WBIH

WBIH is a religious television station serving central Alabama. The station is licensed to Selma, while its broadcast service is directed toward the Montgomery area. Its transmitter is located in unincorporated western Autauga County, positioning the facility to reach viewers across the wider Montgomery market and surrounding communities. WBIH broadcasts on digital channel 29 and operates as part of Tri-State Christian Television, commonly known as TCT. The station was established in 2001. Unlike a commercial network affiliate whose schedule is primarily built around general entertainment, syndicated programming, or local news, WBIH is organized around religious television. Its programming identity is therefore associated with Christian ministry, worship, teaching, and related faith-oriented content distributed through the TCT network. The available reference material does not identify a separate locally developed product portfolio, major local-news operation, or independently marketed consumer service beyond the station's over-the-air television service. WBIH was initially associated with Flinn Broadcasting Corporation. In May 2020, Flinn announced an agreement to sell WBIH and three other stations—KCWV in Duluth, Minnesota; WWJX in Jackson, Mississippi; and WFBD in Destin, Florida—to Tri-State Christian Television, an Illinois-based religious broadcaster. The transaction was completed on September 15, 2020. Two days later, the stations became owned-and-operated outlets of the TCT network. The change placed WBIH within a larger religious broadcasting group and made it the second religious television station serving the Montgomery area. Religious television had previously entered the market through WMCF-TV, which switched to the Trinity Broadcasting Network in 1986. WBIH completed its transition from analog to digital broadcasting on May 22, 2006. It shut down its analog UHF channel 29 signal and simultaneously activated its digital transmission on the same UHF channel, a process known as a flash cut. Because the station received an original construction permit after the Federal Communications Commission finalized the digital television allotment plan in 1997, it was not assigned a separate companion channel for digital broadcasting. The station's public identity is primarily local and network-based rather than a broad national consumer brand. Its value lies in providing TCT programming to viewers in central Alabama through terrestrial television and associated digital subchannels. Ownership, executive, financial, and detailed programming information is limited in the cited reference material. As a result, WBIH is best understood as a regional broadcast station and religious-media outlet rather than as a standalone product brand.

WBIH is a religious television station licensed to Selma, Alabama, and serving the Montgomery television market. The station was founded in 2001 and broadcasts on UHF channel 29. Its transmitter is situated in western Autauga County, an unincorporated area that supports coverage of Montgomery and nearby communities. WBIH's original operating history was associated with Flinn Broadcasting Corporation. The station developed as a religious broadcaster rather than as a conventional commercial entertainment station, with its identity centered on faith-based programming. The available source material does not provide a detailed account of its original launch schedule, call-sign development, local staffing, or early ownership structure, so those aspects remain undocumented here. The station undertook its digital transition on May 22, 2006. On that date, WBIH discontinued its analog signal on UHF channel 29 and moved directly to digital operation on the same channel. This direct transition was a flash cut. WBIH did not receive a separate companion digital channel because its original construction permit was granted after the Federal Communications Commission had finalized the digital television allotment plan on April 21, 1997. A major change in WBIH's corporate and network identity occurred in 2020. On May 28 of that year, Flinn Broadcasting announced that it would sell WBIH together with KCWV in Duluth, Minnesota, WWJX in Jackson, Mississippi, and WFBD in Destin, Florida to Tri-State Christian Television, based in Marion, Illinois. The transaction was completed on September 15, 2020. Two days later, the four stations became owned-and-operated stations of the TCT network, bringing WBIH into a larger Christian broadcasting group. Following the transaction, WBIH became the second religious television station serving the Montgomery area. Religious broadcasting had already been present in the market since WMCF-TV adopted Trinity Broadcasting Network programming in 1986. WBIH's role within the market is therefore both local and network-oriented: it provides a terrestrial outlet for TCT content while retaining its station identity and Selma license. The public reference material does not identify WBIH executives, financial results, specific subchannel schedules, or major independent campaigns. Its principal offering remains digital religious television for central Alabama. The station's history is consequently defined by its 2001 establishment, its 2006 digital conversion, and its 2020 transfer from Flinn Broadcasting to Tri-State Christian Television.

• 2020

  Sale to Tri-State Christian Television announced

  [1]WBIHen.wikipedia.org

  Flinn Broadcasting announced the proposed sale of WBIH and three related stations to Tri-State Christian Television.

• 2020

  WBIH joins the TCT network

  [1]WBIHen.wikipedia.org

  The ownership transaction closed in September, after which WBIH became a Tri-State Christian Television owned-and-operated station.

• 2006

  Digital flash cut on channel 29

  [1]WBIHen.wikipedia.org

  WBIH shut down its analog UHF channel 29 signal and began digital broadcasting on the same channel.

• 2001

  Station founded

  [1]WBIHen.wikipedia.org

  WBIH was established as a television station licensed to Selma, Alabama, serving the Montgomery area.

A regional Christian television outlet delivering Tri-State Christian Television programming to central Alabama viewers through a digital terrestrial broadcast service.

• Digital terrestrial television station · 2001

  WBIH channel 29

  WBIH's core offering is its digital over-the-air television service on UHF channel 29. Licensed to Selma and transmitted from western Autauga County, the station serves viewers in and around the Montgomery market. Its schedule is primarily religious and is connected to the programming operations of Tri-State Christian Television.

• Christian television programming · 2020

  TCT religious programming

  Following the 2020 ownership change, WBIH became an owned-and-operated outlet of Tri-State Christian Television. Its principal programming proposition is therefore the distribution of TCT religious content, including Christian-oriented ministry and teaching programming. The cited material does not enumerate individual programs or a complete subchannel lineup.

• 2020

  Acquisition by Tri-State Christian TelevisionM&A

  Background

  Flinn Broadcasting sought to sell WBIH along with three other stations, while Tri-State Christian Television pursued an expanded network-owned station footprint.

  Action taken

  Flinn announced the sale on May 28, 2020. The transaction closed on September 15, and WBIH became a TCT owned-and-operated station two days later.

  Aftermath

  WBIH joined the TCT network and became the second religious television station serving the Montgomery area.

  Source

• 2006

  Conversion from analog to digital broadcastingStrategy

  Background

  Federal digital television planning required broadcasters to transition from analog transmission, and WBIH operated under an allotment that did not include a separate companion digital channel.

  Action taken

  WBIH ended its analog UHF channel 29 service and activated digital broadcasting on the same channel through a flash cut on May 22, 2006.

  Aftermath

  The station continued broadcasting digitally on channel 29, with no separate companion channel assigned.

  Source

1. 1WBIHen.wikipedia.org