WEFG-LD

WEFG-LD is a low-power television station licensed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and associated with virtual channel 7. The station began broadcasting in December 1991 under the call sign W07CB, making it the first Philadelphia-licensed VHF television station to appear since 1948. Unlike the market's major network affiliates, it initially operated as an independent outlet, assembling schedules from reruns, older films, syndicated programming, and several niche affiliations, including MuchMusic, Channel America, and FamilyNet. During its first years, the station passed through repeated changes in ownership influence, management, programming, and technical operation. General manager and part-owner Ron Joseph used the outlet for reruns and revivals of disco-oriented programs dating from the 1970s. A dispute among the station's four owners reduced Joseph's role, after which Walter Moxley IV became general manager and his son Michael Moxley joined the operation. The station briefly improved its audience and revenue performance, but vandalism at its transmitter forced it off the air for several weeks. The resulting loss of advertising income contributed to further instability. In 1994, Morton Broadcasting appointed George Brusstar as director of programming. He replaced the existing schedule and the slogan “T-V Heaven, Channel 7” with a format centered on live, call-in “two-way talk” programs. The station adopted a Liberty Bell-inspired identity and featured hosts including Dennis Marcucci, Al Mario, Brusstar, and Mike Phillips. After a contractual dispute led to Brusstar's departure, Mario reorganized the schedule around local music, comedy, commentary, and community-oriented programming. Overnight hours included syndicated live psychic programming. Ownership conflict again disrupted operations, and the station went off the air in June 1995. The station later returned under Joseph's influence, at one point airing a continuous videotape loop of Joseph's wedding. In 1996, Morton Broadcasting was dissolved and the FCC license was sold to Shooting Star Productions. Executive producer Jerry Leazer then developed a 24-hour music-video format emphasizing Philadelphia music, particularly the city's soul and popular-music heritage. The format increased the station's value and prompted an extended dispute concerning the earlier contractual arrangements. By the end of the decade, the station had shifted toward contemporary rap videos and operated with a substantially reduced and directional signal, partly to protect WABC-TV's channel 7 operation in New York. The facility changed call signs several times. W07CB became WPTV-LP in November 2001 and WWJT-LP one month later. A digital facility initially used the WWJT-LD call sign from 2010; that digital call sign became WEFG-LD on January 1, 2014, while the analog facility retained WWJT-LP. The station was relaunched as African Community Television in October 2006, carrying a mixture of news, films, infomercials, music videos, and African programming. Analog transmission ended in June 2010 after failures affecting the analog transmitter and video server. A digital signal later appeared on virtual channel 7 with three additional standard-definition subchannels, initially displaying call letters and color test patterns. The station's history is therefore defined less by a single enduring format than by experimentation with local talk, music videos, multicultural programming, and low-power community broadcasting.

WEFG-LD originated in December 1991 as W07CB, a low-power VHF station licensed to Philadelphia. Its appearance was notable because it was the city's first newly licensed VHF television station since 1948. The independent station initially relied on inexpensive acquired material, including reruns, older films, and programming from MuchMusic, Channel America, and FamilyNet. Ron Joseph, a general manager and part-owner, also used the station to revive and televise disco programs associated with his earlier work. A dispute among the four owners weakened Joseph's control and led to management changes. Walter Moxley IV, an infectious-disease physician without previous broadcasting experience, became general manager, while his son Michael participated in local programming and efforts to develop new revenue. Audience and advertising performance reportedly improved for a period, but vandalism at the transmitter caused a multiweek shutdown. The interruption damaged the station's advertising base and contributed to Michael Moxley's departure. Morton Broadcasting appointed George Brusstar director of programming in 1994. Brusstar discarded the prior schedule and slogan, introduced a Liberty Bell-based station image, and created a 24-hour call-in talk format. Hosts included Brusstar, Dennis Marcucci, Al Mario, and Mike Phillips. Following a contractual dispute, Brusstar left and Mario attempted to maintain a local schedule using college students, activists, and radio personalities. Music, comedy, current-affairs commentary, and overnight psychic programming filled the revised lineup. Further disputes among the owners forced the station off the air in June 1995. When broadcasting resumed, Joseph was again prominent in the operation, including through a prolonged videotape loop of his wedding. In 1996 Morton Broadcasting was dissolved and the FCC license was sold to Shooting Star Productions. Jerry Leazer, the company's executive producer, established a continuous music-video format built around the musical traditions of Philadelphia. The format immediately strengthened the station's perceived value, producing a prolonged dispute over contractual rights and a later transfer of interests. By the late 1990s the schedule had moved toward modern rap videos, while the station's coverage was reduced by lower power and a strongly directional antenna pattern designed partly to avoid interference with WABC-TV in New York. The station's call sign history reflects successive corporate and technical changes. W07CB became WPTV-LP in November 2001 and WWJT-LP in December 2001. In 2010 a digital facility began using WWJT-LD, while the analog facility continued under WWJT-LP. The station was relaunched as African Community Television in October 2006, adding African-oriented programming to a schedule that also included general entertainment and commercial material. Analog broadcasting ceased in June 2010 after equipment failures. Digital service later appeared on virtual channel 7 with multiple standard-definition streams. On January 1, 2014, the digital facility adopted the WEFG-LD call sign. The outlet remains a low-power Philadelphia television service whose history combines independent broadcasting, local talk, music programming, and community-oriented multicultural content.

• 2014

  Digital facility becomes WEFG-LD

  [1]WEFG-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The digital facility changes its call sign from WWJT-LD to WEFG-LD.

• 2010

  Analog service discontinued

  [1]WEFG-LDen.wikipedia.org

  Catastrophic failures affecting the analog transmitter and video server end analog transmission.

• 2006

  African Community Television launch

  [1]WEFG-LDen.wikipedia.org

  WWJT is relaunched with African-oriented programming alongside general entertainment and commercial content.

• 2001

  Call sign changes to WWJT-LP

  [1]WEFG-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The station changes from W07CB to WPTV-LP and then to WWJT-LP within a two-month period.

• 1999

  Philadelphia Television Network acquires the station

  [1]WEFG-LDen.wikipedia.org

  Morton Broadcasting Company sells W07CB to Philadelphia Television Network, Inc.

• 1998

  Transfer of control approved

  [1]WEFG-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The FCC grants voluntary transfer of control from Ronald Joseph Caponigro to Digital Media T.V.

• 1996

  License transferred to Shooting Star Productions

  [1]WEFG-LDen.wikipedia.org

  After Morton Broadcasting was dissolved, the FCC license was sold to Shooting Star Productions.

• 1994

  Two-way talk format introduced

  [1]WEFG-LDen.wikipedia.org

  Management replaces the earlier mix of reruns and films with live call-in programming and a Liberty Bell-themed identity.

• 1991

  W07CB begins broadcasting

  [1]WEFG-LDen.wikipedia.org

  The Philadelphia-licensed VHF low-power station makes its first appearance under the W07CB call sign.

A Philadelphia low-power television outlet built around independent, locally oriented, multicultural, and music-focused programming rather than a major national network affiliation.

• Television broadcasting · 1991

  Independent Channel 7 television service

  The station's core offering is a low-power over-the-air television service for Philadelphia. Across its history, the schedule has included reruns, older films, syndicated affiliations, local talk, music videos, films, news, infomercials, and community programming. Its limited-power and directional transmission profile gives it a more localized footprint than Philadelphia's major full-power stations.

• Multicultural television programming · 2006

  African Community Television

  Introduced through the station's 2006 relaunch, African Community Television combined African-oriented programs with news, movies, infomercials, and music videos. It represented the station's effort to serve a distinct community audience while maintaining a mixed-format low-power schedule.

• Digital broadcasting · 2011

  Digital television subchannels

  The digital facility uses virtual channel 7 and multiplexes its signal into multiple standard-definition streams. Early digital operation displayed the station's call letters and color test patterns on the main and additional channels, reflecting the technical transition from the former analog service.

• 2010

  End analog transmission after equipment failureOther

  Background

  The analog transmitter and video server suffered catastrophic failures.

  Action taken

  The station ceased analog transmission and subsequently relied on the digital facility for its television service.

  Aftermath

  Digital broadcasting later resumed on virtual channel 7 with multiple standard-definition streams.

  Source

• 2006

  Relaunch as African Community TelevisionStrategy

  Background

  The station pursued a more defined multicultural and community-oriented identity.

  Action taken

  WWJT relaunched with African programs supplemented by news, movies, infomercials, and music videos.

  Aftermath

  The relaunch broadened the station's stated community focus, although the available reference material does not document audience or financial results.

  Source

• 1996

  Adopt a Philadelphia music-video formatStrategy

  Background

  Following the dissolution of Morton Broadcasting and the license transfer to Shooting Star Productions, the station required a new programming identity.

  Action taken

  Executive producer Jerry Leazer created a 24-hour music-video schedule emphasizing the musical roots of Philadelphia and later shifting toward contemporary rap.

  Aftermath

  The format increased the station's value and became the subject of a dispute over contractual rights and a subsequent transfer of interests.

  Source

• 1994

  Replace general entertainment with live call-in talkStrategy

  Background

  Management sought to distinguish the low-power station from conventional rerun-based independent schedules and develop locally produced programming.

  Action taken

  The station discarded its existing lineup and introduced round-the-clock two-way talk programming with live hosts and telephone participation.

  Aftermath

  The format lasted only a limited period before a contractual dispute and further ownership conflict disrupted local programming.

  Source

1. 1WEFG-LDen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Seven The Hard Way: Channel 7 operator Jerry Leazer is spitting madcitypaper.net