WMNN-LD

Summary

WMNN-LD (channel 26) is a low-power television station licensed to Lake City, Michigan, United States, serving the CadillacTraverse City area as the flagship of the 24/7 headline news service NewsNet. It is owned and operated by Bridge Media Networks alongside dual MyNetworkTV/Cozi TV affiliate WXII-LD (channel 12). Both stations share studios on West 13th Street in Cadillac, while WMNN-LD's transmitter is located off M-55 east of the city.

WMNN-LD
CityLake City, Michigan
Channels
BrandingNewsNet Northern Michigan
Programming
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
WXII-LD
History
FoundedDecember 13, 2010[1]
First air date
February 27, 2011 (13 years ago) (2011-02-27)[1]
Former channel number(s)
Digital: 14 (UHF, 2011–2016)
Call sign meaning
Michigan News Network
Technical information[2]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID184267
ERP15 kW
HAAT171.3 m (562 ft)
Transmitter coordinates44°14′26.8″N 85°18′59.8″W / 44.240778°N 85.316611°W / 44.240778; -85.316611
Translator(s)WXII-LD 30.2 (UHF) Cedar
Links
Public license information
LMS
Websitemichigan.newsnetmedia.com

Programming edit

NewsNet Northern Michigan (26.1) edit

 
Titlecard for MI News 26 from 2011 to June 2013
 
Former MI News 26 logo from 2016 to 2019.
 
Former NewsNet Northern Michigan logo from 2019 to 2022.

WMNN's primary channel features a newswheel format, similar to what CNN Headline News initially used. The primary channel's format helped form the basis of NewsNet.

On weekdays, the station's rolling news programming is divided into five separate titles: NewsNet Mornings (morning news), Midday Edition (early and mid afternoon news), Continuing Coverage (late afternoon news), Evening Edition (early evening and prime time news), and Nightside Edition (overnight news). Meanwhile, weekend news coverage is branded as Weekend Edition.

In May 2016, the station reformatted, getting rid of pre-recorded anchors. The news wheel now features an eight-minute segment of news updated twice every day.

On December 9, 2019, coinciding with the new look of the national NewsNet service and a new studio, MI News 26 was rebranded as NewsNet Northern Michigan.

On September 14, 2021, an uninterrupted national feed of the NewsNet service, absent of any locally produced content, was added to the second subchannel of co-owned WXII-LD, coinciding with the launch of that station's digital operations. Programming on WXII-LD2 is very similar to WMNN-LD1, except that it airs the national feed of NewsNet instead of the locally produced NewsNet Northern Michigan feed.[3]

On January 13, 2022, Freelancer Television Broadcasting's portfolio, including NewsNet, WMNN-LD, and WXII-LD, were sold to investor Manoj Bhargava, with Eric Wotila retaining 10% ownership in the new company Bridge News, LLC.[4] Under the terms of the deal, Bridge News would operate the stations via a time brokerage agreement with Freelancer Television Broadcasting.[5] The sale was consummated on March 24.

Live news coverage edit

NewsNet Northern Michigan does not offer regular live programming. The station does conduct live broadcasts, most notably during election nights, and commercial-free coverage of the Cherry-T Ball Drop in Traverse City on New Year's Eve.

During severe weather, the station broadcasts live cut-ins if necessary. Pre-taped weather segments sometimes alert viewers to monitor the news ticker at the bottom of the screen or to check the station's website for information.

Non-news programming edit

WMNN-LD became an alternate affiliate of The CW on February 25, 2023, when it began carrying the network's coverage of LIV Golf[6] due to WFQX-TV owner Cadillac Telecasting Company's refusal to air the controversial Saudi-owned tour on its second digital subchannel which carries The CW Plus.[citation needed]

TV 26 (26.2) edit

Originally 26 TV Classics, TV 26 features classic TV shows like Bonanza, The Lone Ranger, Jack Benny, classic cartoons and more.[7] On March 9, 2015, WMNN became an Antenna TV affiliate.[8]

Laff 26 (26.3) edit

Cinema 26 featured a selection of "classic movies" and independent films. From August 23, 2011, to January 1, 2012, Cinema 26 was replaced by Universal Sports.[9] This subchannel reverted to Cinema 26 on January 1, 2012, when Universal Sports became a cable and satellite-only channel. Cinema 26 was replaced again, this time by Laff on January 4, 2016.

Mi TV 12 Simulcast (26.5) edit

Despite having a digital signal of its own, WXII-LD is only 1.5 kW whereas WMNN-LD is 15 kW, so WXII-LD is simulcast over WMNN-LD's twelfth digital subchannel (UHF channel 17.5 or virtual channel 26.5) to expand its over-the-air reach to the entire market.

Subchannels edit

The station's digital signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of WMNN-LD[10]
Channel Video Aspect Short name Programming
26.1 720p 16:9 NN NewsNet
26.2 SNH Sports News Highlights
26.3 COZI MyNetworkTV / Cozi TV (WXII-LD)
26.4 480i ION Ion Television
26.5 CTV Court TV
26.6 ANT Antenna TV
26.7 Buzzr Buzzr
  Simulcast of subchannels of another station

References edit

  1. ^ a b "WMNN LPTV Ch. 26 Lake City / Cadillac". Michiguide.com. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
  2. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WMNN-LD". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. ^ "WXII-LP CEDAR, MI". www.rabbitears.info.
  4. ^ "MI News 26 Founder Starting National News Network". TVNewsTalk.net. 23 January 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Time Brokerage Agreement". WXII-LD FCC Filing. 13 January 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  6. ^ LIV Golf | How To Watch Live
  7. ^ "What's On 26.2: Antenna TV 26". MI News 26 & MI TV 12. Retrieved 2019-05-26.
  8. ^ "WMNN 26. 2". Facebook: Antenna TV. 9 March 2015.
  9. ^ Austerman, Mike (23 August 2011). "Cadillac's WMNN Ch. 26 adds Universal Sports". Michiguide.com.
  10. ^ "Digital TV Market Listing for WMNN-LD". RabbitEars.info. Retrieved 2020-04-16.

External links edit

  • Official website