WMDV-LD

WMDV-LD is a low-power independent television station based in Danville, Virginia, serving viewers in southern and south-central Virginia, including the Danville and Martinsville areas. The station broadcasts on channel 23 and is owned by Star News Corporation, which also operates WGSR-LD in Reidsville, North Carolina. Its transmitter is located atop White Oak Mountain south of Chatham, Virginia, a location intended to provide coverage across the regional market. The station began broadcasting in 1993 under the call sign W18BG. During its original period of operation, most of its programming was supplied through WLXI-TV, a full-power Christian television station based in Greensboro, North Carolina. That programming relationship was connected to the station's ownership by Tri-State Christian Television, commonly known as TCT. In April 2007, TCT replaced the Trinity Broadcasting Network programming previously carried across its stations with programming from its own network operation. TCT later decided to divest the Danville translator. In November 2008, it announced its intention to sell or otherwise transfer the facility, and ownership was passed to Star News Corporation in June 2009. Following the transfer, Star News temporarily took the station off the air while preparing a new operating plan and technical facilities. The call sign changed from W18BG to WMDV-LP on October 9, 2009. Under Star News, the station was repositioned as an independent local television outlet rather than a relay of a Christian network schedule. The Federal Communications Commission issued a construction permit in early May 2010 for operation on RF channel 45, with a virtual channel designation of 44. WMDV-LP returned to broadcasting on May 26, 2010, after approximately 50 weeks off the air. The new independent format was intended to serve the Danville and Martinsville communities and to complement Star News's operation of WGSR-LD. The station subsequently changed from analog low-power operation to digital low-power operation, using the WMDV-LD call sign. As part of the nationwide television-spectrum repack following the 2017 broadcast incentive auction, stations operating on channels 38 and above were required to move to lower radio-frequency channels. WMDV-LD ended transmission on RF channel 45 on September 1, 2018, and began operating on RF channel 23. At the same time, its virtual channel was changed to 23 to correspond with its new RF assignment. WMDV-LD's principal offering is free, over-the-air television programming under an independent-station model. Publicly available reference material identifies its ownership, transmission history, market, and technical changes, but does not provide a complete current schedule, detailed subchannel lineup, executive roster, ratings profile, or audited financial information. Accordingly, those details are left unspecified here.

WMDV-LD began broadcasting in 1993 as W18BG, a low-power television facility serving the Danville area of Virginia. In its early years, the majority of the station's schedule was supplied through WLXI-TV, a full-power Christian broadcaster based in Greensboro, North Carolina. This arrangement placed the station within a broader Christian television distribution structure rather than an independent local-station format. In April 2007, Tri-State Christian Television changed the programming carried by its stations, replacing Trinity Broadcasting Network material with programming produced or distributed by TCT. The change also affected the Danville facility. TCT later decided to divest the station, identifying it as a translator or low-power outlet outside its continuing ownership plans. In November 2008, the organization moved toward disposal of the facility, and ownership was transferred to Star News Corporation in June 2009. Star News temporarily took the station dark after acquiring it. The company planned to relaunch the facility as an independent television service associated with its regional broadcasting operations, including WGSR-LD in Reidsville, North Carolina. The call sign was changed from W18BG to WMDV-LP on October 9, 2009. The change signaled a new identity and operating direction, although the station remained subject to the technical and regulatory limitations applicable to low-power broadcasting. In early May 2010, the Federal Communications Commission issued a construction permit authorizing operation on RF channel 45. The planned virtual channel was 44, because channel 45 was already used as the virtual channel of WXLV-TV, the ABC affiliate serving Winston-Salem. WMDV-LP returned to the air during the afternoon of May 26, 2010, following approximately 50 weeks of silence. Under Star News, it was relaunched as an independent station intended to serve viewers in the Danville and Martinsville region rather than simply retransmit a national Christian network schedule. The station later operated as a digital low-power broadcaster under the WMDV-LD call sign. Its technical history was affected by the United States television-spectrum repack initiated after the 2017 broadcast incentive auction. Under the repack, television stations using RF channels 38 and above were required to move to lower channels. WMDV-LD ceased operation on RF channel 45 on September 1, 2018, and began broadcasting on RF channel 23. Its virtual channel was also changed to 23, aligning the viewer-facing channel number with the new RF assignment. WMDV-LD remains associated with Star News Corporation and its sister station WGSR-LD. Available reference material does not establish a detailed founding ownership history beyond the TCT and Star News periods, nor does it identify a current general manager, news director, or other named executive. It also does not provide a full current program schedule or detailed subchannel descriptions. The station's documented identity is therefore best understood through its role as a low-power independent broadcaster, its regional coverage area, and its transition from a Christian-network relay to a Star News-operated local outlet.

• 2018

  Post-auction RF channel transition

  [1]WMDV-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The station moves from RF channel 45 to RF channel 23 on September 1 and changes its virtual channel to 23.

• 2010

  Station returns to the air

  [1]WMDV-LDen.wikipedia.org

  WMDV-LP resumes broadcasting on May 26 after approximately 50 weeks off the air, operating under Star News's independent-station plan.

• 2009

  Star News Corporation acquires the station

  [1]WMDV-LDen.wikipedia.org

  Ownership passes from TCT to Star News Corporation in June. The station is temporarily taken off the air while its new operation is prepared.

• 2009

  Call sign changes to WMDV-LP

  [1]WMDV-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The station adopts the WMDV-LP call sign on October 9.

• 2008

  TCT decides to divest the Danville facility

  [1]WMDV-LDen.wikipedia.org

  TCT announces plans to dispose of its Danville translator, beginning the ownership transition that would lead to Star News Corporation control.

• 2007

  TCT programming replaces Trinity Broadcasting Network programming

  [1]WMDV-LDen.wikipedia.org

  In April, Tri-State Christian Television replaces the Trinity Broadcasting Network schedule previously carried by its stations with TCT programming.

• 1993

  W18BG begins broadcasting

  [1]WMDV-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The low-power television facility that became WMDV-LD begins broadcasting in the Danville, Virginia, area under the call sign W18BG.

A locally oriented independent low-power television station serving southern Virginia, distinct from its former Christian-network relay role.

• Television station · 1993

  WMDV-LD channel 23

  The station's primary broadcast service is a digital, low-power, over-the-air television signal on RF channel 23 with virtual channel 23. It serves the Danville and Martinsville region and is operated as an independent station rather than as a full-power network affiliate.

• Broadcast programming · 2010

  Independent television programming

  Following its acquisition by Star News Corporation and 2010 relaunch, WMDV-LD was positioned as an independent outlet. Public reference material does not provide a complete current schedule, so individual programs and subchannel brands are not specified.

• 2018

  Move from RF channel 45 to RF channel 23Generation change

  Background

  The FCC's post-2017-auction spectrum repack required television stations operating on channels 38 and above to relocate to lower radio-frequency channels.

  Action taken

  WMDV-LD ended transmission on RF channel 45 and began operating on RF channel 23 on September 1, 2018, also changing its virtual channel to 23.

  Aftermath

  The station continued digital low-power operation under a channel assignment aligned with its viewer-facing virtual channel.

  Source

• 2010

  Relaunch as an independent stationStrategy

  Background

  After the ownership transfer, Star News Corporation sought to move the station away from its former role as a relay for Christian-network programming.

  Action taken

  Star News relaunched WMDV-LP as an independent television outlet after securing a construction permit and keeping the station off the air for approximately 50 weeks.

  Aftermath

  The station resumed broadcasting on May 26, 2010, with a regional independent-station identity.

  Source

• 2009

  Transfer from TCT to Star News CorporationM&A

  Background

  Tri-State Christian Television decided to divest its Danville low-power facility after operating it within a Christian television distribution system.

  Action taken

  Ownership was transferred to Star News Corporation in June 2009, after which the station was temporarily taken dark for restructuring and relaunch preparation.

  Aftermath

  The station adopted the WMDV-LP identity and returned to the air in 2010 as an independent outlet serving southern Virginia.

  Source

1. 1WMDV-LDen.wikipedia.org
2. 2WMDV-LD official websitewmdv44.com