WPXR-TV

WPXR-TV is the Ion Television affiliate for Roanoke, Virginia. The station is owned by Ion Media Networks, and operates in digital on UHF channel 36. The station broadcasts from atop Poor Mountain. It is on channel 12 on Cox Cable in Roanoke and channel 11 on Comcast in Lynchburg.

History

The station signed on January 3, 1986 as WEFC, a religious station owned by Evangel Foursquare Church (hence the call letters). It was the first new station to sign on in Roanoke in 31 years.

Paxson Communications (now Ion Media Networks) bought the station in 1997 and made it part of the all-infomercial inTV network. It joined Pax TV (later i and now ION) on the network's launch in 1998.

Newscasts

From September 1996 until August 1997, WDBJ produced a 10 p.m. newscast, News 7 Primetime, for WEFC; the newscast was canceled due to low ratings. From 2000 to 2005, WPXR aired rebroadcasts of WSLS-TV's newscasts as part of a joint sales agreement between Paxson Communications and WSLS owner Media General.