| File:Wxel.png | |
| West Palm Beach, Florida | |
|---|---|
| Branding | WXEL |
| Channels | Digital: 27 (UHF) |
| Subchannels | (see article) |
| Translators | W44AY-LP 44 (analog) Fort Pierce W31DC-D 31 (digital) Fort Pierce |
| Affiliations | PBS |
| Owner | Barry University (sale pending) (Barry Telecommunications, Inc.) |
| First air date | July 8, 1982 |
| Call letters' meaning | EXcELlence |
| Former callsigns | WHRS-TV (1982-1985) |
| Former channel number(s) | Analog: 42 (1982-2009) |
| Transmitter power | 400 kW (digital) |
| Height | 440 m (digital) |
| Facility ID | 61084 |
| Transmitter coordinates | 26°34′37″N 80°14′32″W / 26.57694°N 80.24222°W |
| Website | www.wxel.org |
WXEL-TV is the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) member public television station serving South Florida, and is licensed to West Palm Beach. WXEL is owned by Barry University, a Catholic university based in Miami; despite the Catholic-based ownership, WXEL shows no religious programming (other than documentaries provided by PBS). The station reaches viewers from the Treasure Coast all the way down to Miami-Dade County.
WXEL is one of at least three PBS members owned and operated by a Catholic-related organization (WLAE-TV in New Orleans, Louisiana and KMBH in the Rio Grande Valley are the others), and one of at least four run by a religious organization in general (counting Provo, Utah's KBYU-TV).
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Digital television [link]
WXEL broadcasts its digital signal on channel 27. However, through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers will display WXEL's virtual channel as 42. WXEL's digital channel is multiplexed:
| Channel | Video | Aspect | Programming |
|---|---|---|---|
| 42.1 | 1080i | 16:9 | PBS HD |
| 42.2 | 480i | 4:3 | Create (6AM-6PM) World (6PM-6AM) |
| 42.3 | V-Me | ||
| 42.4 | T.E.N.: The Education Network (from Palm Beach County Schools, 6AM-6PM) The Florida Channel (6PM-6AM) |
History [link]
WXEL signed on July 8, 1982 as WHRS-TV. Prior to that time, Miami's WPBT had doubled as the PBS member for the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast. On January 1, 1985, the station became known as WXEL-TV.
In early 2007, Barry University announced a pending purchase of WXEL-FM and WXEL-TV by a group consisting of Educational Broadcasting Corporation (owners of New York City's WNET and WLIW) and the Community Broadcast Foundation of Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast, a local volunteer organization. The purchase agreement was terminated in May, 2008.[1] Barry University signed an agreement to sell separately, WXEL-FM to American Public Media Group on April 20, 2010.[2] The sale was finalized on May 25, 2011 and the call letters of the radio station were changed to WPBI.
Currently WXEL-TV remains for sale and both the School District of Palm Beach County (which programs an instructional television channel on a subchannel of WXEL) and the Community Television Foundation of South Florida (which owns WPBT) have expressed interest in purchasing the station.[3] However, in a deal announced on February 27, 2012, the station will instead be acquired by a group led by the station's president and CEO, Bernie Henneberg, pending approval from the WXEL board and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).[4]
The WXEL call sign was previously used on channel 8 in Cleveland, Ohio, on what is now WJW.
Repeaters [link]
In addition to its main signals, WXEL is also carried on two repeaters.
| Call Letters | Channel | City of License | Licensee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W44AY-LP | 44 | Fort Pierce | Barry University | Analog repeater |
| W31DC-D | 31 | Fort Pierce | Barry University | Digital repeater |
WXEL's repeaters are necessary as WXEL's main signal does not reach all of its viewers in the Treasure Coast.
W31DC-D broadcasts on UHF channel 31. However, through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers will display W31DC-D's virtual channel as 44.
References [link]
- ^ https://wxel.org/insidewxel/barryletter.php
- ^ Kleinberg, Eliot (April 20, 2010). "WXEL sold to Broward-based classical FM radio station". The Palm Beach Post. https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/wxel-sold-to-broward-based-classical-fm-radio-589926.html. Retrieved April 21, 2010.
- ^ https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-wxel-p102309,0,3806993.story
- ^ Kleinburg, Eliot (February 28, 2012). "Barry University agrees to sell WXEL-TV". The Palm Beach Post. https://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/pb-radio-station-sold-20120228,0,7802352.story. Retrieved February 29, 2012.
External links [link]
- WXEL website
- Query the FCC's TV station database for WXEL
- BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on WXEL-TV
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