View source for WMTW (TV)

{{Short description|Television station in Poland Spring, Maine}}
{{distinguish|KMTW|WFDC-DT{{!}}WTMW}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox television station
| callsign = WMTW
| city = Poland Spring, Maine
| logo = WMTW logo 2022.svg
| logo_size = 200px
| branding = {{ubl|Channel 8 WMTW; ''WMTW News 8''|MeTV Portland (8.2)}}
| analog = 
| digital = 8 ([[VHF]])
| virtual = 8
| affiliations = {{ubl|'''8.1:''' [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]|''for others, see {{section link||Subchannels}}''}}
| translators = 26 ([[UHF]]) Portland
| founded = 
| airdate = {{start date and age|1954|09|25|p=y}}
| location = [[Poland Spring, Maine|Poland Spring]]–[[Portland, Maine|Portland]]–[[Lewiston, Maine]]
| country = United States
| callsign_meaning = [[Mount Washington]] (site of station's original transmitter)
| former_channel_numbers = {{ubl|'''Analog:''' 8 (VHF, 1954–2009)|'''Digital:''' 46 ([[UHF]], 2002–2009)}}
| owner = [[Hearst Television]]
| licensee = Hearst Properties Inc.
| sister_stations = [[WPXT]]
| former_callsigns = WMTW-TV (1958–2007)
| former_affiliations = [[DuMont Television Network|DuMont]] (secondary, 1954–1955)
| erp = 29.8 [[kW]]
| haat = {{convert|612|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| class = 
| facility_id = 73288
| coordinates = {{coord|43|50|44|N|70|45|41|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|display=inline, title}}
| licensing_authority = [[FCC]]
| website = {{url|https://www.wmtw.com/}}
}}

'''WMTW''' (channel 8) is a [[television station]] licensed to [[Poland Spring, Maine]], United States, serving the [[Portland, Maine|Portland]] area as an affiliate of [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]. It is owned by [[Hearst Television]] alongside [[The CW|CW]] affiliate [[WPXT]] (channel 51). The two stations share studios on Ledgeview Drive in [[Westbrook, Maine|Westbrook]]; WMTW's transmitter is located in [[West Baldwin, Maine]].

WMTW also operates a [[low-power broadcasting#Television|low-power]] digital fill-in [[broadcast relay station#Broadcast translators|translator]] on [[UHF]] channel 26 (also mapped to [[virtual channel]] 8) from the [[Time and Temperature Building]] in downtown Portland's [[Monument Square (Portland, Maine)|Monument Square]]. The translator serves the immediate part of Portland and some surrounding areas to serve viewers that have difficulty receiving the main signal.

In addition to WPXT, WMTW shares common coverage areas with four other Hearst-owned [[sister station]]s in [[New England]]: fellow ABC affiliates [[WCVB-TV]] in [[Boston]] and [[WMUR-TV]] in [[Manchester, New Hampshire]]; and its duopoly of [[NBC]] affiliate [[WPTZ]] and CW affiliate [[WNNE]] in [[Vermont]].

==History==
WMTW signed on September 25, 1954, as the third television station in the Portland market and under the ownership of Mount Washington Television,<ref name="fcc-historycards">{{cite web |title=WMTW-TV history cards |url=https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=86536 |website=CDBS Public Access |publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]] |access-date=September 22, 2018 |format=PDF}}</ref> a group that included former [[Maine Governor]] [[Horace Hildreth]].<ref name="ty1955">{{cite book|title=Telecasting Yearbook-Marketbook 1955-56|year=1955|page=138|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1955-1956%20TV/1955-1956%20TV/TV-YB-1955-1956-TV-Stations.pdf#page=90|access-date=March 12, 2010}}</ref> It has always been an ABC affiliate although it aired some [[DuMont Television Network|DuMont]] programming in its first year. The station's sign-on made Portland one of the smallest markets in the United States with three network affiliates on the analog VHF band. WMTW is also the longest-tenured primary ABC affiliate in New England. The WMTW call sign was modified to include a "-TV" suffix on September 1, 1958.<ref name="fcc-historycards"/>

The station originally broadcast from a transmitter on [[Mount Washington]] in New Hampshire, the highest peak in the [[northeastern United States]]. This gave WMTW one of the largest coverage areas of any station east of the [[Mississippi River]]. In addition to its main coverage area of Southern Maine and Northern New Hampshire, it could also be seen in parts of [[New York State]], [[Massachusetts]], and Vermont. The station also had significant viewership across the [[Canada–U.S. border]] in [[Montreal]], a city with almost five times the population of WMTW's American coverage area. As a result, viewers in Vermont, northeastern New York State, and southern [[Quebec]] were able to watch the full ABC schedule on WMTW.{{citation needed|date=January 2019|}} The [[Burlington, Vermont]]–[[Plattsburgh, New York]], market got its own ABC affiliate when [[WVNY]] (channel 22) signed on from Burlington in 1968. However, for some time afterward, WMTW-TV continued to have a large audience in that area (despite being difficult to receive over-the-air due to [[co-channel interference]] from [[Ottawa]] station [[CJOH-TV]]'s repeater in [[Cornwall, Ontario]]). WMTW stayed on most Montreal [[cable television|cable]] systems until the early 1990s. Studios for the station were originally based in the Riccar Inn in [[Poland, Maine|Poland]], now known as the Presidential Inn.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historicpolandspring.com/17.html|title=Riccar Inn|work=Historic Poland Spring|accessdate=March 5, 2021}}</ref>

The station's transmitter tower on Mount Washington had been originally designed in 1940 by Major [[Edwin Armstrong]] for [[WMNE (FM)|W1XER]], one of the first [[FM radio]] stations in the country. WMTW-TV built a new tower there in the 1960s but Armstrong's tower remained as a standby.

Mount Washington Television sold the station to Dolphin Enterprises, Inc., a company whose chief officer was former ''[[Tonight Show]]'' host [[Jack Paar]], in 1963.<ref name="tg-saletopaar">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BJMtAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CZ4FAAAAIBAJ&dq=jack-paar%20wmtw&pg=6914%2C2158674|title=Jack Paar Buys WMTW-TV |page=6|last=Marsters|first=Jack|date=October 11, 1963|work=[[The Gazette (Montreal)]]|access-date=March 12, 2010}}</ref> Initially barred from appearing on WMTW-TV due to contractual obligations with NBC,<ref name="tg-saletopaar"/> he later hosted several programs on the station including a Thursday night movie feature.{{citation needed|date=January 2019}} In 1967, Paar sold WMTW to Mid New York Broadcasting<ref name="tmj-saletoharron">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=01A0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=eH4EAAAAIBAJ&dq=jack-paar%20wmtw&pg=7380%2C6276889|title=Bits of Show Business |page=15|date=November 10, 1967|work=[[The Milwaukee Journal]]|access-date=March 12, 2010}}</ref> which changed its name to Harron Communications a decade later.<ref name="by1977">{{cite book|title=Broadcasting Yearbook 1977|year=1977|page=A-40|url=http://www.davidgleason.com/Archive%20BC-YB/1977/A%20Section%20Broadcasting%20Yearbook%201977%20P-4.pdf|access-date=March 12, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101008120454/http://davidgleason.com/Archive%20BC-YB/1977/A%20Section%20Broadcasting%20Yearbook%201977%20P-4.pdf|archive-date=October 8, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="by1978">{{cite book |title=Broadcasting Yearbook 1978 |year=1978 |page=A-37 |url=http://www.davidgleason.com/Broadcasting%201978%20Yearbook/A%20Broadcasting%20In%20General%20Broadcasting%20Yearbook%201978%20Full-2.pdf |access-date=March 12, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101008200021/http://davidgleason.com/Broadcasting%201978%20Yearbook/A%20Broadcasting%20In%20General%20Broadcasting%20Yearbook%201978%20Full-2.pdf |archive-date=October 8, 2010 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

WMTW-TV had to leave Mount Washington in 2002 due to the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC)'s [[digital television]] mandate. The station had been allocated channel 45 for digital broadcasts, and Harron realized that it would not be possible to provide an acceptable signal to southern Maine if it built its digital transmitter on Mount Washington. As a result, channel 8 built a new tower in West Baldwin, a few miles from the towers of rival stations [[WGME-TV]] and [[WCSH]], and signed off from Mount Washington for the last time on February 5, 2002.<ref>Fybush, Scott. [https://www.fybush.com/site-020206.html Mount Washington, N. H.: The TV Years, 1954-2002]</ref> The new transmitter site does not serve as large an area as the Mount Washington tower had, but it provides a better signal to the highly populated areas.<ref>{{cite web|last=Fybush|first=Scott|url=https://www.fybush.com/site-020213.html|title=WMTW's New Home, Baldwin, Maine|website=Fybush.com|date=February 2, 2013}}</ref>

Harron announced in December 2003 that it was exiting broadcasting<ref name="bdh-forsale">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LTY0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=auEIAAAAIBAJ&dq=harron%20wmtw&pg=3096%2C1345364|title=Family-run Maine TV station put up for sale|date=December 20, 2003|page=B5|publisher=Associated Press via [[Bangor Daily News]]|access-date=March 12, 2010}}</ref> and the station was sold to Hearst-Argyle Television a few months later.<ref name="nyt-saletohearst">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/27/business/company-briefs-130290.html?pagewanted=1|title=Company Briefs|page=C4|date=January 27, 2004|work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=March 12, 2010}}</ref> On October 9, 2007, WMTW dropped the "-TV" suffix.<ref name="fcc-callsigns">{{cite web |title=Call Sign History (WMTW) |url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=73288&Callsign=WMTW |website=CDBS Public Access |publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]] |access-date=September 22, 2018}}</ref>

Until 2009, WCVB-TV in Boston served as the flagship station of the [[New England Patriots]] Preseason Television Network, which allowed WMTW and WMUR-TV to be part of the network. Even though [[WBZ-TV]] became the flagship station for the telecasts that year, WMTW and WMUR continue to simulcast games which results in ABC programming being preempted.<ref>{{cite web |last=England |first=New |url=http://www.patriots.com/news/article-1/Patriots-Preseason-TV-Network/55dcbd20-37f6-49d3-883e-be126b6c1919 |title=Patriots Preseason TV Network &#124; New England Patriots |website=Patriots.com |publisher=[[New England Patriots]] |date=July 24, 2012 |access-date=October 12, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018005447/http://www.patriots.com/news/article-1/Patriots-Preseason-TV-Network/55dcbd20-37f6-49d3-883e-be126b6c1919 |archive-date=October 18, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=England |first=New |url=http://www.patriots.com/news/article-1/Patriots-at-Redskins-Broadcast-Information/9e6ab076-749e-42f4-94b3-1fbb237dc728 |title=Patriots at Redskins Broadcast Information &#124; New England Patriots |website=Patriots.com |publisher=[[New England Patriots]] |date=August 6, 2014 |access-date=October 12, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018005145/http://www.patriots.com/news/article-1/Patriots-at-Redskins-Broadcast-Information/9e6ab076-749e-42f4-94b3-1fbb237dc728 |archive-date=October 18, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

WMTW added [[The Local AccuWeather Channel]] on August 30, 2007, after launching [[digital subchannel]] 8.2. Branded as "News 8 Now", programming consisted of a loop of local [[weather forecast]] segments as well as regional and national coverage from [[AccuWeather]]. There was a live feed of the [[National Weather Service]]'s [[Pulse-Doppler radar|Doppler]] [[weather radar]] (based at the Local Forecast Office in [[Gray, Maine|Gray]]) as well as local news and sports headlines. In addition, several public service announcements and station promotions were seen. {{As of|2015|3}}, this service was replaced by [[Heroes & Icons]], a classic TV network. In October 2018, following Hearst's purchase of WPXT, Heroes & Icons was moved to that station's second subchannel, with its previous [[MeTV]] programming, in turn, moving to the 8.2 subchannel; WMTW also added a third subchannel to add [[Laff (TV network)|Laff]], which moved from another WPXT subchannel.

In July 2012, during a [[retransmission consent]] dispute between Hearst Television and [[Time Warner Cable]], [[Hallmark Mystery|Hallmark Movies & Mysteries]] was substituted for WMTW, WMUR-TV and [[WCVB]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Jones|first1=Lloyd|title=Hallmark Movie Channel to replace ABC for the foreseeable future|url=https://www.conwaydailysun.com/news/hallmark-movie-channel-to-replace-abc-for-the-foreseeable-future/article_d27ec8ab-101f-5077-9330-35cd4284cd48.html|access-date=February 14, 2018|work=The Conway Daily Sun|date=July 11, 2012|language=en}}</ref>

===Sister radio stations===
Several [[radio station]]s have been co-owned with WMTW. The first, WMTW-FM (94.9), was co-owned with the television station from the radio station's launch in 1958 until 1971. That station, which became [[WHOM]] in 1976 and is now owned by [[Townsquare Media]], continues to transmit from Mount Washington. The other two, WMTW (870 AM) in [[Gorham, Maine|Gorham]] and WMTW-FM (106.7) in [[North Windham]], held those call signs from 2001 to 2004 (Harron had acquired the stations in 1999), serving first as [[news-talk]] stations and later as [[All-news radio|all-news stations]]; WMTW and WMTW-FM were also simulcast on [[WLAM]] (1470 AM) in [[Lewiston, Maine|Lewiston]]. The three stations, branded as "Newsradio WMTW", aired and produced local news and talk programs as well as simulcasts of WMTW-TV's newscasts and the now-defunct news radio service of the [[Associated Press]].

The "Newsradio WMTW" stations were sold by Harron Communications to [[Nassau Broadcasting Partners]] in 2003. Soon after taking over, Nassau discontinued the format. The 870 frequency is now [[WLVP]] and simulcasts an [[oldies]] format with WLAM while 106.7 FM is now [[WXTP]], a [[non-commercial educational station|non-commercial]] [[Catholic radio]] station. An earlier FM station with the WMTW call sign (the descendant of W1XER) was not connected to WMTW-TV (having predated the station by several years) apart from also transmitting from Mount Washington.

==News operation==
For most of its history, WMTW's newscasts ranked third in the [[Nielsen ratings|ratings]] behind longtime dominant WCSH and runner-up WGME-TV. However, in more recent years, the station has waged a spirited battle with WGME for second place and has beaten WGME in several key [[sweeps]] periods.

In an attempt to take on WCSH and WGME in order to become more competitive, WMTW adapted its news department to appeal to change in viewer habits. It added a weekend morning show on January 2, 2010, offering an alternative to WCSH. Prior to this addition, the station only aired local weather cut-ins during the weekend edition of ''[[Good Morning America]]''. WMTW starts its weekend morning news at 5 a.m., while WCSH begins its weekend morning news at 5 a.m. on Saturdays and 6 a.m. on Sundays; WGME has no local morning newscast on weekends except for during severe winter weather.

On September 18, 2012, WMTW upgraded local news production to [[16:9]] [[enhanced definition]] [[widescreen]]. On September 9, 2013, WMTW launched a 60-minute newscast weeknights at 5.<ref>[https://www.adweek.com/tvspy/wmtw-to-add-news-at-500-p-m/ WMTW To Add News at 5:00 p.m.] ''TVSpy'', August 14, 2013.</ref> To coincide with the news expansion, WMTW moved ''[[Dr. Phil (talk show)|Dr. Phil]]'' from 5 p.m. to the 3 p.m. time slot replacing ''[[The Ricki Lake Show]]'' (which had been canceled). It also debuted a new logo (very similar to fellow ABC outlet [[WTNH]] channel 8 in [[New Haven, Connecticut]]) and introduced an updated corporate graphics package from Hearst Television.

Through an exclusive partnership with [[Charter Communications]], WMTW operates a [[24-hour news cycle|24-hour]] [[cable news]] station throughout the market. This service replays local newscasts seen on the main broadcast channel in a continuous loop. It does not simulcast live shows that air on the main station; instead, the cable channel displays a slide directing viewers to the main station. "WMTW All News Channel" was originally on analog cable channel 9, but on May 5, 2009, it became available exclusively on the provider's digital tier.

On April 16, 2014, it was announced that WMTW would be moving its news operation from the [[Time and Temperature Building]] in Portland to a broadcast-ready facility in Westbrook. The studio space was formerly used by [[WPXT]] for its own in-house news operation that folded in the early-2000s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pressherald.com/2014/04/18/wmtw_moving_to_studio_occupied_by_wpme__wpxt_/ |title=WMTW moving to Westbrook studio occupied by WPME, WPXT - The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram |publisher=Pressherald.com |date=April 18, 2014 |access-date=October 12, 2015}}</ref> The rest of its operations would relocate from Auburn to Westbrook at a later date.<ref>[http://www.pressherald.com/life/WMTW_to_move_from_downtown_Portland_to_Westbrook_.html WMTW to move from downtown Portland to Westbrook] Leslie Bridgers, Portland Press Herald, April 16, 2014</ref> WMTW began originating its newscasts from the renovated facility on October 4, 2014.

WMTW's broadcasts began being presented in full high-definition in 2016. Studio cameras and video pieces are all presented in high definition.

On August 8, 2016, WMTW announced that it would add a 4 p.m. weekday newscast which launched on September 6.<ref>[http://www.pressherald.com/2016/08/08/wmtw-becomes-first-portland-tv-station-to-add-4-p-m-newscast/ WMTW becomes first Portland TV station to add 4 p.m. newscast] Ray Routhier, Portland Press Herald, August 8, 2016</ref> On September 11, 2017, WMTW started airing a 12 p.m. newscast on weekdays; previously the time slot was occupied by talk shows including ''[[Access Hollywood Live]]'', ''[[Steve (talk show)|Steve Harvey]]'' and ''[[The Wendy Williams Show]]''. Following Hearst's acquisition of WPXT on September 21, 2018, WMTW announced that it would begin producing a prime time newscast for that station on September 24.<ref name="wmtw-wpxtnewsat10">{{cite news |title=WMTW-TV adds 10 p.m. newscast on Maine's CW |url=https://www.wmtw.com/article/wmtw-tv-adds-10-pm-newscast-on-maines-cw/23365464 |access-date=September 21, 2018 |work=WMTW |date=September 21, 2018 |language=en}}</ref>

On January 5, 2020, WMTW's weekday noon newscast expanded to one hour; it is the first regularly scheduled hour-long newscast in the time period in the Portland–Auburn television market.

==Technical information==
===Subchannels===
The station's signal is [[multiplex (TV)|multiplexed]]:
{| class="wikitable"
|+Subchannels of WMTW<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WMTW#station|title=RabbitEars TV Query for WMTW|website=RabbitEars.info}}</ref>
! scope = "col" colspan="2"|[[Digital subchannel#United States|Channel]]
! scope = "col" rowspan="2"|[[Display resolution|Res.]]
! scope = "col" rowspan="2"|[[Aspect ratio (image)|Aspect]]
! scope = "col" rowspan="2"|Short name
! scope = "col" rowspan="2"|Programming
|-
! scope = "col" | {{small|WMTW}}||{{small|WMTW (DRT)}}
|-
! scope = "row" | 8.1 || 8.11 
| [[1080i]] || rowspan=4|[[16:9]] || WMTW-HD || [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 8.2 || 8.12 
| rowspan=5|[[480i]] || MeTV || [[MeTV]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 8.3 || 8.13 
| LAFF || [[Laff (TV network)|Laff]] 
|-
! scope = "row" | 8.4 || 8.14 
| HSN || [[HSN]] 
|-
! scope = "row" | 8.5 || 8.15 
| [[4:3]] || GetTV || [[Get (TV network)|Get]] 
|-
! scope = "row" | 8.6 || 8.16 
| 16:9 || MeToon || [[MeTV Toons]]
|-
|}
WMTW's broadcasts became digital-only, effective June 12, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20090206-NEWS-90206017 |title=Maine stations still plan Feb. digital switch - News - seacoastonline.com - Portsmouth, NH |publisher=seacoastonline.com |date=February 6, 2009 |access-date=October 12, 2015}}</ref><ref name="Analog to digital">{{cite web |url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |title=Archived copy |website=hraunfoss.fcc.gov |access-date=May 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |archive-date=August 29, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Translator===
*'''{{FCC-LMS-Facility|73288|3=WMTW (DRT)}}''' 26 [[Portland, Maine|Portland]]

In 2005, WMTW activated two analog repeaters. This included W26CQ channel 26 in [[Colebrook, New Hampshire]] (transmitter was northeast of town in [[Coleman State Park]]), and W27CP channel 27 in [[White River Junction, Vermont]] (transmitter was in the Mascoma section of [[Lebanon, New Hampshire]]), to make up for lost coverage when it signed off from Mount Washington. Under normal conditions, these translators should have been built before WMTW moved off the mountain in order to comply with FCC regulations. However, construction was delayed almost four years because the [[Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission]] (CRTC) had to agree to the proposed tower locations for the translators.

Colebrook is part of the Portland market but White River Junction is considered to be part of the Burlington–Plattsburgh market. The latter location was within the former coverage area of WNNE. Although that station's transmitter was located on [[Mount Ascutney]] (well south of White River Junction), it formerly operated a repeater of its own from Lebanon (transmitter was west of town on Crafts Hill). FCC regulations do not usually allow two or more stations from two or more different markets have coverage of the same location (in this case, White River Junction). This rule, however, does not apply to repeaters. Incidentally, White River Junction is within the fringe area of another Hearst sister station, WMUR-TV.

Both WMTW repeaters were sold to [[New Hampshire Public Television]] (NHPTV) in 2009.<ref name="fcc-translatorssold">{{cite web|url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101317404&formid=345&fac_num=130286|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|date=June 18, 2009|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=November 6, 2009}}</ref> W27CP went [[Dark (broadcasting)|silent]] on July 15 after losing the lease on its tower,<ref name="fcc-w27cpdark">{{cite web|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1326192&Service=TX&Form_id=910&Facility_id=127773|title=Notification of Suspension of Operations / Request for Silent STA|date=August 10, 2009|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|access-date=November 6, 2009}}</ref> while W26CQ was shut down by Hearst on September 2 in preparation for the sale.<ref name="fcc-w26cqsilent">{{cite web|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1331229&Form_id=910&Facility_id=130286|title=Notification of Suspension of Operations|date=August 31, 2009|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|access-date=November 6, 2009}}</ref> The latter transmitter returned as an NHPTV relay on November 4.<ref name="nhptv-w26cqreturnaspbs">{{cite press release |title=Broadcasting of NHPTV Signal Expected to Switch From Channel 18 to Channel 26 on Nov. 4  |publisher=[[New Hampshire Public Television]] |date=October 29, 2009 |url=http://www.nhptv.org/pressroom/release_detail.asp?hp_id=907 |access-date=November 6, 2009 }}</ref> W27CP never returned to the air and its broadcasting license was canceled by the FCC on September 14, 2011.<ref name=fcc-w27cprip>{{cite web|title=Re: W27CP, White River Junction, VT|url=https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=28210|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|access-date=October 13, 2011}}</ref> More recently, WMTW obtained a [[construction permit]] for a translator in Portland on UHF channel 26.<ref>{{cite web|author=FCC Internet Services Staff |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1329863&Service=LD&Form_id=346&Facility_id=73288 |title=Application View ... Redirecting |publisher=Licensing.fcc.gov |access-date=October 12, 2015}}</ref> On April 26, 2010, the station filed a license to cover for the new translator which was granted by the FCC on June 1. This essentially allowed it to officially sign-on.<ref>{{cite web|author=FCC Internet Services Staff |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1363786&Service=LD&Form_id=347&Facility_id=73288 |title=Application View ... Redirecting |publisher=Licensing.fcc.gov |access-date=October 12, 2015}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{official website|https://www.wmtw.com/}}

{{Portland Maine TV}}
{{ABC New England}}
{{Hearst-Argyle}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wmtw}}
[[Category:1954 establishments in Maine]]
[[Category:American Broadcasting Company affiliates]]
[[Category:Get (TV network) affiliates]]
[[Category:Hearst Television]]
[[Category:Laff (TV network) affiliates]]
[[Category:MeTV affiliates]]
[[Category:Mount Washington (New Hampshire)]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1954]]
[[Category:Television stations in Portland, Maine|MTW]]