Does Equity Visit here?

[Larry1]

Does the contact from Equity visit here? The RTN web site is having probelms that have gone on for quite some time now. The email addresses for the webmaster and info do not work. The favourite show poll is not working. Posting on their forums also seems to get no reply, and now their streaming video of WNGS is also down.

 

[iafirebuff]

I noticed that their website is outdated. Maybe the will revamp it soon since I read they are going nation wide 1st of the year.

 

[Mr Tony]

very possible that they could be.

WNGS has its own site www.rtn11.com

As to nationwide, how are they going to do that? they only own X amount of stations...I mean technically they are nationwide right now

 

[iafirebuff]

I wondered the same, but the article I read, they were trying to sell adviertising, and that they were launching the RTN nationwide Jan 1. rtn11.com last I looked was out of date too :-( Will go check it out again

 

[iafirebuff]

Yes, the website looks current! Looks good too! Thanks for the link!

 

[Mr Tony]

rtn11 is run by the ABC affiliate in Buffalo under a local market agreement so they keep it more update

 

[iafirebuff]

Makes sense Looks good!

 

[Mr Tony]

Equity owns the station and runs it from Little Rock but the ABC (WKBW) does most of the advertising for them. If you watch, there are a few ABC promos, 7 News promos and such. WNGS is on WKBW’s digital feed (7-2). Also the Bills preseason games will be replayed on WNGS. On my StarChoice setup, I have Buffalo locals as my US Nets feed and I’ve seen lots of RTN commercials on ABC.

I really like how this station has taken off between the programming, the sports (Yankees, Mets, Indians, Bills) and the news/sports stuff from Channel 7 (replays of news and sports shows). I remember when Equity bought the station and it was just infomercials and church stuff in the morning.

 

[iafirebuff]

Sounds like they have come a long ways. I wish something like that would happen with our local equity station - KWWF.

 

[Mr Tony]

It did

KWWF signed on in 2003 with a format of infomercials, home shopping and reruns that were in the public domain. It then began rebroadcasting religious programs from LeSEA Broadcasting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KWWF

I remember seeing that go on FTA for the 1st time. It was showing “Lick TV” (their predecessor to RTN) which had boxing & pro wrestling 5 nights a week between 7-9 Central. Otherwise it was infomercials and such. They switched to UPN in September 04 (they had ID’s that said “UPN for You Waterloo” )

KWWF during college season does show some football & basketball games when they are trumped from CBS for the Iowa games.

Our local station (WUMN…now Univison) was originally “The Box” (you called in and paid to see a music video). Then Viacom bought it and turned it into MTV2, which was funny because it was on 24/7 but the local cable company (Time Warner) only had it on from 6PM to 6AM. The MTV2 feed came from a Dish Network box because when it rained, you’d see the “acquiring satellite signal”

Equity bought it and now its Univision. They even got Comcast & time Warner to drop the Nat’l feed for this one. Its funny to see “WUMN U13” on cable at my mom’s

 

[iafirebuff]

Interesting. I know KWWF was full of empty promisses to Waterloo. It was delayed for a few years, and then finally on the air, but at reduced power. I guess it is hard to get outside of the Waterloo metro area. Last I knew, the local cable company did not even carry it. I do like it now though

 

[Mr Tony]

They are still at "low" power. 500K watts. Normal UHF station is 5000K watts (max power). They do hold a Construction Permit to raise the power. Also I know alot of the cable companies in the area have it (KWWF)..wonder how they pick it up?

also, looked through an old thread and found it
Screengrab of KWWF right after Equity bought them…UPN was coming “soon”

 

[iafirebuff]

Cool! I don't think Cedar Rapids could even receive them. At least the only advertise Waterloo now. Have you heard what they are going to do to KWWF after the merger?

 

[Larry1]

The RTN website with the problems is at:
http://www.retrotelevision.net/index.html
They have the streaming video under the link watch live on the web at the top left. It is working again now.
The WNGS website is at
http://www.rtn11.com/

 

[Mr Tony]

Cool! I don't think Cedar Rapids could even receive them. At least the only advertise Waterloo now.

They are on cable in Cedar but OTA is ziltch

Have you heard what they are going to do to KWWF after the merger?

I assume you mean when UPN & WB merge? The WB affiliate is getting both CW & My so KWWF is either going Independent, RTN, or who knows (Univision maybe)?

 

[iafirebuff]

We have a lot of hispanics and a spanish only radio staion in the area. I hope RTN. I have always wondered how they could make a go at it with such little coverage.

 

[Mr Tony]

cable

Here is a list that was compiled of Broadcast stations on Cable TV for Iowa
http://www.northpine.com/broadcast/ia/cabletv.html

If you notice, alot of areas get KWWF so they're getting it via the G10 signal (with a really big dish)

oh, for other stuff here is the main site...its tv/radio in the Upper Midwest (ND, SD, IA, MN, WI, UP of MI, Manitoba & NW Ontario)
http://www.northpine.com/broadcast/

 

[iafirebuff]

Good info! The local paper's tv guide just started to list KWWF not that long ago.

 

[digiblur]

They are still at "low" power. 500K watts. Normal UHF station is 5000K watts (max power). They do hold a Construction Permit to raise the power. Also I know alot of the cable companies in the area have it (KWWF)..wonder how they pick it up?

also, looked through an old thread and found it
Screengrab of KWWF right after Equity bought them…UPN was coming “soon”

500kw isn't too bad at RF-22 on the analog side, but what really hurts them is their very low height.

 

[Mr Tony]

your right

500K watts at 28 meters doesnt look good

The CP is for 3000K watts at 198 meters