- Kaitlyn Pratt - now reporter at WSAV-TV
- Amanda Raus - now reporter at WVIT
- John Rupolo - now reporter at WICU-TV
- Nadia Salomon - now freelancing at The Boston Globe
- Sam Sampieri - now producer and fill-in weather anchor at WTIC-TV
- Nick Spinetto - now reporter at WINK-TV
[edit] External links
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