WWME-CD
WWME-CD, virtual channel 23 (UHF digital channel 20), is a low-power Class A television station licensed to Chicago, Illinois, United States.[1] It is owned by Weigel Broadcasting Co. through its subsidiary licensee Channel 23 Limited Partnership.[2][3] The station operates at an effective radiated power of 15 kW from a transmitter located atop the Willis Tower in downtown Chicago.[2] WWME-CD serves as the flagship station of MeTV, a national multicast network dedicated to classic television programming from the 1950s through the 1980s, including popular sitcoms, dramas, and westerns.[4][5] The station first signed on January 13, 1989, as low-power analog translator station W23AT on UHF channel 23.[2] It upgraded to Class A status in 2001 under the call sign WFBT-CA and adopted the WWME-CA calls on December 31, 2004, aligning with the launch of MeTV as its primary format on January 1, 2005—initially as a local Chicago service before expanding nationally in 2010.[4][6][2] In 2015, following the digital television transition, the station converted to digital broadcasting and changed its call sign to WWME-CD.[2] WWME-CD also carries additional Weigel-owned multicast networks on its subchannels, including Heroes & Icons on 23.2 and paid programming on 23.12, providing a diverse lineup of nostalgic and genre-specific content to the Chicago market.[2][5] As a key asset in Weigel Broadcasting's portfolio, WWME-CD plays a central role in distributing classic media to over 9 million potential viewers within its coverage area, emphasizing family-friendly programming that has built MeTV into one of the most-watched multicast networks in the United States.[2][4] The station maintains public files compliant with FCC requirements and supports closed captioning for accessibility.[7]History
Early history
The low-power television station on UHF channel 23 in Chicago, Illinois, was initially licensed to Northwest Suburban Communications, Inc., with a construction permit leading to its sign-on as W23AT, an analog translator and independent outlet, on January 13, 1989.[2] On June 17, 1991, the FCC granted a voluntary assignment of the station's license from Northwest Suburban Communications, Inc. to Weigel Broadcasting Co., marking the beginning of Weigel's involvement in its operations.[8] Under Weigel's ownership, W23AT focused on independent programming, including brokered ethnic content aimed at Chicago's diverse communities, such as Romanian-language shows like Romanian Soul.[9] The station also aired home shopping blocks as part of its early independent schedule, reflecting the common format for low-power outlets seeking to fill airtime with cost-effective content.[10] By April 11, 2001, the call sign was changed to WFBT-CA, continuing its emphasis on ethnic brokered programming while Weigel began initial digital testing in preparation for the broader transition to DTV facilities.[2] This period represented WFBT-CA's pre-network phase, with operations centered on local and imported ethnic fare before evolving toward classic television experiments that would culminate in the introduction of the MeTV programming block in 2003.Launch of MeTV as a programming format
MeTV debuted as a classic television programming block on January 6, 2003, on Weigel Broadcasting's low-power station WFBT-CA (channel 23) in Chicago, Illinois, initially airing a selection of syndicated series from the 1950s through the 1980s, such as The Honeymooners and I Love Lucy.[11] The block began with limited hours, focusing on nostalgic content to fill the station's schedule alongside its existing independent and ethnic programming.[11] Over the following years, the MeTV block gradually expanded from its initial weekend and limited weekday slots to daily programming, allowing Weigel to refine the format and gauge audience interest in retro television.[12] This evolution culminated on January 1, 2005, when the station adopted the full-time MeTV format under the new call sign WWME-CA (changed December 31, 2004), supplanting the prior independent lineup with 24-hour classic TV programming.[13][14] The shift marked a pivotal testbed for the concept, incorporating additional syndicated staples like The Andy Griffith Show and Leave It to Beaver to build a cohesive schedule of family-friendly reruns.[11] In the mid-2000s, Weigel partnered with Neal Sabin, an executive vice president focused on content strategy, who spearheaded acquisitions from studios such as CBS Television Distribution and Twentieth Century Fox, securing rights to obscure and popular classics to bolster the block's appeal.[12] During this period from 2003 to 2010, MeTV remained primarily affiliated with WWME-CA and was carried on Chicago-area cable providers like Comcast, reaching viewers beyond the station's over-the-air signal.[13] This local presence helped validate the format's viability ahead of further regional growth.[11]Conversion into the flagship station of the MeTV network
On December 15, 2010, Weigel Broadcasting launched MeTV as a national digital multicast network, with WWME-CA in Chicago serving as the flagship station and originating the programming feed for distribution to affiliates across the United States. The network's schedule, which had been refined on WWME-CA since its local debut as a programming block, provided the template for the national service, emphasizing classic television series from the 1950s through the 1980s.[6] The network experienced rapid growth in its early years, securing affiliation agreements with major station groups such as Hearst Television and Raycom Media in 2011, which expanded its reach to over 50 affiliates by 2012. This syndication strategy capitalized on available digital subchannels following the 2009 digital transition, allowing MeTV to leverage WWME-CA's proven format without significant additional infrastructure costs. Key developments included the acquisition of rights to additional classic series, such as The Donna Reed Show and Make Room for Daddy, enhancing the network's programming depth. In 2014, MeTV's ecosystem expanded with the debut of Heroes & Icons (H&I), a companion digital network focused on action, adventure, and police dramas, which launched on September 29 on WWME-CA's subchannel 23.2 and other Weigel stations before syndicating nationally.[15] WWME-CA's role underscored Weigel's broader multicast strategy, utilizing low-power and class A facilities to maximize spectrum efficiency; the station's class A status was reaffirmed by the FCC in 2015 following post-digital transition reviews, ensuring its protected service area and operational stability.[16] By 2020, MeTV had grown to serve more than 150 markets, covering approximately 95% of U.S. households through over 170 affiliates.[4] During the COVID-19 pandemic, the network adapted to production challenges by shifting to remote workflows, notably for its flagship horror hosting program Svengoolie, which incorporated virtual sets and remote filming to maintain weekly broadcasts without on-site crews.[17]Digital transition and subsequent developments
The station began digital operations following a construction permit granted on April 3, 2008.[18] It simulcast analog and digital signals, with the initial digital signal operating on physical UHF channel 39 from the Willis Tower in Chicago, transmitting MeTV programming in 720p resolution as a simulcast of its primary subchannel. There was no extended analog nightlight period following the full transition, as the FCC's deadline for low-power television stations to convert to digital was set for September 1, 2015, but WWME-CA met the requirement earlier by ceasing its analog signal on January 7, 2015, and changing its call sign to WWME-CD to reflect its digital Class A status.[3][19] The station participated in the FCC's 2016–2017 broadcast incentive auction, during which it elected to retain its spectrum allocation rather than relinquish it for payment, resulting in a reassignment to a new physical channel as part of the subsequent spectrum repack.[20] WWME-CD relocated from physical channel 39 to channel 20, with the repack process unfolding across multiple phases from 2018 to 2019; the station experienced brief, planned outages during equipment reconfiguration but maintained over-the-air service with minimal long-term disruptions.[19] By October 2019, corresponding to Phase 5 of the repack, WWME-CD activated its permanent facility on the new channel, operating with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 15 kW and a height above average terrain (HAAT) of 443.5 meters from its existing transmitter site.[21] In the years following the repack, WWME-CD has continued serving as the flagship station for MeTV, broadcasting the network's classic television lineup without major structural changes to its role. Amid Weigel Broadcasting's expansion, including the launch of the WEST (Western Entertainment Series Television) network on September 29, 2025, WWME-CD experienced no direct operational impact, as WEST operates as a separate multicast service on other Weigel-affiliated stations.[22] The station saw minor programming adjustments to its MeTV schedule in 2023 and 2024, such as shifting slots for shows like The Beverly Hillbillies and Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. to optimize the classic TV block while preserving the network's focus on nostalgic content.[23]Technical information
Subchannels
WWME-CD broadcasts three digital subchannels as of November 2025. The primary channel, virtual 23.1, carries MeTV in 720p high definition, serving as the flagship feed for the classic television network featuring programming from the 1950s through the 1980s, such as sitcoms, dramas, and westerns. This subchannel uses a 16:9 aspect ratio and Dolby Digital 2.0 audio. MeTV on 23.1 is simulcast in the Chicago market on WCIU-TV's virtual subchannel 26.3, though the latter airs in 480i standard definition with the same audio format to extend coverage via WCIU's higher-power signal.[2][24] Virtual subchannel 23.2 is affiliated with Heroes & Icons (H&I), broadcasting in 720p high definition since its launch on this slot in September 2014. The network focuses on action, adventure, and crime dramas from the mid-20th century, including series like Star Trek and Hawaii Five-O, presented in a 16:9 aspect ratio with Dolby Digital 2.0 audio. Prior to H&I's addition, subchannel 23.2 carried Bounce TV from September 2011 to September 2014.[2][25][26] The station's third subchannel, virtual 23.12, airs paid programming and infomercials under the branding OnTV4U in 480i standard definition, utilizing a 16:9 aspect ratio and Dolby Digital 2.0 audio. This low-bandwidth slot features extended advertisements for consumer products, a common use for tertiary subchannels on low-power stations to generate revenue. Historically, WWME-CD's subchannel configuration remained minimal before 2014, with no additional programming beyond MeTV until the expansion to support Weigel's growing multicast portfolio; temporary affiliations, such as with Movies! on other Weigel properties during 2013–2015, influenced but did not directly alter WWME-CD's lineup during that period.[2][27]| Virtual Channel | Programming | Resolution | Aspect Ratio | Audio Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23.1 | MeTV | 720p | 16:9 | DD 2.0 |
| 23.2 | Heroes & Icons | 720p | 16:9 | DD 2.0 |
| 23.12 | OnTV4U (Infomercials) | 480i | 16:9 | DD 2.0 |