Ion TV station in New Orleans, Louisiana WPXL-TV * New Orleans, Louisiana * United States Channels| * Digital: 33 (UHF) * Virtual: 49 Branding| Ion Programming Affiliations| 49.1: Ion Television 49.2: Grit 49.3: Laff 49.4: Defy TV 49.5: Newsy 49.6: HSN 49.7: QVC Over Air Ownership Owner| * Ion Media (E. W. Scripps Company) * (Ion Media License Company, LLC) History First air date | March 19, 1989 (33 years ago) (1989-03-19) Former call signs | WCCL (1989–1998) Former channel number(s) | Analog: 49 (UHF, 1989–2009) Digital: 50 (UHF, until 2020) Former affiliations | Analog/DT1: Independent (1989–1990) CBS (secondary, 1989–1990) Dark (1990–1994) HSN (1994–1998) DT2: Qubo (until 2021) DT3: Ion Plus (until 2021) DT4: Ion Shop (until 2021) Call sign meaning | "Pax Louisiana" Technical information Licensing authority | FCC Facility ID| 21729 ERP| 1,000 kW HAAT| 311.2 m (1,021 ft) Transmitter coordinates| 29°58′58″N 89°56′58″W / 29.98278°N 89.94944°W / 29.98278; -89.94944Coordinates: 29°58′58″N 89°56′58″W / 29.98278°N 89.94944°W / 29.98278; -89.94944 Links Public license information * Profile * LMS Website| iontelevision.com WPXL-TV (channel 49) is a television station in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, broadcasting the Ion Television network. It is owned and operated by the Ion Media subsidiary of the E. W. Scripps Company, and maintains offices on Veterans Memorial Boulevard and Cleary Avenue in Metairie; its transmitter is located off Paris Road (LA 47) near the Orleans–St. Bernard parish line. ## Contents * 1 History * 1.1 Early history * 1.2 Hurricane Katrina * 1.3 Sale to Ion Media * 2 Newscasts * 3 Technical information * 3.1 Subchannels * 3.2 Analog-to-digital conversion * 4 References * 5 External links ## History[edit] ### Early history[edit] After a string of delays, channel 49 first signed on the air on March 19, 1989, as WCCL; it originally operated as an independent station with a general entertainment format, along with numerous CBS programs preempted by WWL-TV (channel 4), including CBS This Morning.[1][2] Owned by Black woman Barbara Lamont, WCCL failed to show in the ratings with poor programming and a lack of cable carriage. By the end of 1989, it had filed bankruptcy due to a hostile creditor that sought to evict it from its tower at Algiers.[3] The station had begun work on its own tower at Bywater which would prevent blockage of channel 49's signal by passing ships on the Mississippi River, but a battle with neighbors who wanted its height reduced left the site unfinished and unusable by the station.[4] The hostile creditor—Lodestar Towers—was successful in obtaining an order to repossess WCCL's equipment, forcing the station off the air on May 23, 1990.[5] While Lamont spent two years trying to rebuild the station's transmitter facility elsewhere,[6] she gave up in May 1992, when her Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization case was converted to Chapter 7 liquidation.[7] Flinn Broadcasting Corporation purchased the station's license out of bankruptcy and returned channel 49 to the air on May 25, 1994, carrying programming from the Home Shopping Network.[8] The station changed its call letters to WPXL-TV on August 31, 1998; that same day, the station became a charter affiliate of the family-oriented network Pax TV (now Ion Television). As part of the affiliation deal with Pax TV, Flinn Broadcasting entered into a time brokerage agreement with Pax TV owner Paxson Communications to operate the station. On July 30, 2001. Paxson entered into a joint sales agreement with Hearst-Argyle Television (now Hearst Television), owner of NBC affiliate WDSU (channel 6), to provide advertising and marketing services for WPXL.[9] ### Hurricane Katrina[edit] In early September 2005, shortly after Hurricane Katrina made landfall in southern Louisiana, WPXL partnered with WDSU, whose transmitter building in Chalmette was damaged due to flooding caused by the storm, to simulcast channel 6's programming.[10] The station also added programming from The Worship Network and the signals of the Tribune Broadcasting-owned duopoly of ABC affiliate WGNO (channel 26) and CW affiliate WNOL-TV (channel 38) as subchannels on its digital signal for New Orleans area residents that had television sets with built-in digital tuners. On March 29, 2008, almost a month after WGNO and WNOL resumed digital transmissions over WNOL's digital allocation on UHF channel 15, WPXL began to carry the Ion-owned children's network Qubo and lifestyle network Ion Life on digital channels 49.2 and 49.3; both networks had launched a year-and-a-half after Katrina hit the area. ### Sale to Ion Media[edit] On August 21, 2007, Ion Media announced that it would purchase WPXL-TV and Memphis sister station WPXX from Flinn Broadcasting outright for $18 million.[11] The sale was completed on January 2, 2008, with WPXL becoming an Ion owned-and-operated station.[12] ## Newscasts[edit] In September 2001, as part of the JSA with that station, WPXL began airing tape delayed rebroadcasts of NBC affiliate WDSU's 10:00 p.m. newscasts each Monday through Friday evening at 10:30 p.m. (beginning shortly before that program's live broadcast ended on WDSU). The news share agreement ended on June 30, 2005 (coinciding with Pax's rebranding as i: Independent Television), due to Paxson Communications' decision to discontinue carriage of network affiliate newscasts as a result of Pax TV's financial troubles. ## Technical information[edit] ### Subchannels[edit] The station's digital signal is multiplexed: Channel | Video | Aspect | Short name | Programming[13] | | | | 49.1 | 720p | 16:9 | ION | Ion Television 49.2 | Grit | Grit 49.3 | 480i | Laff | Laff 49.4 | Defy TV | Defy TV 49.5 | Newsy | Newsy 49.6 | HSN | HSN 49.7 | QVC | QVC ### Analog-to-digital conversion[edit] WPXL shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 49, on June 12, 2009, the official date in which full-power television stations in the United States transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate. The station's digital signal continued to broadcast on its pre-transition UHF channel 50.[14] Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former UHF analog channel 49. ## References[edit] 1. ^ Lorando, Mark (March 22, 1989). "WCCL has first fight". New Orleans Times-Picayune. p. E1. 2. ^ Lorando, Mark (August 6, 1989). "CBS wake-up call letters: WCCL". New Orleans Times-Picayune. p. T7. 3. ^ Brooks, Steve; Lorando, Mark (December 20, 1989). "TV station files for bankruptcy". New Orleans Times-Picayune. p. D1. 4. ^ Eggler, Bruce (March 1, 1990). "Bywater group loses round in high court on TV tower". New Orleans Times-Picayune. p. B3. 5. ^ Lorando, Mark (June 8, 1990). "WCCL prez hopes to plug back in". New Orleans Times-Picayune. p. E1. 6. ^ Lorando, Mark (November 7, 1991). "Cox reruns its rate hike". New Orleans Times-Picayune. p. E1. 7. ^ "Facelift is afoot at Channel 8". New Orleans Times-Picayune. May 15, 1992. p. E1. 8. ^ Lorando, Mark (June 10, 1994). "'New' WCCL features products, not programs". New Orleans Times-Picayune. p. E1. 9. ^ Pax, NBC reach four JSAs, Broadcasting & Cable, July 30, 2001. 10. ^ New Orleans Station Gets Boost From Paxson, Broadcasting & Cable, September 7, 2005. 11. ^ Ion Grabs Two Stations, Broadcasting & Cable, August 21, 2007. 12. ^ ION MEDIA NETWORKS COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF WPXX IN MEMPHIS AND WPXL IN NEW ORLEANS Archived 2008-02-22 at the Wayback Machine, Ion Media Networks, January 2, 2008. 13. ^ "RabbitEars TV Query for WPXL". Retrieved March 6, 2021. 14. ^ "DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and Second Rounds" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-08-29. Retrieved 2012-03-24. ## External links[edit] * Official website * v * t * e Broadcast television in Greater New Orleans Reception may vary by location and some stations may only be viewable with cable television Full power| * WWL-TV (4.1 CBS, 4.2 Crime, 4.3 Decades, 4.4 Twist, 4.5 GetTV, 4.6 Local Now) * WDSU (6.1 NBC, 6.2 MeTV, 6.3 LC, 6.4 Story, 6.5 Grio) * WVUE-DT (8.1 Fox, 8.2 Bounce, 8.3 Circle, 8.4 Mystery, 8.5 Grit, 8.6 Start) * WYES-TV (12.1 PBS, 12.2 World, 12.3 Create, 12.4 PBS Kids) * WHNO (20.1 CTN, 20.2 CTN Lifestyle, 20.3 CTNi) * WGNO (26.1 ABC, 26.2 ANT, 26.3 Dabl, 26.4 TBD) * WLAE-TV (32.1 Edu. Ind./LPB, 32.2 Encore, 32.3 CatholicTV) * WNOL-TV (38.1 CW, 38.2 Court, 38.3 Comet, 38.4 Charge!) * KGLA-DT (42.1 TMD, 42.2 Laff, 42.3 Cozi, 42.4 WLFT Live Festival TV) * WPXL-TV (49.1 Ion, 49.2 Grit, 49.3 Laff, 49.4 Defy, 49.5 Newsy, 49.6 TrueReal, 49.7 QVC) * WUPL (54.1 MNTV, 54.2 Quest, 54.3 H&I, 54.4 TrueReal, 54.5 This) Low power| * WBXN-CD (18.1 MNTV, 18.2 Quest, 18.3 H&I, 18.4 Mystery) * WTNO-LP (22.1 Azteca, 22.2 Ads, 22.3 NTD, 22.4 Cheddar) * KNLD-LD (28.1 Daystar) * KFOL-CD (30.1 Ind., 30.4 Weather) * WQDT-LD (33.1 Buzzr, 33.2 GetTV, 33.3 SBN, 33.4 Stadium, 33.5 LC, 33.6 QVC, 33.7 QVC2) * KNOV-CD (41.1 Tourist Info) * K20MM-D (47.1 HSN, 47.2 QVC, 47.3 HSN2, 47.4 QVC2, 47.5 QVC3, 47.6 Dabl) Cable| * Bally Sports New Orleans * Cox Sports Television * NewsWatch 15 * YurView Louisiana Defunct| * KHMA 11 (Ind., Houma) * WLPN-LP 61 (A1) See also Louisiana TV Mississippi TV * v * t * e Major television network affiliates in the state of Louisiana ABC| * WBRZ 2 (Baton Rouge) * KATC 3 (Lafayette) * KTBS 3 (Shreveport) * KNOE-DT 8.2 (Monroe) * WGNO 26 (New Orleans) * KVHP-DT 29.2 (Lake Charles) * KLAX 31 (Alexandria) CBS| * WWL 4 (New Orleans) * KALB-DT 5.2 (Alexandria) * KNOE 8 (Monroe) * WAFB 9 (Baton Rouge) * KLFY 10 (Lafayette) * KSLA 12 (Shreveport) * WJTV 12 (Jackson, MS) * KSWL-LD 17 (Lake Charles) Fox| * WVUE-DT 8 (New Orleans) * KARD 14 (West Monroe) * KADN 15 (Lafayette) * KVHP 29 (Lake Charles) * KMSS 33 (Shreveport) * WDBD 40 (Jackson, MS) * WGMB 44 (Baton Rouge) * WNTZ 48 / K47DW-D 47 / K51FO-D 51 (Natchez, MS/Alexandria/Leesville) NBC| * WLBT 3 (Jackson, MS) * KALB 5 (Alexandria) * KTAL 6 (Texarkana, TX) * WDSU 6 (New Orleans) * KPLC 7 (Lake Charles) * KTVE 10 (El Dorado, AR) * KLAF-LD 14 / KADN-DT 15.2 (Lafayette) * WVLA 33 (Baton Rouge) The CW| * KATC-DT 3.2 (Lafayette) * KALB-DT 5.3 / K25PZ-D 33 (Alexandria) * KPLC-DT 7.2 (Lake Charles) * KNOE-DT 8.3 / KCWL-LD 40 (Monroe) * WJTV-DT 12.2 (Jackson, MS) * KPXJ 21ATSC 3.0 (Minden) * WBRL-CD 21 / WGMB-DT 44.2 (Baton Rouge) * WNOL 38 (New Orleans) MyNetworkTV| * KNOE-DT 8.3 / KCWL-LD 40Secondary (Monroe) * KADN-DT 15.3 (Lafayette) * KWWE-LD 19 (Lake Charles) * WLOO 35 (Vicksburg, MS) * WBXH-CD 39 (Baton Rouge) * KSHV 45ATSC 3.0 (Shreveport) * WNTZ 48 / K47DW 47 / K51FO 51Secondary (Natchez, MS/Alexandria/Leesville) * WUPL 54 (Slidell) Ion Television| * KLFY-DT 10.3 (Lafayette) * KVHP-DT 29.3 (Lake Charles) * KLAX-TV 31.3 (Alexandria) * WVLA-DT 33.3 (Baton Rouge) * KMCT-DT 39.2 (Monroe) * KSHV-DT 45.3 (Shreveport) * WPXL 49 (New Orleans) PBS| | LPB| * KLTM 13 (Monroe) * KLTL 18 (Lake Charles) * KLPB 24 (Lafayette) * KLTS 24 (Shreveport) * KLPA 25 (Alexandria) * WLPB 27 (Baton Rouge) | Other member stations| * WYES 12 (New Orleans) Member stations from adjacent states| * KETG 9 (AR PBS; Arkadelphia, AR) * KETZ 12 (AR PBS; El Dorado, AR) * WMAU 17 (MPB; Bude, MS) See also Other Louisiana Stations * v * t * e Broadcast television stations by affiliation in the state of Mississippi Network O&Os are in bold ABC| * WBRZ 2 (Baton Rouge, LA) * WEAR 3 (Pensacola, FL) * WABG 6 (Greenville) * WDAM-DT 7.2 (Laurel) * WTVA-DT 9.2 (Tupelo) * WTOK 11 (Meridian) * WLOX 13 (Biloxi) * WAPT 16 (Jackson) * WATN 24 (Memphis, TN) * WGNO 26 (New Orleans, LA) CBS| * WREG 3 (Memphis, TN) * WCBI 4 (Columbus) * WWL 4 (New Orleans, LA) * WKRG 5 (Mobile, AL) * WAFB 9 (Baton Rouge, LA) * WJTV 12 (Jackson) * WLOX-DT 13.2 (Biloxi) * WXVT-LD 17 (Cleveland) * WHLT 22 (Hattiesburg) * WMDN 24 (Meridian) Fox| * WABG-DT 6.2 (Greenwood) * WVUE 8 (New Orleans, LA) * WALA 10 (Mobile, AL) * WHBQ 13 (Memphis, TN) * WHPM-LD 23 (Hattiesburg) * WXXV 25 (Gulfport) * WLOV 27 (West Point) * WGBC 30 (Meridian) * WDBD 40 (Jackson) * WGMB 44 (Baton Rouge, LA) * WNTZ 48 (Natchez) NBC| * WLBT 3 (Jackson) * WMC 5 (Memphis, TN) * WDSU 6 (New Orleans, LA) * WDAM 7 (Laurel) * WTVA 9 (Tupelo) * WPMI 15 (Mobile, AL) * WXXV-DT 25.2 (Gulfport) * WGBC-DT 30.2 (Meridian) * WNBD-LD 33 (Grenada) * WVLA 33 (Baton Rouge, LA) The CW| | Broadcast affiliates| * WCBI-DT 4.3 (Columbus) * WJTV-DT 12.2 (Jackson) * WTOK-DT 11.3 (Meridian) * WBRL-CD 22 (Baton Rouge, LA) * WHLT-DT 22.2 (Hattiesburg) * WXXV-DT 25.3 (Gulfport) * WLMT 30 (Memphis, TN) * WNOL 38 (New Orleans, LA) * WFNA 55 (Gulf Shores, AL) | Cable-only affiliates| * "WBWD" (Greenwood) MyNetworkTV| * WCBI-DT 4.2 (Columbus) * WTOK-DT 11.2 (Meridian) * WHPM-LD 23.3 (Hattiesburg) * WXXV 25Secondary (Gulfport) * WLMT 30Secondary (Memphis, TN) * WFGX 35 (Fort Walton Beach, FL) * WLOO 35 (Vicksburg) * WBXH-CD 39 (Baton Rouge, LA) * WNTZ 48Secondary (Natchez) * WUPL 54 (Slidell, LA) Ion Television| * WKRG-DT 5.2 (Mobile, AL) * WTVA-DT 9.3 (Tupelo) * WJTV-DT 12.3 (Jackson) * WFXW 15.2 (Greenville) * WVLA-DT 33.3 (Baton Rouge, LA) * WPXL 49 (New Orleans, LA) * WPXX 50 (Memphis, TN) PBS (MPB)| Jackson market WMAU 17 (Bude) WMPN 29 (Jackson) Columbus/Tupelo/West Point market WMAB 2 (Mississippi State) WMAE 12 (Booneville) Biloxi/Gulfport market WMAH 19 (Biloxi) Hattiesburg/Laurel market W47BP 47 (Hattiesburg) W45AA 45 (Columbia) Greenwood/Greenville market WMAO 23 (Greenwood) Meridian market WMAW 14 (Meridian) Memphis market WMAV 18 (Oxford) Other| | Jackson area| * WJMF-LD 6 (Radio) * WWJX 23 (TCT) * WRBJ 34 (TBN, Magee) | Columbus/Tupelo area| * WYMP-LD 7 (Ind., Bruce) * WEPH 49 (CTN, Tupelo) Gulf Coast area| * WXVO-LD 7 (This TV/RTV, Pascagoula) * WGUD-LD 38 (MeTV/Pursuit, Pascagoula) Mississippi Delta area| * WHCQ-LD 8.2 (Bounce, Cleveland) * WHCQ-LD 8.3 (ANT, Cleveland) * WHCQ-LD 8.4 (Cozi, Cleveland) * WFXW 15 (TCT, Greenville) Memphis area| * WPRQ-LD 12 (This, Clarksdale) * WTWV 23 (Rel. Ind.) * WWTW 34 (TCT, Senatobia) * WBUY 40 (TBN, Holly Springs) New Orleans area| * WHNO 20 (CTN) * KGLA 42 (TMD, Hammond, LA) Baton Rouge area| * KZUP-CD 19 (Ind.) * KBTR-CD 36 (Ind./This) Mobile/Pensacola area| * WDPM 18 (Daystar, Mobile, AL) * WMPV 21 (TBN, Mobile, AL) * WHBR 33 (CTN, Pensacola, FL) * WJTC 44 (Ind., Pensacola, FL) Defunct| * WBXK-CA 8 (silent) * WBMS-CA 10 (MeTV) * W23BC 23 (A1) * WXMS-LP 27 (MeTV) * WJKO-LP 64 (Daystar) * 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| * KASW 2 * KATC 3 * KNXV-TV 2 * KPAX-TV / KAJJ-CD 3 * KRIS-TV 3 * KRTV / KXLH-LD 3 * KSBY 3 * KTNV-TV 3 4 * KTVH-DT / KTGF-LD 3 * KTVQ 3 * KXLF-TV / KBZK 3 * KWBA-TV * WGNT * WSFL-TV * WTVF 3 5 Fox| * KNIN-TV 6 * KSTU * WFLX 6 * WFTX-TV * WSYM-TV * WXMI MyNetworkTV| * WSYM-TV 3 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 * KMCC * KPXB-TV * KPXD-TV * KPXG-TV * KPXL-TV * KPXM-TV * KPXN-TV * KPXR-TV * KRTV / KXLH-LD 3 * KSPX-TV * KTPX-TV * KUPX-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 * WSFJ-TV * WSPX-TV * WTPX-TV * WTVR-TV 3 * WXPX-TV * WZRB Other| * Bounce TV * WSFJ-TV * WFPX-TV * KILM * Grit * WDPX-TV * Ion Mystery * KZCS-LD * Independent * KCDO-TV / KSBS-CD * KMCI-TV * K22JA-D * WACY-TV * WHDT * WMYD 7 * WXYZ-TV 7 * Telemundo * K47DF-D / KZTV 1 3 TV networks| * Broadcast * Bounce TV * Court TV * Defy TV * Grit * Ion Television * Ion Mystery * Laff * Newsy * TrueReal * OTT * Ion Plus Programming| * The List * Right This Minute Acquisitions| * Cordillera Communications * Ion Media * Journal Communications * McGraw-Hill * Katz Broadcasting Digital| * Newsy * Triton Digital 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 CW 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 CW station WNAB for non-ATSC 3.0 tuners and receivers. * 6 Scripps operates these stations under a Shared Services Agreement with Gray Television. * 7 WXYZ-TV provides an ATSC 1.0 simulcast of sister Independent 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. * 10 KSPX-TV provides a standard definition simulcast of Telemundo-owned and operated KCSO-LD, due to the latter's low-power status. * 11 WPXA-TV provides a simulcast of locally owned and operated WKTB-CD, due to the latter's low-power status. *[v]: View this template *[t]: Discuss this template *[e]: Edit this template