WBON-LD

WBON-LD

Richmond, Kentucky United States
Channels	Digital: 9 (VHF) Virtual: 9
Branding	WBON-TV
Programming
Affiliations	9.1: Independent for others, see § Subchannels
Ownership
Owner	Wallingford Broadcasting Co., Inc.
History
First air date	November 29, 1993 (1993-11-29)
Former call signs	W09BZ (1991–2000) WOBZ-LP (2000–2010) WOBZ-LD (2010–2019)
Former channel number(s)	Analog: 9 (VHF, 1993–2010)
Former affiliations	America One (1993–2010) Access TV Retro TV (2006–2016) Buzzr (2015–2020) TBN (secondary, 1993–200?) UATV (secondary, 2001–2006) America's Store (199?–2010) Jewelry TV (secondary, 2010–2016)
Call sign meaning	Wallingford Broadcasting On (TV)
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	2231
Class	LD
ERP	3 kW
HAAT	143.9 m (472 ft)
Transmitter coordinates	37°39′35.9″N 84°8′59.7″W
Links
Public license information	LMS
Website	wbontv.com

WBON-LD (channel 9) is a low-power independent television station licensed to Richmond, Kentucky, United States, serving the Lexington area. The station is owned by Wallingford Broadcasting, Inc. WBON-LD's transmitter is located near Waco, Kentucky, on a tower shared with co-owned FM radio stations WCYO and WLFX.

History

Originally licensed in East Bernstadt, Kentucky in 1991 as W09BZ, the station began life on November 29, 1993, as an America One affiliate, but also providing programming from the Trinity Broadcasting Network on a secondary basis. For its first 20+ years on the air, the station was owned by Andrea and Joey Kesler, the latter of which was a former WKYH-TV weatherman and sportscaster. The station's callsign was changed to WOBZ-LP in 2000. The station then became affiliated with Urban America Television in 2001, and stayed with that network until that network closed in 2006. It switched to the Retro Television Network as its affiliated network, but also launched a DT2 subchannel to carry Frost Great Outdoors programming. The station's DT3 subchannel aired programming from Luken Communications–owned Tuff TV beginning in the early 2010s, along with Jewelry Television programming during the overnight hours. Upon the station's conversion to digital in 2010, the station replaced the "-LP" suffix in its callsign with "-LD" to become WOBZ-LD.

Tower collapse

On January 29, 2008, the tower used by WOBZ-LP and radio station WJJA-LP collapsed during a storm. The station continued to be seen on London cable and over the internet. Station management hoped to build a new tower by April of that year, which they did.

New affiliation and ownership

In 2016, the station's main digital subchannel became an affiliate of Buzzr, featuring FremantleMedia's classic game show library. In 2018, the station was sold to its current owner, Wallingford Broadcasting.

Relocation to Richmond

Under new ownership, the station applied with the FCC to relocate its studio and transmission facilities to Richmond in early 2019. It was granted a construction permit in February 2019 to relocate as well as to upgrade its signal power to 3,000 watts. On July 11 of the same year, the station's callsign changed to the current WBON-LD. The move was completed in April 2020 and the station now operates under full license to cover from Richmond as WBON-LD.

Locally-based programming

WBON-LD currently provides local programming, including KHSAA-sanctioned high school football and basketball games, a daily local newscast called Live at Five among other locally produced and seasonal programming, and some syndicated programming, some of which is compliant with the FCC's children's television programming requirements.

In the 2000s as WOBZ-LP/LD, the station was the southeastern Kentucky home to Ohio Valley Wrestling originating from WBKI-TV in Louisville.

Subchannels

The station's signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of WBON-LD

Channel	Res.	Aspect	Short name	Programming
9.1	720p	16:9	WBON TV	Independent
9.2	480i		BUZZR	Buzzr
9.3			Hrtland	Heartland
9.4			RETRO	Retro TV

External links

• Official website