WABM

WABM, virtual channel 68 (UHF digital channel 36), is a MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station located in Birmingham, Alabama, United States. The station is owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group, as part of a de facto triopoly with ABC affiliate WBMA-LD (channel 58) and CW affiliate WTTO (channel 21); Sinclair also operates Tuscaloosa-based WDBB (channel 17), which operates as a satellite station of WTTO, under a time brokerage agreement with owner Cunningham Broadcasting.

All three stations share studio facilities located on Beacon Parkway West in southeastern Birmingham; WABM maintains transmitter facilities located at the American General candelabra tower on Red Mountain (near Interstate 65) in southwestern Birmingham.

History

As an independent station

The station first signed on the air on January 31, 1986 as WCAJ, originally operating as a religious independent station. Some of the initial programs that were featured on the station consisted of Catholic programs from the Irondale-based Eternal Word Television Network, as well as programming from the Southern Baptist Convention-owned American Christian Television System (ACTS); it initially also carried secular comedy, drama and western programming on weekday afternoons and evenings. Its original studio facilities were located on the campus of Samford University.