WASA-LD

WASA-LD is a low-power television station licensed to Port Jervis, New York, and serving the broader New York City metropolitan area. The station operates on digital channel 25 while using virtual channel 24, and its transmitter is located at One World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan. Its current and recent programming identity has been shaped by a succession of owners, affiliations, and technical changes rather than by a standalone consumer brand. The station traces its history to the 1970s, when it operated as W64AA, a UHF translator associated with Metromedia's WNEW-TV, now WNYW. The translator network was created to improve television reception in parts of New York City affected by the construction of the World Trade Center. At that time, many New York stations transmitted from the Empire State Building, and the new high-rise complex reduced reliable reception for some viewers. Relocating transmitters and using UHF translators helped address those coverage problems. The original channel 64 operation was eventually discontinued after the Federal Communications Commission reassigned television channels 70 through 83 for advanced mobile telephone service. The allocation was briefly used again by WPIX as a temporary translator after the September 11 attacks, but that service ended when WPIX restored its primary coverage. A successor station, W64CW, signed on in 2003 under Venture Technologies with low-power facilities near Port Jervis, at the junction of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Its call sign became WASA-LP in 2007 and later WASA-LD after the station moved to digital broadcasting. During its early years under Venture Technologies, WASA carried infomercials, specialty programming, and temporary digital subchannels. It also experimented with Chinese-language and English-language programming associated with Information Culture News. Technical reliability was an issue during part of this period, including recurring picture interruptions and a looping local video service. The station transitioned to digital operation in 2010, using digital channel 25, and subsequently changed its virtual channel from 64 to 24. In 2009, Venture Technologies announced an agreement to sell WASA to Liberman Broadcasting for $6 million. The transaction closed on March 1, 2010. Liberman subsequently integrated the station into its Estrella TV network, and by 2012 WASA had replaced its infomercial schedule with Estrella TV programming. Liberman Broadcasting was reorganized as Estrella Media in 2020 under private-equity ownership. Estrella Media was later acquired by MediaCo in 2025, making MediaCo the station's current owner. The station's Estrella TV affiliation was scheduled to end on March 31, 2026. MediaCo announced that WASA-LD would instead carry Hot 97 TV, a free ad-supported television service produced by WQHT, the New York radio station known as Hot 97. The planned change would shift WASA's programming emphasis from Spanish-language general entertainment to hip-hop music and culture programming associated with MediaCo's urban-media portfolio.

WASA-LD developed from New York-area television translator facilities created to address reception problems caused by the construction of the World Trade Center. In the 1970s, the station operated as W64AA on UHF channel 64 and relayed WNEW-TV, the station now known as WNYW. Most New York television transmitters were then based at the Empire State Building, but the growing World Trade Center complex interfered with reception for some viewers. UHF translator stations and transmitter relocations were used to improve coverage, with several broadcasters moving facilities to the World Trade Center in 1975. The original channel 64 translator was later discontinued after the Federal Communications Commission removed television use of channels 70 through 83 and reassigned those frequencies to the Advanced Mobile Phone System. WPIX temporarily used the channel 64 allocation as a translator after the September 11 attacks in 2001, but that temporary service ended after WPIX restored its normal coverage. The allocation remained inactive until a new low-power operation was established. Venture Technologies launched W64CW on January 30, 2003. The station initially operated with approximately 30 watts from a site west of downtown Port Jervis, near the point where New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania meet. The call sign changed to WASA-LP on January 12, 2007. The station explored an Estrella TV affiliation in 2008, but that network was instead placed on a WPIX digital subchannel at the time. Before adopting a stable network identity, WASA carried a rotating schedule of infomercials and other specialty services. Its primary channel reportedly repeated a small set of half-hour infomercial programs around the clock. The station also offered a local slideshow service and experimented with English- and Chinese-language feeds connected with Information Culture News. Some early digital operations experienced recurring interruptions and picture breakups, which were associated with the station's temporary programming configuration. The infomercial loop was discontinued in January 2011 and restored in April of that year. Venture Technologies announced the sale of WASA to Liberman Broadcasting in April 2009. The $6 million transaction closed on March 1, 2010, expanding Liberman's presence into the New York market. WASA completed a digital flash cut in 2010, changing its call sign from WASA-LP to WASA-LD. Although its digital assignment was channel 25, the station ultimately used virtual channel 24. The virtual-channel arrangement reflected the use of channel 25 as the established public identity of WNYE-TV, whose actual digital assignment is channel 24. By 2012, WASA had become an Estrella TV affiliate, replacing much of its previous infomercial-oriented schedule with Spanish-language network programming. Liberman Broadcasting was renamed Estrella Media in 2020 after a corporate reorganization under HPS Investment Partners. MediaCo acquired Estrella Media in 2025, bringing WASA-LD into the MediaCo portfolio. On March 30, 2026, MediaCo announced a further programming change. Effective March 31, the station was scheduled to discontinue Estrella TV and carry Hot 97 TV, a free ad-supported television channel produced by WQHT, MediaCo's New York urban contemporary radio station. The planned affiliation would make WASA-LD the second U.S. television station associated with Hot 97 TV, following an Atlanta outlet identified in the station's reference material. This change represents a shift from Spanish-language general entertainment toward programming focused on hip-hop music and culture.

• 2026

  Hot 97 TV transition announced

  [1]WASA-LDen.wikipedia.org

  MediaCo announces that WASA-LD will replace Estrella TV with Hot 97 TV beginning March 31.

• 2025

  MediaCo acquires Estrella Media

  [1]WASA-LDen.wikipedia.org

  WASA-LD becomes part of MediaCo through the acquisition of Estrella Media.

• 2020

  Liberman Broadcasting is reorganized as Estrella Media

  [1]WASA-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The station's corporate parent is renamed Estrella Media following a reorganization under HPS Investment Partners.

• 2012

  Estrella TV affiliation begins

  [1]WASA-LDen.wikipedia.org

  WASA-LD replaces its prior infomercial-oriented schedule with Estrella TV programming.

• 2010

  Digital conversion and Liberman acquisition

  [1]WASA-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The station completes a digital flash cut and changes to WASA-LD; Liberman Broadcasting's purchase from Venture Technologies closes on March 1.

• 2007

  Call sign changes to WASA-LP

  [1]WASA-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The station adopts the WASA-LP call sign.

• 2003

  W64CW signs on

  [1]WASA-LDen.wikipedia.org

  Venture Technologies launches a new low-power station on channel 64 serving the Port Jervis area.

• 1982

  Upper UHF television channels are removed from television use

  [1]WASA-LDen.wikipedia.org

  Channels 70 through 83 are reassigned for mobile telephone service, contributing to the eventual discontinuation of the original channel 64 translator operation.

• 1975

  New York television transmitters move to the World Trade Center

  [1]WASA-LDen.wikipedia.org

  Several New York broadcasters relocate transmission facilities to the World Trade Center after construction affects reception from the Empire State Building.

• 1970

  W64AA operates as a New York television translator

  [1]WASA-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The station's predecessor operates on UHF channel 64 as a translator relaying WNEW-TV and helping address reception difficulties in New York City.

A low-power New York metropolitan television outlet whose programming identity has shifted from infomercials and specialty services to Spanish-language Estrella TV programming and, subsequently, urban music and culture programming through Hot 97 TV.

• Television broadcasting

  WASA-LD over-the-air television service

  The station's core offering is a low-power digital television signal licensed to Port Jervis and serving viewers in the New York City metropolitan area. Its broadcast facilities transmit from One World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan. The station uses virtual channel 24 while operating on digital channel 25.

• Spanish-language television network affiliation · 2012

  Estrella TV affiliation

  From approximately 2012 until the announced March 2026 programming change, WASA-LD carried Estrella TV programming. The affiliation replaced an earlier schedule dominated by infomercials and gave the station a Spanish-language general-entertainment identity in the New York market.

• Free ad-supported television · 2026

  Hot 97 TV

  Hot 97 TV is the announced replacement for Estrella TV on WASA-LD. Produced by WQHT, MediaCo's New York urban contemporary radio station, the service is designed around hip-hop music and culture programming.

• 2026

  Replacement of Estrella TV with Hot 97 TVStrategy

  Background

  MediaCo announced a new television service tied to WQHT, its New York urban contemporary radio station, with a programming focus on hip-hop music and culture.

  Action taken

  WASA-LD was scheduled to discontinue Estrella TV and begin carrying Hot 97 TV on March 31, 2026.

  Aftermath

  The planned change would reposition the station from Spanish-language general entertainment toward urban music and culture programming.

  Source

• 2012

  Adoption of Estrella TV programmingStrategy

  Background

  After the Liberman acquisition, WASA-LD had an opportunity to replace its unstable mix of infomercials and specialty programming with a consistent network schedule.

  Action taken

  The station switched to Estrella TV programming.

  Aftermath

  WASA-LD became a Spanish-language network outlet in the New York metropolitan market.

  Source

• 2010

  Transition from analog low-power operation to digital broadcastingGeneration change

  Background

  WASA-LP operated as a low-power analog station and was not required to cease analog broadcasting at the same time as full-service stations during the 2009 digital transition.

  Action taken

  The station built a digital transmitter, completed a flash cut in 2010, and adopted the WASA-LD call sign.

  Aftermath

  The station operated digitally on channel 25 while using virtual channel 24.

  Source

• 2009

  Sale to Liberman BroadcastingM&A

  Background

  Venture Technologies sought to transfer ownership of WASA-LD to Liberman Broadcasting, expanding Liberman's television presence into the New York market.

  Action taken

  The parties announced a $6 million sale in April 2009, and the transaction closed on March 1, 2010.

  Aftermath

  The station later became an Estrella TV affiliate and moved away from its earlier infomercial-centered schedule.

  Acquisition price. $6 million (Announced April 2009; closed March 1, 2010)

  Source

1. 1WASA-LDen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Estrella TVestrellatv.com