WDEM-CD
WDEM-CD is a low-power Class A television station serving Columbus, Ohio, whose digital programming has included local, Spanish-language, shopping, sports, and digital multicast networks.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
WDEM-CD is a low-power, Class A television station licensed to Columbus, Ohio, and serving the surrounding Columbus television market. The station began broadcasting in 1987 under the call sign W17AI. Its early ownership was associated with Regional Broadcasting Corporation and Gary and Susan Clarke. The original concept reportedly contemplated programming aimed at the large student population at Ohio State University, but the station soon took on a different role in the local television ecosystem. Beginning in 1988, W17AI primarily retransmitted programming from WWAT-TV in Chillicothe. That arrangement helped extend WWAT-TV's reach after the station was removed from the Columbus area's three major cable systems. The Clarkes sold the station in August 1989 to Wendell A. Triplett, who also owned WWAT-TV. In 1991, W17AI separated its programming from WWAT-TV and adopted Home Shopping Network programming, reflecting the importance of nationally supplied formats for small-market and low-power stations. The station became WDEM-LP in 1998. It later achieved Class A status in December 2008, at which point its call sign changed to WDEM-CA. In 2009, the station converted to digital broadcasting. During the same period, under the leadership of David Chesnet, it moved away from home shopping and introduced an arts-and-culture-oriented service known as Lifeline Columbus. This local-format experiment gave the station a more community-focused identity than its preceding shopping format. WDEM-CD also developed a digital multicast strategy. In 2010, one of its digital subchannels began carrying Telemundo programming. Other services carried during the 2010s included Universal Sports and Justice Network, the latter later known as True Crime Network. These arrangements illustrate the station's role as a local over-the-air platform for national and network-affiliated programming rather than as a large standalone content producer. Minority Brands, owned by Richard Schilg, acquired WDEM-CD from Triplett in 2014. On April 3, 2019, HC2 Holdings completed its acquisition of the station from Minority Brands for $866,000. Following the acquisition, the station moved from digital channel 17 to channel 24 as part of the nationwide television spectrum repack. Telemundo programming was replaced by Azteca América, another Spanish-language network owned by HC2 at the time. Since December 4, 2024, the station's primary channel has carried programming from Gray Media's Rock Entertainment Sports Network. The station continues to operate as a low-power Class A digital television outlet, with its identity shaped by changing ownership, channel reconfiguration, and a rotating mix of multicast and nationally distributed services. Publicly available reference material does not establish a separate consumer product portfolio beyond its broadcast channels and programming services.
History
WDEM-CD began broadcasting in 1987 as W17AI, a low-power television station in Columbus, Ohio. It was initially owned by Regional Broadcasting Corporation, associated with Gary and Susan Clarke. The station's proposed programming direction included content for Ohio State University's substantial campus audience, but its early operating strategy soon changed. In 1988, W17AI primarily retransmitted WWAT-TV from Chillicothe, a service that helped WWAT-TV maintain a presence in Columbus after losing carriage on the area's three cable systems. The Clarkes sold the station in August 1989 to Wendell A. Triplett, the owner of WWAT-TV. In 1991, W17AI ended its close programming relationship with WWAT-TV and began carrying Home Shopping Network programming. The station adopted the WDEM-LP call sign in 1998. It became a Class A station in December 2008, changing its call sign to WDEM-CA, and converted to digital broadcasting in 2009. The 2009 programming transition was significant. Under David Chesnet's leadership, the station replaced home shopping with Lifeline Columbus, an arts and culture-oriented format. WDEM-CD subsequently used its digital capacity to carry additional services. Telemundo was added to a digital subchannel in 2010, while other subchannels in the 2010s included Universal Sports and Justice Network, which was later rebranded as True Crime Network. In 2014, Minority Brands, controlled by Richard Schilg, purchased WDEM-CD from Triplett. HC2 Holdings acquired the station from Minority Brands in a transaction that closed on April 3, 2019. The station later completed a channel move from 17 to 24 as part of the national spectrum repack. Under HC2 ownership, Telemundo was replaced by Azteca América, another Spanish-language network associated with HC2. The station's current ownership is identified in the cited reference material as Innovate Corp. Its programming profile remains centered on digital broadcast distribution and multicast services. Since December 4, 2024, the primary channel has carried Gray Media's Rock Entertainment Sports Network. Across its history, WDEM-CD has therefore shifted among local retransmission, home shopping, arts and culture, Spanish-language network programming, digital multicast services, and sports programming while retaining its role as a Columbus-area low-power Class A television station.
- 2024
Rock Entertainment Sports Network becomes primary service
[1]The primary channel begins carrying Rock Entertainment Sports Network programming on December 4.
- 2019
HC2 Holdings acquisition and channel repack
[1]HC2 Holdings completes its acquisition; the station subsequently moves from channel 17 to channel 24 and replaces Telemundo with Azteca América.
- 2014
Minority Brands acquisition
[1]Minority Brands acquires the station from Triplett.
- 2010
Telemundo multicast service launches
[1]A digital subchannel begins carrying Telemundo programming.
- 2009
Digital conversion and Lifeline Columbus
[1]WDEM converts to digital broadcasting and introduces the arts-and-culture format Lifeline Columbus.
- 2008
Class A designation and WDEM-CA call sign
[1]The station receives Class A status and changes its call sign from WDEM-LP to WDEM-CA.
- 1998
Call sign changes to WDEM-LP
[1]The station adopts the WDEM-LP call sign.
- 1991
Home Shopping Network format begins
[1]The station separates from WWAT-TV programming and starts carrying Home Shopping Network programming.
- 1989
Ownership passes to Wendell A. Triplett
[1]Gary and Susan Clarke sell the station to WWAT-TV owner Wendell A. Triplett.
- 1988
WWAT-TV retransmission begins
[1]W17AI primarily retransmits WWAT-TV from Chillicothe after WWAT-TV loses carriage on Columbus cable systems.
Products and positioning
A Columbus-area low-power Class A television station focused on distributing network, syndicated, and multicast programming through a local digital broadcast signal.
Broadcast television · 1987
Primary digital television service
WDEM-CD's main over-the-air service has carried different network and syndicated formats over time. Since December 2024, it has carried programming from Gray Media's Rock Entertainment Sports Network, giving the station a sports-oriented primary-channel identity.
Spanish-language television · 2010
Telemundo multicast service
A WDEM-CD digital subchannel carried Telemundo programming beginning in 2010. The service formed part of the station's multicast strategy before being replaced by Azteca América after the 2019 ownership change and channel repack.
Local arts and culture programming · 2009
Lifeline Columbus
Lifeline Columbus was an arts-and-culture-oriented format introduced in 2009 under David Chesnet's leadership, replacing the station's previous home-shopping programming.
Diginet programming
Digital multicast network services
Over the years, WDEM-CD has used its digital signal to carry nationally distributed services including Universal Sports and Justice Network, later known as True Crime Network, as well as other infomercial and digital-network programming.
Brand decisions
2024
Rock Entertainment Sports Network carriage beginsProduct launchBackground
The station's programming mix continued to evolve under its current ownership.
Action taken
Beginning December 4, WDEM-CD placed Rock Entertainment Sports Network programming on its primary channel.
Aftermath
The primary service adopted a sports-focused network identity.
2019
HC2 Holdings acquires WDEM-CDM&ABackground
Minority Brands owned the station after acquiring it from Wendell A. Triplett in 2014.
Action taken
HC2 Holdings completed the acquisition of WDEM from Minority Brands on April 3, 2019, for $866,000.
Aftermath
The station changed its network affiliation and later completed a move from channel 17 to channel 24 during the spectrum repack.
Acquisition price. 866000 (Transaction closed April 3, 2019)
2019
Channel relocation and network replacementGeneration changeBackground
The nationwide television spectrum repack required affected stations to change their broadcast channels.
Action taken
WDEM-CD moved from channel 17 to channel 24, while Telemundo programming was replaced by Azteca América.
Aftermath
The station continued its Spanish-language programming role under a different network service while operating on its repacked digital channel.
2009
Shift from home shopping to Lifeline ColumbusStrategyBackground
After years of carrying Home Shopping Network programming, the station pursued a more locally oriented arts and culture identity.
Action taken
Under David Chesnet's leadership, WDEM introduced the Lifeline Columbus format.
Aftermath
The change temporarily repositioned the station around community and cultural programming before its later emphasis on multicast network services.
Sources1 sources
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