View source for WCMU-TV

{{Short description|Television station in Mount Pleasant, Michigan}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox television station
| callsign               = WCMU-TV
| city                   =
| logo                   = WCMU-TV Logo.png
| logo_size              = 200px
| branding               = WCMU Public Media
| analog                 = 
| digital                = 26 ([[UHF]])
| virtual                = 14 
| translators            = 
| affiliations           = [[PBS]]
| founded                = 
| airdate                = {{Start date and age|1967|3|29|p=y}}
| location               = [[Mount Pleasant, Michigan]]
| country                = United States
| callsign_meaning       = Central Michigan University
| former_callsigns       = 
| former_channel_numbers = '''Analog:''' 14 (UHF, 1967–2009)
| owner                  = [[Central Michigan University]]
| licensee               = 
| sister_stations        = [[WCMU-FM]], [[WUCX-FM]]
| former_affiliations    = [[National Educational Television|NET]] (1967–1970)
| erp                    = 450 [[kW]]
| haat                   = {{convert|298|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| class                  = 
| facility_id            = 9908
| coordinates            = {{coord|43|45|5.1|N|85|12|46.2|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}
| licensing_authority    = [[FCC]]
| website                = {{URL|http://www.wcmu.org/}}
}}
'''WCMU-TV''' (channel 14) is a [[PBS]] member [[television station]] in [[Mount Pleasant, Michigan]], United States, owned by [[Central Michigan University]]. The station's studios are located on the CMU campus in Mount Pleasant, and its transmitter is located {{convert|3|mi|km|0}} west of [[Barryton, Michigan]].

WCMU-TV operates three [[broadcast relay station#Satellite stations|satellite stations]]: '''WCMW''' (channel 21) in [[Manistee, Michigan|Manistee]] (with transmitter northeast of [[Ludington, Michigan|Ludington]]), '''WCMV''' (channel 27) in [[Cadillac, Michigan|Cadillac]] (with transmitter east of [[Kalkaska, Michigan|Kalkaska]]), and '''WCML''' (channel 6) in [[Alpena, Michigan|Alpena]] (with transmitter north of [[Atlanta, Michigan]]). Collectively branded as '''WCMU Public Media''', the four stations cover an area spanning three [[media market|television markets]] and small portions of several others.

Although Mount Pleasant is part of the [[Flint, Michigan|Flint]]–[[Saginaw]]–[[Bay City, Michigan|Bay City]] market, the majority of WCMU Public Media's viewership is in the [[Traverse City]]–Cadillac and Alpena markets.

==Satellite stations==
{| class="wikitable"
! Station
! [[City of license]]
! Channels<br>([[virtual channel|VC]]/[[digital terrestrial television|RF]])
! First air date
! [[call signs in North America|Call letters' meaning]]
! [[effective radiated power|ERP]]
! [[HAAT]]
! [[Facility ID]]
! Transmitter coordinates
! '''Public license information'''
|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"
| '''WCML'''
| [[Alpena, Michigan|Alpena]]
| 6 <br>24 ([[UHF]])
| {{start date and age|1975|11|21|p=y}}
| Central Michigan Alpena
| 300&nbsp;[[kW]]
| {{convert|393|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| 9917
| {{coord|45|8|18|N|84|9|45|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=WCML}}
| {{FCC-TV-Station-profile|WCML|Public file}}<br>{{FCC-LMS-Facility|9917|3=LMS}}
|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"
| '''WCMV'''
| [[Cadillac, Michigan|Cadillac]]
| 27<br>34 (UHF)
| {{start date and age|1984|9|7|p=y}}
| V - first letter after U
| 338&nbsp;kW
| {{convert|393|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| 9922
| {{coord|44|44|53|N|85|4|8|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=WCMV}}
| {{FCC-TV-Station-profile|WCMV|Public file}}<br>{{FCC-LMS-Facility|9922|3=LMS}}
|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"
| '''WCMW'''
| [[Manistee, Michigan|Manistee]]
| 21<br>20 (UHF)
| {{start date and age|1984|9|7|p=y}}
| W - second letter after U
| 70&nbsp;kW
| {{convert|134|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| 9913
| {{coord|44|3|57|N|86|19|58|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=WCMW}}
| {{FCC-TV-Station-profile|WCMW|Public file}}<br>{{FCC-LMS-Facility|9913|3=LMS}}
|}
WCMU-TV was previously relayed on '''W46AD''' in [[Traverse City]] and '''W69AV''' in [[Leland, Michigan|Leland]]; however, the transmitters ceased operations before their licenses were canceled by the FCC on September 7, 2011.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.michiguide.com/dials/tv/w69av.html |title=Michiguide: W69AV |access-date=June 24, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121117161106/http://www.michiguide.com/dials/tv/w69av.html |archive-date=November 17, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>

WCML once carried the -TV suffix.<ref>{{Cite web|title=FCC History Cards for WCML|url=https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=83589}}</ref>

==History==
{{expand section|date=November 2018}}
WCMU came to the air on March 29, 1967.<ref>[https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=83587 FCC History Cards for WCMU-TV]. [[Federal Communications Commission]].</ref>

In January 2010, WCMU-TV began airing 24&nbsp;hours a day, and launched an HD feed.<ref>[http://ourmidland.com/articles/2010/01/21/local_news/2353003.txt Midland Daily News January 21, 2010 CMU Public Television begins 24-hour broadcasting, high-definition TV]{{Dead link|date=April 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

===Acquisition of WFUM===
On October 27, 2009, it was announced that the CMU Board of Trustees approved a proposal for CMU to acquire [[Flint, Michigan]]'s PBS member station, WFUM (later [[WCMZ-TV]]), from the [[University of Michigan–Flint]] for a maximum of $1&nbsp;million.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cm-life.com/2009/10/27/breaking-news-board-of-trustees-meeting-today-at-1230-p-m-to-discuss-acquiring-tv-station-in-flint/#comments |title=UPDATED: Board of Trustees approve acquisition of WFUM TV station in Flint |last=Bolitho |first=Jake |date=October 27, 2009 |website=cm-life.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091101093341/http://www.cm-life.com/2009/10/27/breaking-news-board-of-trustees-meeting-today-at-1230-p-m-to-discuss-acquiring-tv-station-in-flint/ |archive-date=November 1, 2009 |url-status=dead |access-date=March 17, 2019}}</ref> The sale was approved by the FCC, allowing the network's presence to expand further south, not only including Flint, but also [[Ann Arbor]] and into [[Metro Detroit]]. The network provided at least secondary over-the-air coverage from far Northern [[Emmet County, Michigan|Emmet County]] to northern [[Monroe County, Michigan|Monroe County]]. While WFUM was folded into the CMU Public Television network, CMU vowed to include Flint-area events and issues in its programming, as well as produce new programming that would originate from the region. CMU believed the acquisition of WFUM will increase its viewership from 2.2&nbsp;million to 8&nbsp;million.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2009/10/wfum_would_bring_more_local_pr.html |title=WFUM would bring more local programming to Flint under Central Michigan University ownership |last=Mostafavi |first=Beata |date=October 28, 2009 |website=mlive.com |access-date=March 17, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180511013028/http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2009/10/wfum_would_bring_more_local_pr.html |archive-date=May 11, 2018 |url-status=live  }}</ref> CMU originally hinted that the takeover of WFUM would begin in late November,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.themorningsun.com/articles/2009/11/07/news/srv0000006772933.txt |title=CMU looks forward to acquiring station |last=Ecker |first=Patricia |date=November 7, 2009 |website=themorningsun.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120218081637/http://www.themorningsun.com/articles/2009/11/07/news/srv0000006772933.txt |archive-date=February 18, 2012 |url-status=dead |access-date=March 17, 2019}}</ref> but WCMU took over operations of WFUM on January 15, 2010.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.deltacollegiate.altervista.org/flint-pbs-station-goes-dark-after-38-years/ |title=Flint PBS Station Goes Dark After 38 Years |last=Piwowarski |first=Michael |date=April 25, 2018 |website=deltacollegiate.altavista.org |access-date=March 17, 2019}}</ref> The FCC approved the sale of WFUM in March and CMU officially took over in May at which point the call letters were changed to WCMZ-TV.

On February 8, 2017, Central Michigan University announced it will sell WCMZ-TV in the FCC spectrum auction for $14 million, claiming its viewers are already able to watch PBS on other nearby affiliates, namely [[Delta College (Michigan)|Delta College]]'s [[WDCQ-TV]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2017/02/cmu_auctions_off_flint_public.html |title=CMU to end Flint public television station after $14 million sale |last=Lozon |first=Von |date=February 8, 2017 |website=mlive.com |access-date=March 17, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180913142600/https://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2017/02/cmu_auctions_off_flint_public.html |archive-date=September 13, 2018 |url-status=live  }}</ref> It signed off on April 23, 2018.<ref name=wcmzsignoff>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2018/04/flint_public_television_statio.html |title=Flint public television station to go off the air Monday |last=Acosta |first=Roberto |date=April 22, 2018 |website=mlive.com |access-date=March 17, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914055138/https://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2018/04/flint_public_television_statio.html |archive-date=September 14, 2018 |url-status=live  }}</ref>

===WCML transmitter fire===
On February 28, 2024, a fire broke out at the WCML transmitter building in [[Montmorency Township, Michigan|Montmorency Township]], knocking out over-the-air PBS service to northeast Michigan, along with radio sister [[WCML-FM]] (91.7). The transmitter building was a total loss, and both stations would be off the air for several months as a complete rebuild of the site will be required. Cable carriage and streaming of both stations were not impacted by the outage.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 28, 2024 |title=WCMU radio and television off air in northeast Lower Michigan following fire |url=https://radio.wcmu.org/local-regional-news/2024-02-28/wcmu-radio-and-television-off-air-in-northeast-lower-michigan-following-fire |access-date=February 28, 2024 |website=WCMU Public Radio |language=en}}</ref> By March 9, WCMU updated their website, and the exact cause of the fire was unable to be determined.

On July 30, 2024, WCML TV and FM both returned to the air at 50% power, with an estimated coverage percentage at around 70% of the normal full power coverage area. WCMU Public Media anticipates a permanent full power restoration of both signals will not occur until sometime in 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=WCMU Radio and Television restored in northeast Lower Michigan |url=https://radio.wcmu.org/station-news-promotions/wcmu-radio-and-television-off-the-air-in-northeast-lower-michigan |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=WCMU Public Radio |language=en}}</ref>

==Technical information==
===Subchannels===
The stations' signals are [[multiplex (TV)|multiplexed]]:
{| class="wikitable"
|+WCMU Public Media multiplex
! 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 = "row" | xx.1
| rowspan="2" | [[1080i]]
| rowspan="5" | [[16:9]]
| CMU PBS
| [[PBS]]
|-
! scope = "row" | xx.2
| CMUkids
| [[PBS Kids]]
|-
! scope = "row" | xx.3
| rowspan="3" | [[480i]]
| @create
| [[Create (TV network)|Create]]
|-
! scope = "row" | xx.4
| CMU MLC
| Michigan Learning Channel
|-
! scope = "row" | xx.5
| CMU FNX || [[First Nations Experience]]
|}

The entire network discontinued analog service on March 31, 2009.

Unlike other major stations in the Traverse City–Cadillac–Sault Ste. Marie market, CMU Public Television does not have marketwide coverage. Following the [[DTV transition in the United States|2009 digital transition]], the network ''lost'' significant coverage. WCML decently penetrated most of the Eastern Upper Peninsula before the analog shutdown. With the switch to digital, residents of the Eastern Upper Peninsula (except for those on the Lake Huron shoreline) were no longer able to receive WCML due to its 300&nbsp;kW UHF signal. Currently, WCMU Public Media has no plans to add transmitters in the Eastern U.P. All PBS service, whether from CMU Public Television or another station, is available in that region only via cable or satellite. Some cable systems in that region carry another PBS station instead of WCMU — in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, [[Marquette, Michigan|Marquette]]'s [[WNMU (TV)|WNMU]] is seen on [[Spectrum (cable service)|Charter]], while across the locks in [[Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario]], [[Shaw Communications|Shaw]] carries [[Detroit]]'s [[WTVS]] instead mainly because of the lack of a local over-the-air signal to the nearly 90,000 people in the twin Saults and Eastern U.P. (Shaw previously carried WNMU for that same reason before it was replaced by WTVS in 2002.)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.wcmu.org/ WCMU]

{{Central Michigan University}}
{{Flint-Saginaw-Bay City TV}}
{{Northern Michigan TV}}
{{Alpena TV}}
{{PBS Michigan}}
{{Public broadcasting in the United States}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wcmu-Tv}}
[[Category:1967 establishments in Michigan]]
[[Category:Central Michigan University]]
[[Category:First Nations Experience affiliates]]
[[Category:PBS member stations]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1967]]
[[Category:Television stations in Michigan|CMU-TV]]