View source for WRDM-CD

{{Short description|Television station in Hartford, Connecticut}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox television station
| callsign               = WRDM-CD
| city                   = Hartford, Connecticut
| logo                   = TelemundoCT2018.svg
| logo_size              = 200px
| logo_alt               = WRDM logo
| branding               = {{ubl|{{lang|es|italic=no|Telemundo Connecticut}}|{{lang|es|Noticiero Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra}} (newscasts)}}
| digital                = 31 ([[UHF]]), shared with [[WVIT]]
| virtual                = 19
| translators            =
| affiliations           = {{ubl|'''19.1:''' [[Telemundo]]|'''19.2:''' [[TeleXitos]]}}
| founded                = 1985
| airdate                = {{start date and age|1986|6|14|p=y}}
| location               = {{nowrap|[[Hartford]]–[[New Haven, Connecticut]]}}
| country                = United States
| callsign_meaning       = Ruzzier, D{{'}}Agostino, Minniti<ref name="hc-earlyyearsandmeaning">{{cite news|last1=Lender|first1=Jon|title=Radio Station Targets Hispanic, Italian, Other Ethnic Markets|url=https://www.courant.com/1993/08/13/radio-station-targets-hispanic-italian-other-ethnic-markets/|access-date=December 18, 2017|work=[[Hartford Courant]]|date=August 13, 1993|language=en}}</ref> (former owners)
| owner                  = [[Telemundo Station Group]]
| licensee               = NBC Telemundo License [[LLC]]
| operator               = 
| sister_stations        = [[WVIT]]
| former_callsigns       = {{ubl|W13BF (1985–1995)|WRDM-LP (1995–2008)|WRDM-CA (2008–2013)}}
| former_affiliations    = {{ubl|'''All secondary:'''|[[Rai Italia|Rai Internazionale Americas]] (1986–2001)|[[TVP Polonia]] (per program, 1993–2001)|[[Jewelry Television]] (overnights, {{circa|2001}}–2018)}}
| former_channel_numbers = {{ubl|'''Analog:''' 13 ([[VHF]], 1986–2006), 50 (UHF, 2006–2013)|'''Digital:''' 19 (UHF, 2013–2018), 35 (UHF, 2018–2019)|'''Virtual:''' 50 (2013–2018)}}
| erp                    = 374 [[kW]]
| haat                   = {{convert|450|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| facility_id            = 10153
| coordinates            = {{coord|41|42|2|N|72|49|55|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}
| licensing_authority    = [[FCC]]
| website                = {{URL|https://www.telemundonuevainglaterra.com/noticias/local/Connecticut-465710633.html|Connecticut section on WNEU's website}} 
| embed_header           = Translator
| embedded               = {{Infobox television station
| child                  = yes
| callsign               = WDMR-LD
| city                   =
| logo                   = 
| branding               = 
| digital                = 23 (UHF)
| virtual                = 14
| translators            = 
| affiliations           = {{ubl|'''14.1:''' Telemundo|''for others, see {{Section link||WDMR-LD subchannels}}''}}
| founded                = 1988
| airdate                = {{start date and age|1991|6|13|p=y}}
| location               = {{nowrap|[[Springfield, Massachusetts]]}}
| country                = United States
| callsign_meaning       = [[anagram]] of WRDM-CD
| former_callsigns       = {{ubl|W65BX (1988–1995)|WDMR-LP (1995–2012)}}
| former_affiliations    = {{ubl|'''All secondary:'''|Rai Internazionale Americas (1991–2001)|TVP Polonia (per program, 1993–2001)|Jewelry Television (overnights, {{circa|2001}}–2018)}}
| former_channel_numbers = {{ubl|'''Analog:''' 65 (UHF, 1991–2006), 51 (UHF, 2006–2012)|'''Digital:''' 51 (UHF, 2012–2019)}}
| erp                    = 15 kW
| haat                   = {{convert|146|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| facility_id            = 10154
| class                  = [[Low-power broadcasting#Television|LD]]
| coordinates            = {{coord|42|5|7.3|N|72|42|10.3|W|type:landmark_scale:2000}}
| licensing_authority    = FCC
}}  
}}

'''WRDM-CD''' (channel 19) is a [[Class A television station]] licensed to [[Hartford, Connecticut]], United States, serving as the Hartford–[[New Haven]] [[Media market|market]]'s outlet for the Spanish-language network [[Telemundo]]. It is [[owned and operated]] by [[NBCUniversal]]'s [[Telemundo Station Group]] alongside [[NBC]] outlet [[WVIT]] (channel 30).<ref name="tvnc-saletotelemundo">{{cite news|last1=Miller|first1=Mark K.|title=NBCU Adding ZGS Stations To Telemundo|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/109362/nbcu-adding-zgs-stations-to-telemundo|access-date=December 4, 2017|work=TVNewsCheck|date=December 4, 2017|language=en}}</ref> The two stations share studios on New Britain Avenue in [[West Hartford]] and transmitter facilities on [[Rattlesnake Mountain (Connecticut)|Rattlesnake Mountain]] in [[Farmington, Connecticut]]. Despite WRDM-CD legally holding a [[low-power broadcasting#Television|low-power]] Class A license, it transmits using WVIT's full-power spectrum. This ensures complete reception across the Hartford–New Haven market.

'''WDMR-LD''' (channel 14) in [[Springfield, Massachusetts]], operates as a [[broadcast relay station#Broadcast translators|translator]] of WRDM, serving the [[Pioneer Valley]]. This station's transmitter is located on [[Provin Mountain]] in the [[Feeding Hills]] section of [[Agawam, Massachusetts]].

==History==
[[Image:WRDM.png|thumb|left|WRDM logo when the station broadcast on channel 13]]
[[Image:WRDM50.png|thumb|right|Previous logo; used until nationwide Telemundo rebrand on December 8, 2012.]]
WRDM-CD signed on June 14, 1986; it claims to be the first [[Spanish language in the United States|Spanish-language]] television station in [[New England]].<ref name="wrdm-start">{{cite web|title=Telemundo Hartford/Springfield Celebrates its 25th Anniversary|url=http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Telemundo-Hartford-Springfield-Celebrates-its-25-Anniversary.html?soid=1102418448023&aid=bkKdNiQIXMI|website=Telemundo Hartford/Springfield Station Spotlight|access-date=December 18, 2017|date=May 23, 2011}}</ref> The station initially operated on channel 13 under the call letters W13BF.<ref name="hc-earlyyearsandmeaning"/> On June 13, 1991,<ref name="tf2006">{{cite book|title=Television & Cable Factbook 2006 Edition|year=2006|page=B-78|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/2006-Factbook/TV-Factbook-2006-All-Other.pdf|format=PDF|access-date=October 5, 2018}}</ref> the station added a simulcast in Springfield, W65BX (channel 65).<ref name="hc-earlyyearsandmeaning"/> Initially, in addition to Telemundo programming, W13BF and W65BX aired programming in [[Italian language|Italian]] from public broadcaster Radiotelevisione Italiana ([[RAI]])'s [[Rai Italia|international service]],<ref name="hc-earlyyearsandmeaning"/> with additional programming in [[Greek language|Greek]] and [[Polish language|Polish]].<ref name="hc-w13bfgreekpolish">{{cite news|last1=Trecker|first1=Jerry|title=Getting With The Program|url=https://www.courant.com/1993/10/13/getting-with-the-program-3/|access-date=December 18, 2017|work=[[Hartford Courant]]|date=October 13, 1993|language=en}}</ref> The television stations were joined by radio station WRDM (1550 AM, now [[WSDK]]) in 1993;<ref name="hc-earlyyearsandmeaning"/> on September 1, 1995, W13BF changed its call letters to WRDM-LP,<ref name="fcc-wrdmcallsigns">{{cite web|title=Call Sign History (WRDM-CD)|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=10153&Callsign=WRDM-CD|website=CDBS Public Access|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=December 18, 2017}}</ref> and W65BX became WDMR-LP.<ref name="fcc-wdmrcallsigns">{{cite web|title=Call Sign History (WDMR-LD)|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=10154&Callsign=WDMR-LD|website=CDBS Public Access|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=December 18, 2017}}</ref> WRDM radio was sold off in 1998.<ref name="nerw-wrdmradiosale">{{cite news|last1=Fybush|first1=Scott|title=The Mouse that Ate Hartford|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-980212.html|access-date=December 18, 2017|work=North East RadioWatch|date=February 12, 1998}}</ref> During the late 1990s, WDMR-LP's schedule also included [[American English|English-language]] [[Boston Red Sox]] telecasts produced by [[Boston]]'s WABU (now [[Ion Television]] owned-and-operated station [[WBPX-TV]]).<ref name="nerw-wdmrredsox">{{cite news|last1=Fybush|first1=Scott|title=New England RadioWatch|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-960403.html|access-date=December 18, 2017|date=April 3, 1996}}</ref> By 1997, WRDM-LP's programming was simulcast in New Haven on W10BQ (channel 10, now defunct) and in Hartford on W11BJ (channel 11, now [[WFXQ-CD]] channel 28 in Springfield).<ref name="nerw-wrdmonw10bqw11bj">{{cite news|last1=Fybush|first1=Scott|title=The Reaction to Dodge|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-970626.html|access-date=December 18, 2017|work=North East RadioWatch|date=June 26, 1997}}</ref>

Original owner Channel 13 Television sold WRDM-LP and WDMR-LP to [[ZGS Communications]] on March 27, 2001.<ref name="fcc-saletozgs1">{{cite web|title=Application for Transfer of Control of a Corporate Licensee or Permittee, or for Assignment of License or Permit of TV or FM Translator Station or Low Power Television Station|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=505255&Service=DC&Form_id=345&Facility_id=10154|website=CDBS Public Access|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=December 18, 2017|date=June 22, 2000}}</ref><ref name="fcc-saletozgs2">{{cite web|title=Application Search Details (WDMR-LD, 1)|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=505255&prefix=BALTVL&arn=20000626AFC&group=A|website=CDBS Public Access|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=December 18, 2017}}</ref> In January 2006, WRDM-LP moved to channel 50;<ref name="nerw-wrdm50">{{cite news|last1=Fybush|first1=Scott|title=And now...The CW?|url=https://www.fybush.com/NERW/2006/060130/nerw.html|access-date=December 18, 2017|work=NorthEast Radio Watch|date=January 30, 2006}}</ref> WDMR-LP moved to channel 51 that November.<ref name="fcc-wdmr51">{{cite web|title=Application Search Details (WDMR-LD, 2)|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=1158669|website=CDBS Public Access|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=December 18, 2017}}</ref> WRDM became a [[Class A television service|class A]] station as WRDM-CA on May 7, 2008.<ref name="fcc-wrdmcallsigns"/> On November 15, 2012, WDMR [[flash cut]] from analog to digital as WDMR-LD;<ref name="fcc-wdmrcallsigns"/> on January 7, 2013, WRDM followed suit and became WRDM-CD.<ref name="fcc-wrdmcallsigns"/> WDMR-LD now serves as a complete simulcast of WRDM-CD.<ref>[http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=print_station&facility_id=10154 RabbitEars TV Query for WDMR-LD]</ref>

On December 4, 2017, [[NBCUniversal]]'s [[Telemundo Station Group]] announced its purchase of ZGS' 13 television stations, including WRDM-CD and WDMR-LD. The sale was completed on February 1, 2018.<ref name="tvnc-saletotelemundo"/> The deal made WRDM a sister station to [[NBC]] [[owned-and-operated station]] [[WVIT]] (channel 30), along with [[WNBC]] (channel 4) and [[WNJU]] (channel 47) to the southwest in [[New York City]], and [[WBTS-LD]] (channel 8), [[WYCN-CD]] (channel 15) and [[WNEU]] (channel 60) to the northeast in Boston. WVIT began operating WRDM under a [[local marketing agreement]] on [[New Year's Day|January 1]], 2018 from WVIT's studios in [[West Hartford]]; WRDM later entered into a [[channel sharing]] agreement with WVIT.<ref name="tvnc-wneuwrdmnewscast">{{cite news|last1=Miller|first1=Mark K.|title=WNEU Boston Rebrands, Adds 2 Newscasts|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/109716/wneu-boston-rebrands-adds-2-newscasts|access-date=December 15, 2017|work=TVNewsCheck|date=December 15, 2017|language=en}}</ref> ZGS had sold WRDM's spectrum in the FCC's [[incentive auction]] for $10,574,516 and indicated that the station would enter into a post-auction channel sharing agreement.<ref name="fcc-wrdmsale">{{cite web|title=FCC Broadcast Television Spectrum Incentive Auction Auction 1001 Winning Bids|url=http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2017/db0413/DA-17-314A2.pdf|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=December 15, 2017|format=PDF|date=April 4, 2017}}</ref> One immediate effect of the sale was the end of a [[brokered programming]] arrangement to carry English language [[Jewelry TV]] programming in overnights for Telemundo's regular overnight schedule, along with the addition of a Connecticut-specific part of the website for WNEU in place of the former WRDM website.

==Newscasts==
WRDM-LP began producing a newscast in April 1998; at the outset, {{lang|es|Noticiero 13}} primarily featured reports from [[Puerto Rico]] and [[Latin America]], with local news coverage being added in June 1999.<ref name="hc-wrdmnewscast">{{cite news|last1=Weiss|first1=Tara|title=Accent On News|url=https://www.courant.com/1999/08/16/accent-on-news/|access-date=December 15, 2017|work=[[Hartford Courant]]|date=August 16, 1999|language=en}}</ref> The station's news operation was discontinued in the early 2000s; WRDM then began carrying {{lang|es|Telenoticias Puerto Rico}} from [[WKAQ-TV]] in [[San Juan, Puerto Rico|San Juan]].

On December 15, 2017, NBCUniversal announced that, following its acquisition of WRDM-CD, the station (along with WDMR-LD) would begin simulcasting the newscasts of Boston sister station WNEU; the newscasts will include news from Connecticut and western Massachusetts from a reporter based at WRDM's facilities at the WVIT studios in West Hartford.<ref name="tvnc-wneuwrdmnewscast"/>

==Technical information==
The stations' signals are [[multiplex (TV)|multiplexed]]:
===WRDM-CD subchannels===
{{#section:WVIT|subs}}
===WDMR-LD subchannels===
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Subchannels of WDMR-LD<ref>{{cite web|url=https://rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WDMR-LD#station|title=Digital TV Market Listing for WDMR-LD|website=RabbitEars|access-date=September 20, 2022}}</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 = "row" | 14.1 
| [[1080i]] || rowspan=4|[[16:9]] || WDMR-LD || [[Telemundo]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 14.2 
| rowspan=3|[[480i]] || XITOS S || [[TeleXitos]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 14.3 
| LocalX || [[NBC LX Home]] 
|-
! scope = "row" | 14.4 
| Oxygen || [[Oxygen (TV channel)|Oxygen]]
|}
WDMR-LD also broadcasts the national services [[NBC LX Home]] and [[Oxygen (TV channel)|Oxygen]], which are carried by WVIT as subchannels 30.3 and 30.4.

===Spectrum auction repack===
On August 2, 2019, WVIT and WRDM-CD were switched from RF 35 to RF 31.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{official website|https://www.telemundonuevainglaterra.com/noticias/local/Connecticut-465710633.html|Hartford/Springfield section on WNEU's website}}

{{Hartford/New Haven TV}}
{{Springfield MA TV}}
{{Other New England Stations}}
{{NBCUniversal}}
{{Major U.S. TV O-O Stations}}

[[Category:1986 establishments in Connecticut]]
[[Category:Low-power television stations in Connecticut|RDM-CD]]
[[Category:Spanish-language television stations in Connecticut|RDM-CD]]
[[Category:Telemundo Station Group]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1986]]
[[Category:TeleXitos affiliates]]