View source for WXSP-CD

{{Short description|Television station in Grand Rapids, Michigan}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Redirect|WOHO|the AM radio station formerly known as WOHO|WLQR (AM)}}
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{{original research|date=March 2013}}
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{{Infobox television station
| callsign = WXSP-CD
| city = Grand Rapids, Michigan
| logo = WXSP.svg
| logo_size = 150px
| atsc3 = yes
| branding = WXSP The X
| digital = 15 ([[UHF]])
| virtual = 15
| affiliations = {{ubl|'''15.1:''' [[MyNetworkTV]]|'''15.2:''' [[The Nest (TV network)|The Nest]]|'''15.3:''' [[Comet (TV network)|Comet]]}}
| translators = ''see {{section link||Repeaters}}''
| owner = [[Nexstar Media Group]]
| licensee = Nexstar Media Inc.
| location = {{ubl|[[Grand Rapids]]–[[Kalamazoo]]–|[[Battle Creek, Michigan]]}}
| country = United States
| airdate = {{start date and age|1986|7|23|p=y}}
| callsign_meaning = {{ubl|"X Sports"|Other repeaters have the call pattern "WO" for WOOD-TV, followed by a two-letter abbreviation of their city of license}}
| sister_stations = [[WOOD-TV]], [[WOTV]]
| former_callsigns = {{ubl|W29AD (1986–1988)|W15AM (1988–1996)|WOWD-LP (1996–2000)|WXSP-LP (2000–2002)|WXSP-CA (2002–2010)}}
| former_channel_numbers = {{ubl|'''Analog:''' 29 (UHF, 1986–1988), 15 (UHF, 1988–2010)}}
| former_affiliations = {{ubl|[[World Harvest Television]] (1986–1995)|[[weather forecasting|local weather]] (1995–1999)|[[UPN]] (1999–2006)}}
| erp = 15 [[kW]]
| haat = {{convert|124|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| facility_id = 36851
| class = [[Class A television service|CD]]
| coordinates = {{Coord|43|1|1|N|85|44|25|W|type:landmark_region:US-MI|name=WXSP-CD}}
| licensing_authority = [[FCC]]
| website = 
}}

'''WXSP-CD''' (channel 15) is a [[low-power broadcasting#Television|low-power]], [[Class A television station]] licensed to [[Grand Rapids, Michigan]], United States, serving [[West Michigan]] as an affiliate of [[MyNetworkTV]]. It is owned by [[Nexstar Media Group]] alongside Grand Rapids–licensed [[NBC]] affiliate [[WOOD-TV]] (channel 8) and [[Battle Creek]]–licensed [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] affiliate [[WOTV]] (channel 41). The stations share studios on College Avenue Southeast in the [[Heritage Hill Historic District (Grand Rapids, Michigan)|Heritage Hill]] section of Grand Rapids, while WXSP-CD's transmitter is located in [[Walker, Michigan|Walker]] (along [[I-96]]). Another repeater station licensed to Grand Rapids, '''WOLP-CD''' (channel 35), utilizes and is co-located with WOOD-TV's transmitter southwest of [[Middleville, Michigan|Middleville]].

== History ==
The station signed on the air on July 23, 1986, as W29AD, broadcasting on UHF channel 29. It moved to UHF channel 15 and acquired the W15AM calls on January 12, 1988. In the station's early days, it was a translator for World Harvest Television from [[WHME-TV]] in [[South Bend, Indiana]], which is owned by LeSEA Broadcasting (now [[Family Broadcasting Corporation]]). The station was then purchased by [[LIN TV]], the owner of WOOD-TV, and converted to the station's Local Weather Station (LWS) format with the call sign WOWD-LP (variation on WOOD-TV). WOWD and its low-power network of repeaters aired 24-hour weather information direct from WOOD-TV's weather center, including current conditions and [[breaking news|severe weather coverage]]. This was in an early pre-digital format comparable to the now defunct [[NBC Weather Plus]].

The weather programming aired from the mid-1990s until it switched to a general entertainment programming format a few years later. It featured graphic displays of various current conditions and forecasts as well as periodic forecast segments from WOOD-TV's meteorologists. Short commercial breaks would feature promotional advertising for WOOD-TV's news and entertainment programming, as well as LWS' [[station identification]]. A format change took place when it became a [[UPN]] affiliate on August 31, 1999 (displacing that network from secondary carriage on WOOD-TV and [[WOTV]]), prompting the move of LWS to the early morning hours and the adoption of new calls, WXSP-LP. The call-sign WXSP-CA was acquired after it became a Class A station, which meets stricter requirements than most low-powered television stations. WXSP-CD continues to carry WOOD-TV's radar in late night weekend slots when [[paid programming]] is unable to be sold.

On January 24, 2006, the [[Warner Bros.]] unit of [[WarnerMedia|Time Warner]] and [[CBS Corporation]] announced that the two companies would shut down The WB and UPN and combine the networks' respective programming to create a new "fifth" network called [[The CW]].<ref>[https://money.cnn.com/2006/01/24/news/companies/cbs_warner/ 'Gilmore Girls' meet 'Smackdown'; CW Network to combine WB, UPN in CBS-Warner venture beginning in September], [[CNNMoney.com]], January 24, 2006.</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/24/business/media/24cnd-network.html?bl UPN and WB to Combine, Forming New TV Network], ''[[The New York Times]]'', January 24, 2006.</ref> On February 22, 2006, [[News Corporation]] announced the launch of a new "sixth" network called [[MyNetworkTV]], which would be operated by [[Fox Television Stations]] and its syndication division [[Twentieth Television]]. MyNetworkTV was created to compete against another upstart network that would launch at the same time that September, The CW (an amalgamated network that was originally consisted primarily of UPN and The WB's higher-rated programs) as well as to give UPN and WB stations that were not mentioned as becoming CW affiliates another option besides converting to independent stations.<ref>{{cite news|title=News Corp. to launch new mini-network for UPN stations|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2006-02-22-fox-my-network_x.htm|access-date=January 21, 2013|newspaper=[[USA Today]]|date=February 22, 2006}}</ref><ref>[http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/102922-News_Corp_Unveils_My_Network_TV.php News Corp. Unveils MyNetworkTV], ''[[Broadcasting & Cable]]'', February 22, 2006.</ref>

CBS affiliate [[WWMT]] (channel 3) announced on April 4 that it would affiliate with The CW on a new [[WWMT-DT2|second]] digital subchannel. WXSP became available as a MyNetworkTV affiliate partly because then-WB affiliate [[WZPX-TV]] (channel 43) was also an i: Independent Television (now [[Ion (TV network)|Ion]]) [[owned-and-operated station]] and ran WB programming on a 22-hour delay (prime time shows ran at 6 p.m. the night after the original broadcast and the [[Kids' WB]] Saturday block aired at 5 a.m. on Sunday mornings). As a result, Southwestern Michigan is one of the largest [[media market|markets]] in which The CW was only available via digital subchannel/cable and on an entirely new station. It was reported that WXSP was in discussions to join The CW, but due to the station's heavy reliance upon professional sports during prime time and the network's concerns over preempted programming, the two sides could not come to an agreement.

For the final two weeks of UPN's existence, Fox affiliate [[WXMI]] (channel 17) aired ''[[WWE Smackdown]]'' until WWMT-DT2's launch. WXSP joined MyNetworkTV on September 5, while WWMT-DT2 signed on with The CW on September 18. On July 21, 2010, WXSP [[flash-cut]] from analog to a digital signal. The call letters were changed to WXSP-CD on August 30. In late-October 2010, LIN TV discontinued the simulcast of WXSP on WOTV-DT2, replacing it with a new digital subchannel network, [[TheCoolTV]] (which it discontinued on July 15, 2013). On July 1, 2013, LIN TV ended the simulcast of WXSP on WOOD-DT2, replacing that signal with [[Bounce TV]].

On March 21, 2014, it was announced that [[Media General]] would acquire LIN.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-linmedia-offer-idUSBREA2K0S720140321|title=Media General to buy LIN Media for $1.6 billion|author=Sruthi Ramakrishnan|date=March 21, 2014|publisher=Reuters|access-date=March 21, 2014}}</ref> The deal closed on December 19, bringing WXSP, along with WOOD and WOTV, under common ownership with [[CBS]] affiliate [[WLNS-TV]] in Lansing.

On January 27, 2016, Media General announced that it had entered into a definite agreement to be acquired by [[Nexstar Broadcasting Group]]. The combined company was named Nexstar Media Group, and owned at the time 171 stations (including WOOD, WOTV and WXSP), serving an estimated 39% of households.<ref name=tvnc-mgnexstar>{{cite web|title=Nexstar-Media General: It's A Done Deal|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/91865/nexstarmedia-general-its-a-done-deal|website=TVNewsCheck|access-date=January 27, 2016}}</ref><ref name=nyt-mgnex>{{cite news|title=Nexstar Clinches Deal to Acquire Media General|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/28/business/dealbook/nexstar-clinches-deal-to-acquire-media-general.html?_r=0|access-date=January 27, 2016|work=The New York Times| date=January 27, 2016 | last1=Picker | first1=Leslie }}</ref> Due to their low-power status, the WXSP-CD network of stations was not affected by the Nexstar-[[Tribune Broadcasting|Tribune]] merger involving the spin-off of Tribune's WXMI to [[E. W. Scripps Company|Scripps]].

== Programming ==
Overnights, WXSP airs a live feed of WOOD-TV's [[Pulse-Doppler radar|Doppler]] [[weather radar]] (known as "Storm Track Live"), along with [[NOAA Weather Radio]] broadcast audio. The station may sometimes air ABC or NBC programming in the event of preemptions by WOTV or WOOD-TV.

The station was the Grand Rapids home for the former [[Detroit Pistons]], [[Detroit Red Wings]], and [[Big Ten Conference]] syndicated packages.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/tale-three-cities-109164|title=A Tale of Three Cities|last=Romano|first=Allison|date=December 16, 2005|website=Broadcasting & Cable|language=en-us|access-date=September 20, 2019}}</ref> In 2024, the station announced a broadcast agreement with the [[Grand Rapids Rise]] of the [[Pro Volleyball Federation]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://provolleyball.com/news/2024/01/wxsp-tv-961-the-game-to-provide-local-coverage-of-grand-rapids-rise|title=WXSP-TV, 96.1 The Game To Provide Local Coverage Of Grand Rapids Rise|date=January 23, 2024|website=Grand Rapids Rise|language=en-us|access-date=February 21, 2025}}</ref>

=== Newscasts ===
On October 21, 2007, WXSP introduced a 10&nbsp;PM newscast produced by sister station WOOD-TV, titled ''News 8 at 10:00''. The half-hour newscast competes with Fox station WXMI's hour-long prime time newscast, and later began to compete with a WWMT-produced program for its CW subchannel.

== Technical information ==
=== Subchannels ===
WXSP-CD's ATSC 1.0 channels are carried on the [[multiplex (TV)|multiplexed]] signals of other West Michigan television stations, to the advantage of being at those station's full-power despite WXSP-CD's low-power status:
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Subchannels provided by WXSP-CD (ATSC 1.0)<ref>[http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WOOD#station RabbitEars TV Query for WOOD]</ref><ref>[http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WXMI#station RabbitEars TV Query for WXMI]</ref><ref>[http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WWMT#station RabbitEars TV Query for WWMT]</ref>
! scope = "col" | [[Digital subchannel#United States|Channel]]
! scope = "col" | [[Display resolution|Res.]]
! scope = "col" | [[Aspect ratio (image)|Aspect]]
! scope = "col" | Short name
! scope = "col" | Programming
! scope = "col" | ATSC 1.0 host
|-
! scope = "row" | 15.1
| [[720p]] || rowspan=2|[[16:9]] || WXSP CD || [[MyNetworkTV]] || [[WOOD-TV]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 15.2
| rowspan=2|[[480i]] || theNest || [[The Nest (TV network)|The Nest]]|| [[WXMI]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 15.3
| [[4:3]] || Comet || [[Comet (TV network)|Comet]] || [[WWMT]]
|}

=== ATSC 3.0 ===
The station's digital signal is multiplexed, with the repeaters below also maintaining the same channel map arrangement:
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Subchannels of WXSP-CD<ref>{{cite web|title=RabbitEars TV Query for WXSP|url=http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WXSP#station|website=RabbitEars|access-date=December 22, 2020}}</ref>
! style="background-color: #bdbdff" scope = "col" | [[Digital subchannel#United States|Channel]]
! style="background-color: #bdbdff" scope = "col" | [[Display resolution|Res.]]
! style="background-color: #bdbdff" scope = "col" | [[Aspect ratio (image)|Aspect]]
! style="background-color: #bdbdff" scope = "col" | Short name
! style="background-color: #bdbdff" scope = "col" | Programming
|-
! scope = "row" | 3.1
| rowspan=2|[[1080i]]|| rowspan="5" | [[16:9]] || CBS || [[CBS]] ([[WWMT]])
|-
! scope = "row" | 8.1
| WOOD TV || [[NBC]] ([[WOOD-TV]])
|-
! scope = "row" | 15.4
| rowspan=3|720p || WXSP-CD || [[MyNetworkTV]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 17.1
| FOX17DT || [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] ([[WXMI]])
|-
! scope = "row" | 41.1
| WOTV || [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] ([[WOTV]])
|}

=== Repeaters ===
{{Geogroup}}
Due to its low-power status, WXSP-CD's [[broadcast range|broadcasting radius]] only covers the immediate Grand Rapids area. Therefore, in order to serve the entire Grand Rapids–[[Kalamazoo]]–Battle Creek market, it is relayed on five Class A translators that usually repeat WXSP-CD's programming, but currently all share in hosting the market's ATSC 3.0 signals:
{{clear}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Translators of WXSP-CD
! scope = "col" | Station
! scope = "col" | [[City of license]]
! scope = "col" | {{ubl|[[channel (broadcasting)|Channel]]|[[Virtual channel|TV]] ([[Digital terrestrial television|RF]])}}
! scope = "col" | [[Facility ID]]
! scope = "col" | [[effective radiated power|ERP]]
! scope = "col" | [[HAAT]]
! scope = "col" | Transmitter coordinates
! scope = "col" | {{ubl|Public license|information}}
|-
! scope = "row" | WOLP-CD
| [[Grand Rapids]] || 35 (35) || 167892 || 14.4&nbsp;kW || {{convert|179.7|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} || {{coord|42|41|14.7|N|85|30|35|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=WOLP-CD}} || {{ubl|{{FCC-TV-Station-profile|WOLP-CD|Public file}}|{{FCC-LMS-Facility|167892|3=LMS}}}}
|-
! scope = "row" | WOBC-CD
| [[Battle Creek]] || 14 (16) || 67001 || 37&nbsp;kW || {{convert|75|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} || {{coord|42|17|16.7|N|85|9|54.3|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=WOBC-CD}} || {{ubl|{{FCC-TV-Station-profile|WOBC-CD|Public file}}|{{FCC-LMS-Facility|67001|3=LMS}}}}
|-
! scope = "row" | WOMS-CD
| [[Muskegon]] || 29 (29) || 67895 || .7&nbsp;kW || {{convert|156|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} || {{coord|43|15|45.06|N|86|4|34.19|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=WOMS-CD}} || {{ubl|{{FCC-TV-Station-profile|WOMS-CD|Public file}}|{{FCC-LMS-Facility|67895|3=LMS}}}}
|-
! scope = "row" | WOHO-CD
| [[Holland, Michigan|Holland]] || 33 (33) || 28926 || .52&nbsp;kW || {{convert|125|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} || {{coord|42|48|59.10|N|85|57|20.17|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=WOHO-CD}} || {{ubl|{{FCC-TV-Station-profile|WOHO-CD|Public file}}|{{FCC-LMS-Facility|28926|3=LMS}}}}
|-
! scope = "row" | WOKZ-CD
| [[Kalamazoo]] || 50 (33) || 36841 || .071&nbsp;kW || {{convert|70|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} || {{coord|42|17|48.0|N|85|38|29.0|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=WOKZ-CD}} || {{ubl|{{FCC-TV-Station-profile|WOKZ-CD|Public file}}|{{FCC-LMS-Facility|36841|3=LMS}}}}
|}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*[https://www.woodtv.com/ WOOD-TV]
*[https://www.woodtv.com/wotv4women WOTV]

{{Grand Rapids TV}}
{{MNTV Michigan}}
{{NXST TV}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wxsp-Cd}}
[[Category:1986 establishments in Michigan]]
[[Category:ATSC 3.0 television stations]]
[[Category:Ion Mystery affiliates]]
[[Category:Low-power television stations in Michigan]]
[[Category:MyNetworkTV affiliates]]
[[Category:The Nest (TV network) affiliates]]
[[Category:Nexstar Media Group]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1986]]
[[Category:Television stations in West Michigan|XSP-CD]]