WOTH-CD

WOTH-CD was a low-power, Class A television station in Cincinnati, Ohio, that operated as part of Elliott B. Block's Block Broadcasting group. The station was associated with channel 20 at the time of its closure and was a sister station to WBQC-LD, another Cincinnati-area outlet owned by Block Broadcasting. WOTH used the identity “The Other Channel,” a name that reflected its role as an independent, locally oriented alternative within the market rather than a conventional major-network affiliate. The station began broadcasting on June 7, 1994, under the call sign W35BA on channel 35. Its initial schedule carried programming from America's Store, which had previously been seen on WBQC. During its history, the station changed channels and call signs several times. It moved to channel 39 and became W39CG, then moved to channel 38 in 2001 and adopted the WOTH-LP designation. The station also used a simplified version of an earlier “25 TV” logo associated with WBQC, reinforcing the operational relationship between the two outlets. WOTH's programming mix combined syndicated, commercial, and specialty network services with a small amount of locally produced content. Four hours per week were reserved for local programs, including “Heart of Compassion” and “Inform Cincinnati.” Its later digital operation carried several multicast services, including HSN, Evine, Decades, Movies!, and Heroes & Icons. These services made the station part of the broader U.S. low-power television and digital multicast ecosystem, where local stations often supplemented limited original programming with nationally distributed specialty channels. A major turning point came during the Federal Communications Commission's incentive auction. WOTH-CD surrendered its broadcast spectrum for $13,266,948 and indicated that it planned to continue through a post-auction channel-sharing arrangement. That plan was ultimately not implemented as a permanent operating solution. On-screen announcements informed viewers that the station would leave the air, and WOTH ceased transmission at 5:03 p.m. on January 23, 2018. The station's owner stated that some of its multicast services would be transferred to sister station WBQC-LD, which was branded as WKRP-TV. HSN and Evine had already moved at the time of shutdown, while Decades, Movies!, and Heroes & Icons were expected to follow. The Federal Communications Commission cancelled WOTH-CD's license on February 19, 2018. As a result, WOTH-CD is a defunct broadcast-station brand rather than an active television service. Its history is chiefly significant within Cincinnati broadcasting and the transition from analog low-power television to digital multicast operations and spectrum reallocation.

WOTH-CD originated as W35BA, a low-power television station that began broadcasting in Cincinnati on June 7, 1994. Its initial programming consisted of America's Store content that had previously aired on WBQC, linking the new station to the existing Block Broadcasting operation. The station subsequently moved to channel 39 and adopted the W39CG call sign. In 2001, the station moved again, this time to channel 38, and became WOTH-LP. It was branded as “The Other Channel” and used a simplified form of the “25 TV” logo previously associated with WBQC. The branding and ownership structure positioned WOTH as a companion outlet within Block Broadcasting's Cincinnati television portfolio. The station was later designated WOTH-CD as its digital low-power operation and operated as a Class A television station. WOTH's schedule blended commercial, syndicated, and multicast programming with a limited local-production commitment. Four hours each week were devoted to locally produced shows, including “Heart of Compassion” and “Inform Cincinnati.” The station also carried specialty services distributed through digital subchannels. Among the services associated with its later operation were Home Shopping Network, Evine, Decades, Movies!, and Heroes & Icons. The station's final phase was shaped by the FCC incentive auction, through which broadcasters could relinquish spectrum in exchange for compensation. WOTH-CD sold its spectrum for $13,266,948 and initially indicated that it would seek to remain available through channel sharing. The proposed continuation did not result in a lasting operation under the WOTH identity. Viewer notices announced a permanent shutdown, and the transmitter was turned off at 5:03 p.m. on January 23, 2018. Following the closure, Block Broadcasting planned to move some WOTH services to sister station WBQC-LD, which used the WKRP-TV brand. HSN and Evine had already been moved, while Decades, Movies!, and Heroes & Icons were expected to follow within approximately two weeks. The FCC formally cancelled WOTH-CD's license on February 19, 2018, ending the station's regulatory existence.

• 2018

  Permanent shutdown

  [1]WOTH-CDen.wikipedia.org

  WOTH-CD stopped broadcasting at 5:03 p.m. on January 23, 2018.

• 2018

  License cancellation

  [1]WOTH-CDen.wikipedia.org

  The FCC cancelled the station's license on February 19, 2018.

• 2001

  Move to channel 38 and become WOTH-LP

  [1]WOTH-CDen.wikipedia.org

  The station moved to channel 38 and adopted the WOTH-LP designation, continuing under the “The Other Channel” identity.

• 1994

  Launch as W35BA

  [1]WOTH-CDen.wikipedia.org

  The station began broadcasting on June 7, 1994, on channel 35 under the W35BA call sign, initially carrying America's Store programming.

• Move to channel 39 and adoption of W39CG

  [1]WOTH-CDen.wikipedia.org

  The station moved from channel 35 to channel 39 and changed its call sign to W39CG.

• Spectrum sold in FCC incentive auction

  [1]WOTH-CDen.wikipedia.org

  WOTH-CD relinquished its broadcast spectrum in the FCC incentive auction for $13,266,948 and proposed continuing through channel sharing.

A Cincinnati low-power television outlet positioned as an independent alternative channel, combining multicast network services with limited locally produced programming.

• Television station brand

  The Other Channel

  WOTH's principal on-air identity presented the station as an alternative Cincinnati television outlet. The brand covered the station's broadcast schedule, including multicast services and locally produced programming.

• Television programming

  Local programming

  WOTH produced a limited amount of local content, with four hours per week allocated to programs such as “Heart of Compassion” and “Inform Cincinnati.”

• Multicast television

  Digital multicast services

  The station carried specialty services including HSN, Evine, Decades, Movies!, and Heroes & Icons. Several of these services were transferred to WBQC-LD after WOTH closed.

• Spectrum surrender and proposed channel sharingOther

  Background

  WOTH-CD participated in the FCC incentive auction during a period of broadcast-spectrum reallocation. The station indicated that it planned to remain on the air through a post-auction channel-sharing agreement.

  Action taken

  The station sold its spectrum for $13,266,948, but ultimately ceased broadcasting rather than continuing as an independent WOTH service.

  Aftermath

  WOTH-CD shut down on January 23, 2018. Some multicast services moved to sister station WBQC-LD, and the FCC cancelled WOTH-CD's license the following month.

  FCC incentive-auction proceeds. $13,266,948 (FCC incentive auction; exact auction year not stated in the supplied reference)

  Source

1. 1WOTH-CDen.wikipedia.org
2. 2The Other Channel archived websiteweb.archive.org