WBMS-CA

WBMS-CA was a low-power, Class A television station licensed to Jackson, Mississippi. The station began broadcasting on November 30, 1987, under the call sign W10BD. It was established as an independent local outlet by Louisiana state senator Louis "Woody" Jenkins and his company, Great Oaks Broadcasting, which also owned television stations in Baton Rouge. The station operated on channel 10 and served the Jackson television market. During its existence, WBMS-CA passed through several ownership, call-sign, and affiliation changes. It joined the America's Voice network in December 1993. In the following year, Jenkins sold the station to Metrovision, a startup cable company, and the call sign was changed to WMVT-LP in 1995. In 1997, the station became WBMS-LP, later receiving the WBMS-CA Class A designation, and affiliated with UPN, with America One carried as a secondary service. In 2001, WBMS dropped UPN and made America One its primary affiliation. The station joined Pax in 2002 while retaining America One as a secondary affiliation, but this arrangement lasted only until June 2003. In June 2003, WBMS dropped both Pax and America One and returned to UPN programming. At that point it operated as a simulcast of WXMS-LP, another low-power Jackson-area station. Jackson Television, LLC acquired WBMS and WXMS in 2004, and the simulcast relationship continued for several years. By 2012, WBMS was still operating primarily as a retransmission of WXMS rather than as a fully differentiated local programming service. The station's over-the-air operation deteriorated after its analog transmitter failed on April 20, 2012. In July of that year, Vicksburg Broadcasting filed to sell WBMS-CA and WUFX to American Spirit Media. The proposed transaction also involved operational arrangements with Raycom Media, owner of Jackson NBC affiliate WLBT, through a shared-services agreement. American Spirit Media separately acquired WXMS-LP and WDBD from Roundtable Broadcasting. Although the transaction placed WBMS within American Spirit Media's ownership structure, the station was never returned to the air. On May 1, 2013, the Federal Communications Commission canceled the WBMS-CA license because the station had failed to broadcast for one year. The former station's website is associated with MeTV programming, but the supplied reference material does not establish a continuing WBMS broadcast operation.

WBMS-CA originated as W10BD, beginning broadcasts on November 30, 1987, in Jackson, Mississippi. The station was established by Louisiana state senator Louis "Woody" Jenkins through Great Oaks Broadcasting. Jenkins also owned WBTR and WTNC in Baton Rouge, giving the new Jackson outlet an ownership connection to his Louisiana television interests. Initially independent, the station later joined America's Voice on December 6, 1993. Jenkins sold the station to Metrovision, described in the reference material as a startup cable company, in 1994. Metrovision changed the call sign to WMVT-LP in 1995. In 1997, the station became WBMS-LP and subsequently operated under the WBMS-CA Class A designation. That year it joined UPN, while America One was carried as a secondary affiliation. The affiliation strategy changed in 2001, when WBMS dropped UPN and promoted America One to its primary network. In 2002, it joined Pax and moved America One back to secondary status. The Pax arrangement was short-lived. On June 1, 2003, WBMS dropped both Pax and America One and returned to UPN. Its UPN service was delivered as a simulcast of WXMS-LP, another low-power station serving the Jackson area. Jackson Television, LLC acquired WBMS and WXMS in 2004. The two stations continued to operate in a closely connected manner, and by 2012 WBMS remained a WXMS simulcast rather than presenting a fully independent schedule. A major operational setback occurred on April 20, 2012, when WBMS's analog transmitter failed. In July 2012, Vicksburg Broadcasting filed to sell WBMS-CA and WUFX to American Spirit Media. The proposed transaction included an arrangement under which Raycom Media, owner of WLBT, would take over certain operations through a shared-services agreement. American Spirit Media also acquired WDBD and WXMS-LP from Roundtable Broadcasting in the broader set of transactions. The WUFX license was to be sold to Tougaloo College, while the station would continue to be operated under a joint-sales arrangement. American Spirit Media never restored WBMS to broadcast service. After the station remained off the air for at least one year, the Federal Communications Commission canceled its license on May 1, 2013. WBMS-CA therefore became a defunct television station. The available material documents its broadcast history, ownership changes, network affiliations, transmitter failure, and license cancellation, but does not provide evidence of a substantial original news operation, major in-house programming slate, or continuing operations after the FCC cancellation.

• 2013

  FCC cancels the license

  [1]WBMS-CAen.wikipedia.org

  The FCC canceled the license on May 1 after the station failed to broadcast for a year.

• 2012

  Transmitter failure and proposed sale

  [1]WBMS-CAen.wikipedia.org

  The analog transmitter failed in April, and Vicksburg Broadcasting later filed to sell WBMS-CA to American Spirit Media.

• 2004

  Jackson Television acquires WBMS and WXMS

  [1]WBMS-CAen.wikipedia.org

  Jackson Television, LLC acquired the two related Jackson-area low-power stations.

• 2003

  WBMS returns to UPN simulcast

  [1]WBMS-CAen.wikipedia.org

  On June 1, WBMS dropped Pax and America One and resumed UPN programming as a WXMS-LP simulcast.

• 2002

  Pax affiliation begins

  [1]WBMS-CAen.wikipedia.org

  The station joined Pax and moved America One to secondary status.

• 2001

  America One becomes primary affiliation

  [1]WBMS-CAen.wikipedia.org

  WBMS dropped UPN and made America One its primary network affiliation.

• 1997

  UPN affiliation and WBMS identity

  [1]WBMS-CAen.wikipedia.org

  The station adopted the WBMS-LP call sign, later becoming WBMS-CA, and joined UPN with America One as a secondary affiliation.

• 1995

  Call sign changes to WMVT-LP

  [1]WBMS-CAen.wikipedia.org

  Metrovision changed the station's call sign to WMVT-LP.

• 1994

  Metrovision acquires the station

  [1]WBMS-CAen.wikipedia.org

  Louis Jenkins sold the station to Metrovision.

• 1993

  America's Voice affiliation begins

  [1]WBMS-CAen.wikipedia.org

  W10BD affiliated with America's Voice on December 6.

• 1987

  W10BD begins broadcasting

  [1]WBMS-CAen.wikipedia.org

  The station began broadcasting in Jackson on November 30 under the call sign W10BD as an independent outlet.

A small-market, low-power television outlet whose identity shifted among independent, network-affiliated, and simulcast operations.

• Low-power television broadcast · 1987

  WBMS channel 10

  The station's principal service was a low-power, Class A over-the-air television broadcast in the Jackson, Mississippi market. Its programming identity changed over time as it moved among independent operation, America's Voice, UPN, America One, Pax, and later a UPN simulcast arrangement with WXMS-LP.

• Television retransmission service · 2003

  WXMS-LP simulcast

  From 2003 and continuing into the period documented in 2012, WBMS carried programming as a simulcast of WXMS-LP. This arrangement reduced the station's distinct programming role and tied its broadcast identity to the related low-power station.

• 2013

  License cancellation after prolonged silenceOther

  Background

  WBMS remained off the air after its transmitter failure and did not resume broadcasting for one year.

  Action taken

  The Federal Communications Commission canceled the station's license on May 1.

  Aftermath

  WBMS-CA ceased to exist as a licensed television station.

  Source

• 2012

  Proposed sale to American Spirit MediaM&A

  Background

  The station's analog transmitter had failed, and Vicksburg Broadcasting pursued a broader transaction involving several Jackson-area television properties.

  Action taken

  Vicksburg Broadcasting filed to sell WBMS-CA and WUFX to American Spirit Media, with related operating arrangements involving Raycom Media.

  Aftermath

  American Spirit Media acquired the station but never returned WBMS to the air.

  Source

• 2003

  Return to UPN through WXMS-LP simulcastStrategy

  Background

  The Pax and America One affiliations were discontinued after a brief period.

  Action taken

  WBMS resumed UPN programming on June 1 as a simulcast of WXMS-LP.

  Aftermath

  The simulcast relationship remained in place through at least 2012.

  Source

• 2002

  Add Pax as the primary networkStrategy

  Background

  WBMS changed its network strategy again after making America One primary.

  Action taken

  Pax became the primary affiliation, with America One moved to secondary status.

  Aftermath

  The arrangement ended in June 2003 when the station dropped both services and returned to UPN.

  Source

• 2001

  Make America One the primary affiliationStrategy

  Background

  WBMS ended its UPN relationship as part of another programming realignment.

  Action taken

  The station dropped UPN and moved America One into the primary affiliation slot.

  Aftermath

  The station joined Pax the following year and later restored UPN.

  Source

• 1997

  Join UPN while retaining America One secondarilyStrategy

  Background

  After changes under Metrovision ownership, the station repositioned itself as a network-affiliated low-power outlet.

  Action taken

  WBMS joined UPN and carried America One as a secondary affiliation.

  Aftermath

  The affiliation mix was later changed several times before the station ultimately returned to UPN programming.

  Source

1. 1WBMS-CAen.wikipedia.org