View source for WUVG-DT

{{Short description|Television station in Athens, Georgia}}
{{Infobox television station
| callsign = WUVG-DT
| city = Athens, Georgia
| logo = WUVG-DT (2019).svg
| logo_size = 200px
| image = WUVG-DT2 (2021).svg
| image_size = 175px
| branding = {{ubl|{{lang|es|italic=no|Univision 34 Atlanta}}; {{lang|es|Noticias 34 Atlanta}} (newscasts)|{{lang|es|italic=no|UniMás Atlanta}} (34.2)}}
| analog =
| digital = 18 ([[UHF]])
| virtual = 34
| subchannels =
| translators = 35 (UHF) Athens
| affiliations = {{ubl|'''34.1:''' [[Univision]]|'''34.2:''' [[UniMás]]|''for others, see {{section link||Subchannels}}''}}
| network =
| airdate = {{start date and age|1989|4|18|p=y}}
| location = [[Athens, Georgia|Athens]]–[[Atlanta]], Georgia
| country = United States
| callsign_meaning = Univision Georgia
| former_callsigns = {{ubl|WNGM-TV (1989–1999)|WHOT-TV (1999–2001)|WUVG (2001–2003)|WUVG-TV (2004–2009)}}
| former_channel_numbers = {{ubl|'''Analog:''' 34 (UHF, 1989–2009)|'''Digital:''' 48 (UHF, until 2019)}}
| owner = [[TelevisaUnivision]]
| licensee = Univision Atlanta [[LLC]]
| sister_stations =
| former_affiliations = {{ubl|[[Independent station|Independent]] (1987–1993, 1999–2002)|[[HSN]] (1993–1999)|[[Fox Kids]] (secondary, 2000–2002)}}
| erp = 1,000 [[kW]]
| haat = {{convert|328|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| facility_id = 48813
| coordinates = {{coord|33|48|26|N|84|20|22|W|format=dms|display=inline,title|type:landmark_region:US-GA}}
| licensing_authority = [[FCC]]
| website = {{URL|https://www.univision.com/local/atlanta-wuvg}}
}}
'''WUVG-DT''' (channel 34) is a [[television station]] licensed to [[Athens, Georgia]], United States, broadcasting the Spanish-language [[Univision]] and [[UniMás]] networks to the [[Atlanta]] area. [[Owned and operated]] by [[TelevisaUnivision]], the station maintains studios on Peachtree Road NE in the [[Buckhead]] section of Atlanta and a primary transmitter in [[North Druid Hills]].

WUVG-DT was established as WNGM-TV, a station serving the Athens area, in 1989. Its focus broadened to Atlanta in the 1990s as the station was sold several times, airing home shopping, music videos, and then an [[independent station|independent]] format under the ownership of [[USA Broadcasting]]. It switched to Univision in January 2002, making it the first Spanish-language station in the market.

==History==
===WNGM-TV===
The station went on air on April 18, 1989, as WNGM-TV,<ref name="hits">{{Cite news|url=https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/gua1179162/1989-04-19/ed-1/seq-3/|work=The Red and Black|date=April 19, 1989|title=Athens television hits the airwaves|first=Mollie|last=Batts|accessdate=September 9, 2021}}</ref> with the [[call signs in North America|call sign]] standing for "[[North Georgia Mountains]]".{{r|hometown}} Initially the station ran a general entertainment format with [[animated cartoon|cartoons]], classic and recent [[sitcom]]s, blocks of [[country music]] programming, old movies and [[Broadcast syndication|syndicated]] first-run shows; it also aired a local newscast and magazine program focusing on north Georgia.{{r|hits}}

WNGM-TV was owned by a company including the final two applicants for the channel: Georgia Mountain Corporation and Sunbelt Television, Inc., which merged their bids in 1985 and won the construction permit.<ref name="hometown">{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85037995/hometown-tv-coming-to-athens/|pages=1D, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85038010/athens-wngm/ 9D]|date=February 14, 1989|work=Atlanta Journal-Constitution|title=Hometown TV coming to Athens|first=Steve|last=Goldberg|accessdate=September 16, 2021}}</ref> Its transmitter was located {{convert|60|mi|km|0}} away from Atlanta, reaching Athens with a grade A signal while sending a very weak signal into eastern [[metro Atlanta]]. As a result, many syndicators sold the rights for shows that were already on the Atlanta stations to WNGM. The station provided an alternative to viewers in areas which had moderate [[VHF]] reception and poor [[UHF]] reception from Atlanta; [[Clarke County, Georgia|Clarke County]] had a cable penetration rate of 83 percent, 30 points above the national average.{{r|hometown}}

NGM Television Partners, the licensee, sold the station for $10 million in 1996 to Whitehead Media, which the next year formalized a time brokerage agreement under which [[Ion Media|Paxson Communications Corporation]] began operating channel 34.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85454846/paxson-to-buy-tv-station-in-n-carolina/|work=Miami Herald|title=Paxson to buy TV station in N. Carolina|date=May 1, 1996|page=7B}}</ref> However, Paxson opted the next year to divest itself of extra stations in markets where it controlled more than one, such as Atlanta, where it owned [[WPXA-TV]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Julie|last=Waresh|title=Paxson selling 2 stations|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85454944/paxson-selling-2-stations/|date=April 3, 1997|page=1D, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85454994/company-has-deal-to-buy-detroit-station/ 7D]|accessdate=September 16, 2021}}</ref> The $73.5 million sale by Paxson of the operating rights and by Whitehead of the licenses for WNGM-TV and [[WOAC]] in [[Canton, Ohio]], to Global Broadcasting Systems, Inc.,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85455094/paxson-sales-bring-150-million/|accessdate=September 16, 2021|date=April 4, 1997|work=Palm Beach Post|title=Paxson sales bring $150 million|page=1D}}</ref> was terminated a month later when the buyer failed to post an escrow deposit.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85455201/paxson-terminates-pact-with-global/|date=May 17, 1997|page=1C|title=Paxson terminates pact with Global|accessdate=September 16, 2021|work=Miami Herald}}</ref>

From 1996 until September 1, 1997, WNGM-TV aired Paxson's Infomall TV [[infomercial]] network, then switching to separate but similar home shopping programming, which was an issue at play in a cable carriage dispute with [[MediaOne]] over whether it had to be placed on a series of major Atlanta-area cable systems.<ref name="da">{{cite web|title=Memorandum Opinion & Order (DA 98-1654)|date=August 18, 1998|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZGX381F6ayIC&pg=PA15608|accessdate=September 16, 2021}}</ref>

==="Hotlanta 34"===
In 1998, [[USA Broadcasting]] acquired WNGM for $50 million.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85455290/paxson-planning-to-buy-oregon-tv-station/|accessdate=September 16, 2021|page=2D|title=Paxson planning to buy Oregon TV station|work=Palm Beach Post|date=March 13, 1998}}</ref> It was part of a larger deal between Paxson and USA that allowed Paxson-owned stations in [[New Orleans]] and [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]] to make early exits from affiliation contracts with the [[Home Shopping Network]], gave Paxson a station serving [[Portland, Oregon]], and put USA Broadcasting in every top 10 market but [[Detroit]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/1998/biz/news/paxson-diller-shop-swap-tv-outlets-1117468715/|first=Andrew|last=Paxman|title=Paxson, Diller shop & swap TV outlets|date=March 12, 1998|work=Variety|accessdate=September 16, 2021}}</ref> After the USA acquisition, the home shopping programming was dropped and replaced with music videos from [[The Box (American TV channel)|The Box]]—which led the FCC to greenlight the station's push for must-carry in the Atlanta area that August.{{r|da}}

In November 1999, WNGM was the third of four USAB stations after [[Miami]]'s [[WAMI-TV]] to convert to USAB's new "CityVision" general entertainment format and became "Hotlanta 34" under new WHOT-TV call letters. The centerpiece of the plan was a three-year contract for the rights to telecast [[Atlanta Hawks]] basketball.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/1999/tv/news/diller-will-hawk-whot-in-atlanta-1117755730/|work=Variety|title=Diller will Hawk WHOT in Atlanta|first=Cynthia|last=Littleton|date=September 16, 1999|accessdate=September 16, 2021}}</ref> The move was made after [[WATL]] (channel 36) opted not to renew its deal because of the expanding program offerings of [[The WB]].<ref>{{cite news|title=WHOT to carry Hawks|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85038092/whot-to-carry-hawks/|date=September 16, 1999|work=Atlanta Journal-Constitution|first=Prentis|last=Rogers|page=G6|accessdate=September 16, 2021}}</ref> However, after the format failed to take off where it was introduced and the company registered operating losses of $62 million in 2000, Diller opted to sell the stations to Univision in 2001.<ref>{{cite news|pages=18–19|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-2000/BC-2000-12-11.pdf|work=Broadcasting & Cable|date=December 11, 2000|first=Steve|last=McClellan|title=Univision speaks Barry's lingo: $1.1B|accessdate=September 7, 2021}}</ref>

===Univision Georgia===
While some of the stations were used to start [[Telefutura]], a second network, the purchase gave Univision its first ever broadcast outlet in Atlanta, where the Latino population had grown by 362 percent during the 1990s.<ref>{{cite news|title=Atlanta TV station to switch to all-Spanish|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85038615/atlanta-tv-station-to-switch-to/|pages=A1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85038646/spanish/ A19]|first=John|last=Druckenmiller|work=Atlanta Journal-Constitution|date=May 17, 2001|accessdate=September 16, 2021}}</ref> Under new WUVG call letters, channel 34 changed to Spanish-language programming on January 14, 2002.<ref name="yolanda">{{cite news|pages=B1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85457500/spanish-language-tv-now-live-on-metro-ar/ B5]<!--No scan of B1 in newspapers.com-->|first=Yolanda|last=Rodriguez|title=International Atlanta: Spanish TV station is now live on metro dial|work=Atlanta Journal-Constitution|date=January 14, 2002}}</ref> While local news was not immediately added, WUVG began producing a public affairs program in Spanish, {{lang|es|Nuestra Georgia}} (''Our Georgia''), the first such program on Atlanta television since 1997.{{r|yolanda}}

==News operation==
WUVG launched its news department in April 2011, with two daily half-hour evening newscasts at 6 and 11&nbsp;p.m.—branded as {{lang|es|Noticias 34 Atlanta}} (''News 34 Atlanta'')—anchored by Amanda Ramirez (now at [[WLII-DT]]) and Gianncarlo Cifuentes.<ref>{{cite news|first=Alberto|last=Brown Rodríguez|title=Univision 34 Atlanta lanza noticiero diario|trans-title=Univision 34 Atlanta launches daily newscast|work=MundoHispánico|date=April 14, 2011|page=A30|id={{ProQuest|865391146}} }}</ref> The station also maintained a partnership with WGCL-TV (now [[WANF]]) for news coverage.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://tvnewscheck.com/uncategorized/article/wgcl-wuvg-form-news-sharing-partnership/|work=TVNewsCheck|date=August 31, 2017|first=Mark K.|last=Miller|title=WGCL, WUVG Form News Sharing Partnership|accessdate=September 16, 2021}}</ref>

The station's other local program is a weekend newsmagazine, {{lang|es|Conexión Fin de Semana}}.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/traffic-at-the-top-in-atlanta-ratings-race|accessdate=September 16, 2021|date=December 9, 2019|title=Traffic at the Top in Atlanta Ratings Race|first=Michael|last=Malone|work=Broadcasting & Cable}}</ref>

==Technical information==

===Subchannels===
The station's signal is [[multiplex (TV)|multiplexed]]:

{| class="wikitable"
|+Subchannels of WUVG-DT<ref name=rei>{{cite web|title=Digital TV Market Listing for WUVG-DT|url=http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WUVG-DT#station|website=[[RabbitEars.info]]|access-date=January 26, 2017}}</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" | 34.1
| rowspan=2| [[720p]] || rowspan=2| [[16:9]] || WUVG-DT || [[Univision]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 34.2
| UNM-HD || [[UniMás]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 34.3
| rowspan=5|[[480i]] || [[4:3]] || GetTV || [[Get (TV network)|Get]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 34.4
| rowspan=4|16:9 || style="background-color: #f2d1de;"|Nosey || style="background-color: #f2d1de;"|Nosey [[File:4 rounded rect pink.svg|14px|alt=MPEG-4 video|link=MPEG-4 Part 2]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 34.5
| style="background-color: #f2d1de;"|ShopLC || style="background-color: #f2d1de;"|[[Shop LC]] [[File:4 rounded rect pink.svg|14px|alt=MPEG-4 video|link=MPEG-4 Part 2]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 34.6
| MSGold || [[MovieSphere Gold]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 34.7
| style="background-color: #f2d1de;"|BT2 || style="background-color: #f2d1de;"|[[Infomercial]]s [[File:4 rounded rect pink.svg|14px|alt=MPEG-4 video|link=MPEG-4 Part 2]]
|}
{{legend|#f2d1de|Subchannel broadcast with [[MPEG-4 Part 2|MPEG-4 video]]}}

===Translator===
WUVG-DT maintains a digital replacement translator, which enhances channel 34's coverage in the city of license, Athens.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! scope = "col" | City of license
! scope = "col" | Call sign
! scope = "col" | Channel
! scope = "col" | [[effective radiated power|ERP]]
! scope = "col" | [[HAAT]]
! scope = "col" | [[Facility ID]]
! scope = "col" | Transmitter coordinates
|-
|| [[Athens, Georgia|Athens]] ||'''{{FCC-LMS-Facility|48813|3=WUVG-DT (DRT)}}'''|| 35 || 13.5&nbsp;kW || {{convert|111.3|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} || 48813 || {{coord|33|59|36|N|83|24|56|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=WUVG-DT (DRT)}}
|}

===Analog-to-digital conversion===
WUVG shut down its analog signal, over [[UHF]] channel 34, on June 12, 2009, as part of the [[Digital television transition in the United States|federally mandated transition from analog to digital television]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |title=DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and Second Rounds |access-date=March 24, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |archive-date=August 29, 2013}}</ref> The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 48, using [[virtual channel]] 34; it was later repacked to channel 18.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.univision.com/local/atlanta-wuvg Official website]

{{Atlanta TV}}
{{Other Georgia Stations}}
{{TV Stations Alabama}}
{{Univision Communications}}
{{Major U.S. TV O-O Stations}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wuvg-Dt}}
[[Category:1989 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Athens, Georgia]]
[[Category:Get (TV network) affiliates]]
[[Category:Spanish-language television stations in Georgia (U.S. state)|UVG-DT]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1989]]
[[Category:Television stations in Atlanta|UVG-DT]]
[[Category:UniMás affiliates]]
[[Category:Univision affiliates]]