WPGD-TV

WPGD-TV is a religious television station licensed to Hendersonville, Tennessee, and serving viewers in the Nashville area. The station operates as part of the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), a Christian television network whose programming is distributed through owned-and-operated stations, affiliates, and other platforms. WPGD-TV’s identity is therefore closely tied to TBN rather than to a separate consumer-facing product portfolio: its principal offering is a broadcast television service carrying TBN’s religious, inspirational, music, teaching, and family-oriented programming. The station received a construction permit on September 17, 1987, but did not begin broadcasting until September 24, 1992. It was established by Sonlight Broadcasting Systems, a Mobile, Alabama-based broadcast ministry co-founded by television producer Paul Crouch Jr. and attorney and broadcaster Jay Sekulow. Sonlight’s stations were affiliated with TBN from the outset, reflecting the close historical relationship between Sonlight and the network founded by Paul Crouch Sr. and Jan Crouch. WPGD-TV initially carried most of TBN’s schedule, while retaining the ability to substitute alternate programming, including some locally produced material. In 1997, WPGD-TV was sold with the other Sonlight stations to All American TV, a minority-owned broadcasting company with ties to TBN. The transaction made the station a more fully integrated TBN affiliate. In 2000, TBN acquired all of All American TV’s stations, including WPGD-TV, making WPGD-TV a TBN-owned-and-operated station. The station’s Hendersonville facilities are located at Trinity Music City on Music Village Boulevard. The property was formerly associated with country music performer Conway Twitty and includes studios and an auditorium that have also been used for the production and recording of TBN programs. WPGD-TV’s transmitter is located in Whites Creek, Tennessee, near Interstate 24 and Old Hickory Boulevard. Its facilities consequently combine local broadcast infrastructure with production resources connected to the wider TBN network. WPGD-TV formerly operated a low-power translator, W36AK, intended to improve reception in Nashville proper when the station’s main transmitter was located farther from the city. That translator was used during the 1990s and was later discontinued, although the available reference material does not specify the exact date. Like other TBN-owned full-power stations, WPGD-TV permanently ended its analog transmissions on April 16, 2009, as part of the transition to digital broadcasting. Today, WPGD-TV’s positioning is that of a regional broadcast outlet for TBN’s Christian television service. Its importance lies in delivering TBN programming to the Nashville market, maintaining local transmission facilities, and supporting network production activity at Trinity Music City. Detailed current subchannel information, management biographies, and recent programming changes are not established in the supplied reference material.

WPGD-TV was created to provide TBN religious programming to the Nashville, Tennessee television market. The station received a construction permit on September 17, 1987, but the permit did not immediately result in an operating station. WPGD-TV eventually signed on September 24, 1992, with an analog transmitter located along State Highway 109 in unincorporated Sumner County, between Portland and Gallatin. The station was built and launched by Sonlight Broadcasting Systems, a broadcast ministry headquartered in Mobile, Alabama. Sonlight was co-founded by television producer Paul Crouch Jr. and attorney and broadcaster Jay Sekulow. From its inception, WPGD-TV was affiliated with the Trinity Broadcasting Network. Sonlight’s stations generally carried TBN’s schedule, although they could replace portions of the network lineup with alternate programming. Some replacement content was produced locally, allowing the station to maintain a limited local programming role while operating primarily as a religious network outlet. TBN was founded by Paul Crouch Sr. and Jan Crouch, the parents of Paul Crouch Jr. The relationship between Sonlight and TBN therefore involved both a programming affiliation and substantial organizational connections. In 1997, WPGD-TV was sold, together with the other Sonlight stations, to All American TV. This company was a minority-owned broadcaster with close ties to TBN. Following the sale, WPGD-TV became a full-fledged TBN affiliate within the All American station group. The station’s ownership changed again in 2000, when TBN acquired all of All American TV’s stations. WPGD-TV consequently became a TBN-owned-and-operated station rather than an independently owned affiliate. Its role remained focused on transmitting TBN’s Christian television programming to the Nashville area. WPGD-TV’s studios are located at Trinity Music City on Music Village Boulevard in Hendersonville. The site was formerly the estate of country music artist Conway Twitty. In addition to serving as the station’s studio location, the property includes an auditorium and production facilities that have been used for recording TBN programs. The station’s transmission facility is located in Whites Creek, Tennessee, near Interstate 24 and Old Hickory Boulevard. During the 1990s, WPGD-TV also operated the low-power translator W36AK, which served Nashville proper. The translator helped address the geographic limitations created by the station’s transmitter location outside the central Nashville area. The available reference material does not identify the date on which W36AK ceased operation. WPGD-TV later participated in the transition from analog to digital television. TBN-owned full-power stations permanently ended analog transmissions on April 16, 2009. WPGD-TV’s continuing role is as a digital religious broadcaster for the Nashville market and as part of TBN’s wider owned-station network. The available references do not provide a complete current subchannel schedule, detailed leadership history, or a separate corporate financial profile for the station.

• 2009

  Analog broadcasting ends

  [1]WPGD-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WPGD-TV permanently ceased analog transmission on April 16, 2009, as part of the digital television transition.

• 2000

  TBN ownership begins

  [1]WPGD-TVen.wikipedia.org

  TBN acquired All American TV’s stations, bringing WPGD-TV into TBN’s owned-and-operated station group.

• 1997

  Sale to All American TV

  [1]WPGD-TVen.wikipedia.org

  The station was sold with the other Sonlight stations to All American TV, a broadcaster connected to TBN.

• 1992

  Station signs on

  [1]WPGD-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WPGD-TV began broadcasting on September 24, 1992, as a Sonlight Broadcasting Systems station affiliated with TBN.

• 1987

  Construction permit granted

  [1]WPGD-TVen.wikipedia.org

  WPGD-TV received a construction permit on September 17, 1987.

TBN-owned religious television station and regional broadcast outlet serving the Nashville market.

• Broadcast television station · 1992

  WPGD-TV broadcast service

  WPGD-TV provides over-the-air religious television service to the Nashville, Tennessee area. Its core programming is supplied by the Trinity Broadcasting Network, with the station historically carrying most of TBN’s schedule and occasionally substituting alternate or locally produced programming.

• Religious television programming

  TBN programming

  The station’s principal programming offering consists of TBN’s Christian television schedule, including ministry, inspirational, music, teaching, and family-oriented content. WPGD-TV functions primarily as a regional distribution point for this network service.

• Low-power television translator

  W36AK translator

  W36AK was a former low-power translator associated with WPGD-TV during the 1990s. It served Nashville proper and supplemented the main station’s coverage from its transmitter location outside the city. The translator was later discontinued; the available source does not identify the date.

• 2009

  Digital television conversionOther

  Background

  TBN-owned full-power stations transitioned away from analog broadcasting.

  Action taken

  WPGD-TV permanently ended analog transmissions on April 16, 2009.

  Aftermath

  The station continued operation as a digital television broadcaster.

  Source

• 2000

  TBN acquisition of All American TV stationsM&A

  Background

  TBN acquired all of the stations owned by All American TV.

  Action taken

  WPGD-TV became a TBN-owned-and-operated station.

  Aftermath

  The station remained part of TBN’s broadcast network and continued serving the Nashville market with TBN programming.

  Source

• 1997

  Transfer of WPGD-TV to All American TVM&A

  Background

  Sonlight Broadcasting Systems decided to sell WPGD-TV together with its other stations to All American TV.

  Action taken

  Ownership of the station moved to All American TV, a minority-owned broadcaster with ties to TBN.

  Aftermath

  WPGD-TV continued as a TBN affiliate and became more closely integrated with the network’s station group.

  Source

1. 1WPGD-TVen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Trinity Broadcasting Networktbn.org