WIPL

Ion TV station in Lewiston, Maine

For the airport formerly listed under the ICAO airport code WIPL, see Fatmawati Soekarno Airport.

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|

WIPL

* Lewiston–Portland, Maine
* United States

City| Lewiston, Maine
Channels|

* Digital: 24 (UHF)
* Virtual: 35

Branding| Ion
Programming
Affiliations|

* 35.1: Ion Television
* for others, see § Subchannels

Ownership
Owner|

*     * Ion Media[1]
* (E. W. Scripps Company)

* (Ion Media License Company, LLC)

History
Founded| October 2, 1989 (1989-10-02)

First air date

| August 13, 1997 (26 years ago) (1997-08-13)

Former call signs

| WPME (1997−2018)

Former channel number(s)

* Analog: 35 (UHF, 1997–2008)
* Digital: 28 (UHF, 2006–2008), 35 (UHF, 2008–2019)

Former affiliations

* UPN (1997–2006)
* The WB (secondary, 1997–2001)
* MyNetworkTV (2006–2018)

Call sign meaning

| "Ion Portland"
Technical information[2]

Licensing authority

| FCC
Facility ID| 48408
ERP| 16 kW[3]
HAAT| 542.25 m (1,779 ft)[3]
Transmitter coordinates| 43°50′44″N 70°45′41″W﻿ / ﻿43.84556°N 70.76139°W﻿ / 43.84556; -70.76139[3]
Links

Public license information

* Public file
* LMS

Website| iontelevision.com

WIPL (channel 35) is a television station licensed to Lewiston, Maine, United States, broadcasting the Ion Television network to the Portland area. The station is owned by the Ion Media subsidiary of the E. W. Scripps Company, and maintains transmitter facilities in West Baldwin, Maine.

## History[edit]

Former logo of WPME-DT2 (under its former "Maine Visitor's Channel" branding), used from 2009 until 2012

Former logo of WPME used from 2015 until 2018

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted a construction permit to original station owner Kennebec Valley Television in 1987. After ten years of delays related to difficulties in obtaining financing to construct the station and commence broadcasting, Kennebec Valley Television's corporate successor New England Broadcasting was granted an unbuilt station waiver and WPME signed on August 13, 1997, under a time brokerage agreement with WPXT owner Pegasus Communications Corporation. Prior to WPME's sign-on, viewers in Portland who wanted to watch UPN had to view it on cable via Boston's WSBK-TV. In February 2001, New England Broadcasting sold WPME to KB Prime Media LLC, which inherited the previous agreement with Pegasus. Pegasus Communications was permitted by the FCC to purchase WPME outright in February 2005 under the previously-granted unbuilt station waiver. The station maintained a primary affiliation with UPN and secondary affiliation with The WB. It aired WB prime time on a tape delay starting at 10. When WPXT switched its affiliation from Fox to The WB, this secondary affiliation was dropped. WPME aired Boston Celtics and Bruins games in the late 1990s and Red Sox baseball until 2002. The Red Sox, owning half of cable sports network NESN, moved the games to that network.

This station's only attempt at local news was a 7 o'clock broadcast (produced by WPXT) in 2001 which was quickly canceled due to low ratings and inconsistent viewership. The station did not air a prime time newscast at 10 p.m. like many other UPN affiliates because it would compete with WPXT's nightly broadcast. However, that station's show was simulcasted on WPME for a period of time. Pegasus declared bankruptcy in June 2004 over a dispute with DirecTV over marketing of the direct broadcast satellite service in rural areas. The Pegasus station group was sold in August 2006 to private investment firm CP Media, LLC of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, for $55.5 million. CP Media eventually formed a new broadcasting company, New Age Media.

In the wake of the merger of The WB and UPN into The CW, WPXT was announced as that network's Portland affiliate on March 9, 2006. WPME would then announce it would associate with MyNetworkTV on May 1, a network owned by News Corporation that was made up of stations which would not become CW affiliates. WPME joined the network on its launch date, September 5, 2006. It would be the only MyNetworkTV affiliate in Maine until December 6, 2006, when Bangor Fox affiliate WFVX-LD took a secondary affiliation with the network.

On June 27, 2008, WPME signed-on a new second digital subchannel to be the "Maine Visitor's Channel" (which was dropped in October 2014 to make room for Movies!) and a third subchannel to be QVC (replaced by Laff on November 7, 2016). It ceased transmission in analog on September 18, 2008, ten months prior to the revised FCC digital switchover deadline of June 12, 2009.

Throughout its history, the station has also produced and aired several local programs. From 2009 to 2013 this has included a simulcast of conservative weekday morning program The Ray Richardson Show produced by WLOB, which was seen for an hour from 6:30 until 7:30 featuring short features and news stories from Fox News Radio, local weather forecasts on WPME during commercial breaks, as well as live call-ins from viewers and listeners along with in-studio guests. The broadcast originated from WLOB's facility on Warren Avenue in Portland's Riverton section.

Fellow MyNetworkTV affiliate WZMY-TV, based in Derry, New Hampshire, with service to southern areas of the state and Greater Boston, laid off several employees as part of an overall strategy change in December 2009. Although that station continued to be licensed to Shooting Star Broadcasting, an outsourcing agreement was established with New Age Media resulting in WZMY becoming a sister outlet to WPME. The move was designed to streamline operations and some of its programming options in order to be more hyper-local. The arrangement ended after WZMY was sold to Carlisle One Media, becoming WBIN-TV, in 2011; it is now Univision Communications-owned WWJE-DT.

MPS Media announced in March 2012 that it would sell WPME to Triumph Broadcasting for $75,000. The deal was contingent on WPXT's concurrent sale from New Age Media to Tyche Broadcasting.[4] On November 13, 2012, WPME filed a non-consummation notice to the FCC, meaning the transaction was made null and void.[5] On February 13, 2013, MPS Media filed to sell WPME to Cottonwood Communications; this deal was concurrent with the sale of WPXT to Ironwood Communications, which took over WPME's operations through a shared services agreement.[6] The FCC granted its approval of the sale on April 2.[7] The sale was consummated on May 20.[8] On July 2, 2015, Ironwood chose to exercise an option to acquire WPME outright for $65,000; the company sought a failed station waiver, as there are not enough stations in the Portland market to permit a duopoly without a waiver.[9]

Ion Media agreed to buy WPME from Ironwood Communications for $900,000 on December 4, 2017; under a shared services agreement, Ironwood will continue to provide services to the station. The sale did not include WPME's programming contracts.[10] Ahead of the sale's closing, MyNetworkTV, Escape and Laff programming was moved to the third, fourth and fifth subchannels of WPXT on March 22, 2018.[11] The sale was completed on March 29, 2018,[1] at which time the station's call letters were changed to WIPL.[12][13] This would be a return of sorts of Ion to the Portland market: Ion's predecessor, Paxson Communications, previously owned WMPX-TV from 1999 to 2003, affiliating it with what was then the Pax TV network. That station was sold to Max Media in 2003, becoming Fox affiliate WPFO.

On February 27, 2021, WIPL-DT2, DT3, and DT4 subchannels became an affiliate of Court TV, Bounce TV and Grit when Qubo, Ion Plus and Ion Shop ceased broadcasting.

## Programming[edit]

Until the sale to Ion, syndicated programming on WPME included Cougar Town, The Real, How I Met Your Mother, and Friends among others.

## Subchannels[edit]

The station's signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of WIPL[14] Channel | Res. | Aspect | Short name  | Programming

|
|
|
|

35.1  | 720p | 16:9 | ION  | Ion Television
35.2  | 480i | CourtTV  | Court TV
35.3  | Bounce  | Bounce TV
35.4  | Grit  | Grit
35.5  | Defy TV  | Defy TV
35.6  | SCRIPPS  | Scripps News
35.7  | Jewelry  | Jewelry TV
35.8  | HSN  | HSN
35.9  | QVC2  | QVC2

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b "Consummation Notice". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. March 29, 2018. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
2. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WIPL". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
3. ^ a b c "Modification of a DTV Station Construction Permit Application". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. February 25, 2019. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
4. ^ Seyler, Dave (March 12, 2012). "Second half of Portland ME TV JSA sold". Television Business Report. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
5. ^ "Application Search Details". Licensing.fcc.gov. November 13, 2012. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
6. ^ "Application for Consent to Assignment of Broadcast Station Construction Permit or License". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. February 13, 2013. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
7. ^ "MPS Media of Portland License, LLC : WPME" (PDF). Licensing.fcc.gov. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
8. ^ "CDBS Print". Licensing.fcc.gov. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
9. ^ "Application for Consent to Assignment of Broadcast Station Construction Permit or License". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. July 10, 2015. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
10. ^ "Application for Consent to Assignment of Broadcast Station Construction Permit or License". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
11. ^ "CW". WMTW.
12. ^ Ion Media closes on WPME Portland, Maine TVNewsCheck, April 2, 2018
13. ^ Callsign Listing. CDBS Public Access, Federal Communications Commission, Retrieved April 12, 2018.
14. ^ "RabbitEars TV Query for WIPL". Retrieved March 7, 2021.

## External links[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Broadcast television in southern and western Maine, including Portland and Augusta

Local stations|

* WCSH (6.1 NBC, 6.2 Crime, 6.3 Court, 6.4 Quest, 6.5 Twist, 6.6 LC, 6.7 This, 6.8 Grio)
* WMTW (8.1 ABC, 8.2 MeTV, 8.3 Laff, 8.5 getTV)
* WCBB / WMEA-TV (10.1/26.1 PBS/MPBN, 10.2/26.2 Create, 10.3/26.3 World, 10.4/26.4 PBS Kids)
* WGME-TV (13.1 CBS, 13.2 TBD, 13.3 Stadium)
* W14DA-D (14.1 Community-related Ind.)
* WPFO (23.1 Fox, 23.2 Charge!, 23.3 Comet, 23.4 Dabl)
* WIPL (35.1 Ion, 35.2 Court, 35.3 Bounce, 35.4 Grit, 35.5 Defy, 35.6 TrueReal, 35.7 Scripps News)
* WPXT (51.1 CW, 51.2 H&I/MNTV, 51.3 Mystery, 51.4 Story, 51.5 QVC)

New Hampshire stations
available in region|

* WMUR-TV 9 (.1 ABC, .2 MeTV, .3 Shop LC, .5 QVC; Manchester)
* WENH-TV / W26CQ / W34DQ-D (11.1/26 PBS/NHPBS, 11.2 NH Explore, 11.3 World, 11.4 Create, 11.5 PBS Kids; Durham/Colebrook/Pittsburg)

Cable channels|

* Create (via MPBN)
* NBC Sports Boston
* NECN
* NESN

Quebec stations
available in region|

* CBMT-DT 6 (CBC, Montreal)
* CHLT-DT 7 (TVA, Sherbrooke)
* CKSH-DT 9 (SRC, Sherbrooke)

Silent|

* WFYW-LP (41 3ABN)

Defunct|

* WLLB-LD (15.1 Daystar)
* WGBI-LP (21.1 Retro)
* WLAM-TV 17 (Lewiston–Auburn)
* W27BL (27 ABC, Berlin, via WMUR-TV)
* WMNE-LP (32 Daystar)
* WPMT 53
* Spectrum Community

Adjacent areas
Bangor, ME
Boston, MA–Manchester, NH
Presque Isle, ME–Woodstock, NB
Burlington, VT–Plattsburgh, NY-Lebanon, NH

* v
* t
* e

Ion Television network affiliates in New England

Connecticut|

* WHPX-TV 26 (New London)
* WPXN-TV 31 (New York City; serving Fairfield County)

Maine|

* WLBZ 2.3 (Bangor, ME)
* WIPL 35 (Lewiston)

Massachusetts|

* WWLP 22.3 & WFXQ-CD 22.3 (Springfield, MA)
* WBPX-TV 68 (Boston)
* WPXQ-TV 69 (Newport, RI; serving Bristol County)

New Hampshire|

* WCAX-TV 3.3 (Burlington, VT; serving western New Hampshire)
* WPXG-TV 21 (Concord)
* WIPL 35 (Lewiston, ME; serving Coös and Carroll counties)

Rhode Island|

* WPXQ-TV 69 (Newport)

Vermont|

* WCAX-TV 3.3 (Burlington, VT)
* WPXG-TV 21 (Concord, NH; serving Windham County)

See also
ABC
CBS

Fox
Ion
MyNetworkTV
NBC
PBS
Other stations in New England

* v
* t
* e

E. W. Scripps Company

sorted by primary channel network affiliations

ABC|

* KATC
* KERO-TV / KZKC-LD
* KGTV / KZSD-LD
* KGUN-TV
* KIVI-TV / KSAW-LD
* KMGH-TV / KZCO-LD
* KNXV-TV
* KTNV-TV
* KXXV / KRHD-CD
* WCPO-TV
* WEWS-TV
* WFTS-TV
* WKBW-TV
* WMAR-TV
* WRTV
* WTXL-TV
* WXYZ-TV

CBS|

* KMTV-TV
* KPAX-TV / KAJJ-CD
* KRTV / KXLH-LD
* KTVQ
* KXLF-TV / KBZK
* KZTV 1
* WTKR
* WTVF
* WTVR-TV

The CW|

* KATC 3
* KNXV-TV 3
* KRIS-TV 3
* KSBY 3
* KTNV-TV 3 4
* KWBA-TV
* WGNT
* WSFL-TV
* WMYD 7
* WXYZ-TV 7

Fox|

* KSTU
* WFLX 6
* WFTX-TV
* WSYM-TV
* WXMI

NBC|

* KJRH-TV
* KOAA-TV
* KRIS-TV
* KSBY
* KSHB-TV
* KTVH-DT / KTGF-LD
* KTPX-TV 3 8
* WGBA-TV
* WLEX-TV
* WPTV-TV
* WTMJ-TV

Ion (O&O)|

* KFPX-TV
* KKPX-TV
* KPXB-TV
* KPXD-TV
* KPXG-TV
* KPXL-TV
* KPXM-TV
* KPXN-TV
* KPXR-TV
* KRTV / KXLH-LD 3
* KSPX-TV
* KTPX-TV
* KWPX-TV
* KXLF-TV / KBZK 3
* WBPX-TV / WPXG
* WCPX-TV
* WDPX-TV
* WEPX-TV / WPXU-TV
* WINP-TV
* WIPL
* WKOI-TV
* WLPX-TV
* WNPX-TV
* WOPX-TV
* WPPX-TV
* WPXA-TV
* WPXC-TV
* WPXE-TV
* WPXK-TV
* WPXL-TV
* WPXM-TV
* WPXN-TV
* WPXQ-TV
* WPXR-TV
* WPXW-TV / WWPX-TV
* WQPX-TV
* WRBU
* WRPX-TV
* WSPX-TV
* WTPX-TV
* WTVR-TV 3
* WXPX-TV
* WZRB

Other|

* Bounce TV
* WSFJ-TV
* WFPX-TV
* KILM
* Dabl
* WTVF 3 5
* Grit
* WDPX-TV
* Ion Mystery
* KZCS-LD
* Independent
* KASW
* KCDO-TV / KSBS-CD
* KMCC
* KMCI-TV
* KUPX-TV
* K22JA-D
* WACY-TV
* WHDT
* MyNetworkTV
* WSYM-TV 3
* Telemundo
* K47DF-D / KZTV 1 3

TV networks|

* Broadcast
* Bounce TV
* Court TV
* Defy TV
* Grit
* Ion Television
* Ion Mystery
* Laff
* Scripps News
* OTT
* Ion Plus

Defunct|

* Broadcast
* Qubo
* TrueReal

Programming|

* Scripps Sports
* The List
* Right This Minute
* Yule Log

Acquisitions|

* Cordillera Communications
* Ion Media
* Journal Communications
* McGraw-Hill
* Katz Broadcasting

Digital|

* Scripps News

People|

* Adam P. Symson
* Rich Boehne
* Edward W. Estlow
* Jack R. Howard
* Roy W. Howard
* Ted Knap
* Jim G. Lucas
* Ernie Pyle
* Al Schottelkotte
* Charles Scripps
* E. W. Scripps

Related|

* National Journalism Awards
* Newspaper Enterprise Association
* National Spelling Bee
* Scripps Howard Foundation
* Scripps Networks Interactive
* United Feature Syndicate
* United Media
* Zacchini v. Scripps-Howard Broadcasting Co.

* NOTES:

* 1 Scripps operates KZTV under a shared services agreement with SagamoreHill Broadcasting.

* 2 KNXV-TV provides an ATSC 1.0 simulcast of sister independent station KASW for non-ATSC 3.0 tuners and receivers.

* 3 These stations broadcast these networks on their digital subchannels.

* 4 KTNV-TV provides an ATSC 1.0 simulcast of Sinclair Broadcast Group-owned CW station KVCW for non-ATSC 3.0 tuners and receivers.

* 5 WTVF provides an ATSC 1.0 simulcast of locally-owned and Sinclair Broadcast Group-operated Dabl station WNAB for non-ATSC 3.0 tuners and receivers.

* 6 Scripps operates WFLX under a shared services agreement with Gray Television.

* 7 WXYZ-TV provides an ATSC 1.0 simulcast of sister CW station WMYD for non-ATSC 3.0 tuners and receivers.

* 8 KJRH-TV provides a standard definition simulcast of sister station, Ion Television O&O KTPX-TV.

* 9 WFTS-TV provides an ATSC 1.0 simulcast of Hearst Television-owned independent station WMOR-TV for non-ATSC 3.0 tuners and receivers.

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