View source for WHMB-TV

{{Short description|TV station in Indianapolis}}
{{Update|date=October 2023}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox television station
| callsign               = WHMB-TV
| city                   =
| logo                   = WHMB-TV 2024.png
| logo_size              = 200px
| branding               = Univision 40
| digital                = 7 ([[VHF]])
| virtual                = 40
| translators            =
| affiliations           = {{ubl|'''40.1:''' [[Univision]]|''for others, see {{Section link||Subchannels}}''}}
| owner                  = [[Family Broadcasting Corporation]]
| licensee               = Family Entertainment Television, Inc.
| location               = [[Indianapolis, Indiana]]
| country                = United States
| airdate                = {{start date and age|1971|2|22|p=y}}
| last_airdate           =
| callsign_meaning       = World Harvest Missionary Broadcasting{{r|Nobl721016}}
| sister_stations        =
| former_callsigns       = WURD (1971–1972)
| former_channel_numbers = {{ubl|'''Analog:''' 40 ([[UHF]], 1971–2009)|'''Digital:''' 16 (UHF, 200?–2012), 20 (UHF, 2012–2019)}}
| former_affiliations    = {{ubl|[[Religious broadcasting|Religious]] [[Independent station|Independent]] (1971–1972, 2018–2024)|LeSEA (1972–2018)}}
| erp                    = 29 kW
| haat                   = {{convert|301.8|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| facility_id            = 37102
| coordinates            = {{coord|39|53|39.2|N|86|12|20.5|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|display=inline, title}}
| licensing_authority    = [[FCC]]
| website                = {{URL|https://whmbtv40.com/}}
}}
'''WHMB-TV''' (channel 40) is a [[television station]] in [[Indianapolis, Indiana]], United States, affiliated with the Spanish-language network [[Univision]]. It is owned by the [[Family Broadcasting Corporation]] (formerly known as LeSEA Broadcasting and later World Harvest Broadcasting). WHMB's studios are located on Greenfield Avenue in [[Noblesville]], and its transmitter is located on Walnut Drive in northwestern Indianapolis.
==History==
===WURD===
White River Radio Corporation, owned by Rev. Wendell Hansen of Noblesville, filed an application on August 19, 1966, to build a new station in [[Lawrence, Indiana]], on the channel 40 allocation for Indianapolis. The [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) approved the application on November 22, 1966.<ref name="hc">{{FCC letter|hcards=yes|letterid=86302|callsign=WHMB-TV}}</ref> At that time, White River also had a pending application for a new radio station at 1110 kHz.<ref name="Nobl661126">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102949647/uhf-television-channel-granted-hansen-gr/|date=November 26, 1966|page=1|title=UHF Television Channel Granted Hansen Group|newspaper=The Noblesville Ledger|location=Noblesville, Indiana|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 1, 2022}}</ref><!-- Sat -->
It was years before anyone saw a picture on channel 40. The nominal [[city of license]] was changed to Indianapolis in 1968,{{r|hc}} the same year ground was broken on facilities.<ref name="Nobl680621">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102949726/ground-to-be-broken-saturday-for-wurd-tv/|date=June 21, 1968|page=1|title=Ground To Be Broken Saturday For WURD-TV|newspaper=The Noblesville Ledger|location=Noblesville, Indiana|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 1, 2022}}</ref><!-- Fri --> In January 1969, the project was said to be "stalled by construction delays";<ref name="Indi690129">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102949783/tv-scene-arctic-odyssey-powerful-look/|date=January 29, 1969|page=16|first=Julia|last=Inman|title=TV Scene: 'Arctic Odyssey' Powerful Look At Menace Of Conquering Pole|newspaper=The Indianapolis Star|location=Indianapolis, Indiana|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 1, 2022}}</ref><!-- Wed --> later that year, the [[Christian Broadcasting Network]] filed to purchase the unbuilt station, which would have been its second television property.<ref name="Indi691001">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102949833/close-look-at-the-men-known-as-casualtie/|date=October 1, 1969|page=21|first=Richard K.|last=Shull|title=Close Look At The Men Known As Casualties|newspaper=The Indianapolis News|location=Indianapolis, Indiana|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 1, 2022}}</ref><!-- Wed --> CBN bowed out of the deal at the start of 1970, and the project continued on an on-again, off-again basis, though transmitter equipment was delivered in May 1970.<ref name="Indi700506">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102949922/thumbing-through-tvs-magazines-of-the-a/|date=May 6, 1970|page=19|first=Richard K.|last=Shull|title=Thumbing Through TV's Magazines Of The Air|newspaper=The Indianapolis News|location=Indianapolis, Indiana|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 1, 2022}}</ref><!-- Wed -->
The transmitter was finally turned on on December 15, 1970,<ref name="Indi701216">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102950413/don-knotts-show-looking-up-but-still/|date=December 16, 1970|page=21|title='Don Knotts Show' Looking Up, But Still Has Holes In Comedy|newspaper=The Indianapolis Star|location=Indianapolis, Indiana|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 1, 2022}}</ref><!-- Wed --> with programs starting two months later, on February 22.<ref name="Indi710216">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102950493/best-part-of-goldie-is-anything-she-does/|date=February 16, 1971|page=11|title=Best Part Of Goldie Is Anything She Does|newspaper=The Indianapolis News|location=Indianapolis, Indiana|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 1, 2022}}</ref><!-- Tue --> White River's radio station had also been approved after years of planning and signed on the air at the same time as [[WYIC|WHYT]]. The TV station aired some syndicated children's shows, including ''[[Romper Room]]'' and ''[[Bozo the Clown]]''.<ref name="Indi701120">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102950430/new-channel-40-to-start-off-with-romper/|date=November 20, 1970|page=20|first=Julia|last=Inman|title=New Channel 40 To Start Off With Romper Room, Tot Shows|newspaper=The Indianapolis Star|location=Indianapolis, Indiana|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 1, 2022}}</ref><!-- Fri --><ref name="Indi701205">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102950460/jim-gerard-show-has-changes-new-womens/|date=December 5, 1970|page=20|title=Jim Gerard Show Has Changes; New Women's Director At Ch. 8|newspaper=The Indianapolis Star|location=Indianapolis, Indiana|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 1, 2022}}</ref><!-- Sat --> There was also country music programming, some public affairs, and religious programming, as well as one of the first shows for the Black community in Indianapolis.<ref name="Indi710217">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102733978/wurd-will-take-aim-on-country-soul-and/|date=February 17, 1971|page=23|title=WURD Will Take Aim On Country, Soul And Kids|newspaper=The Indianapolis News|location=Indianapolis, Indiana|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 1, 2022}}</ref><!-- Wed -->
White River was heavily undercapitalized for starting a television station, and few viewers were finding their way to tune to the UHF band, even with the recent launch of [[WFYI (TV)|WFYI]] on channel 20. Within months, programming was cut back to save on electricity. In its largest programming coup, the station managed to secure the rights to rebroadcast [[Chicago White Sox]] games midway through the 1971 season.<ref name="Indi710820">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102950620/chicago-white-sox-on-tv-in-noblesville/|date=August 20, 1971|page=13|first=Richard K.|last=Shull|title=Chicago White Sox On TV In Noblesville|newspaper=The Indianapolis News|location=Indianapolis, Indiana|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 1, 2022}}</ref><!-- Fri -->
After little more than a year with a poor advertising market, White River got out of television. [[Assembly of God]] minister [[Lester Sumrall]] filed to buy WURD from Hansen in May 1972. By that time, channel 40 had curtailed telecasting to two days a week.<ref name="Nobl720525">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102734227/tv-station-wurd-is-reported-sold/|date=May 25, 1972|page=1|title=TV Station WURD Is Reported Sold|newspaper=The Noblesville Ledger|location=Noblesville, Indiana|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 1, 2022}}</ref><!-- Thu --> Broadcast operations were suspended on June 25 ahead of the sale;<ref name="Indi720628">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102734046/channel-40-off-air-in-owner-switch/|date=June 28, 1972|page= 28|title=Channel 40 Off Air In Owner Switch|newspaper=The Indianapolis Star|location=Indianapolis, Indiana|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 1, 2022}}</ref><!-- Wed --> creditors were already suing in court to try and force the station into bankruptcy.<ref name="Nobl720713">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102734067/judge-declines-to-appoint-receivers-for/|date=July 13, 1972|page=1|title=Judge Declines to Appoint Receivers For WURD-TV|newspaper=The Noblesville Ledger|location=Noblesville, Indiana|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 1, 2022}}</ref><!-- Thu -->
===WHMB===
The FCC approved of the sale to Sumrall's LeSea Broadcasting on August 15, 1972.{{r|hc}} The station resumed broadcasting on November 3 with a new call sign, WHMB-TV, and a schedule of mostly religious programs.<ref name="Nobl721016">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102734106/whmb-tv-will-air-religious-programs/|date=October 16, 1972|page=1|title=WHMB-TV Will Air Religious Programs|newspaper=The Noblesville Ledger|location=Noblesville, Indiana|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 1, 2022}}</ref><!-- Mon --> It was LeSea's first television property; at the time, it only owned a radio station, [[WHME (FM)|WHME]] in [[South Bend]].<ref name="Nobl721104">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/103011045/former-wurd-tv-now-whmb-goes-on-air/|date=November 4, 1972|page=1|title=Former WURD-TV Now WHMB Goes on Air|newspaper=The Noblesville Ledger|location=Noblesville, Indiana|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 2, 2022}}</ref><!-- Sat --> In 1974, the station expanded its broadcasting hours, signing on in the late morning; it also acquired the local rights to ''[[The 700 Club]]'', which WHMB ran twice each weekday (it eventually ran a 90-minute edition of the program live at 10&nbsp;a.m., along twice daily repeats of the hour-long version of the program by the latter part of the decade). By that point, the station also began carrying additional [[secular]] programming, with a mix of [[children's television series|children's programs]] and [[westerns]] airing from about 3 to 6&nbsp;p.m. The station began broadcasting 18 hours a day in 1975; at that time, WHMB began airing ''[[The PTL Club]]'', which it aired in its two-hour broadcast (which was reduced to one hour in 1982) as well as one-hour versions that aired twice a day; the station also aired religious programs from [[televangelists]] such as [[Jimmy Swaggart]] and [[Richard Roberts (evangelist)|Richard Roberts]].
In addition, the station also aired a few locally produced shows; Von Saum hosted a weekday afternoon children's program from 1972 until shortly before his death from [[heart failure]] in 1993 titled ''Pirate Adventures with [[Captain Hook]]'', in which Saum (whose left leg and arm were [[amputated]] after he was hit by a car while riding his motorcycle at age 17 in 1960) and other cast members playing Hook's pirates used music and object lessons to teach children about [[Jesus Christ]]. Saum, who originated the Captain Hook character after a preacher encouraged him to a develop the character for Saum's children's ministry tours by acquiring a hook for his prosthetic arm and costume, was approached by Sumrall to bring his character to television. WHMB, which later syndicated the series to several countries, dropped the program when it returned recordings of the episodes to the now-deceased Saum years later. Channel 40 also ran twice-a-day airings of a locally produced weekday bible study program hosted by Lester Sumrall, as well as a [[Christianity|Christian]]-oriented music and variety program hosted by the Sumrall family that aired three times a day.
[[File:WHMB logo lesea.jpg|left|thumb|165px|Former WHMB logo, used from 2008 until June 2018.]]
[[File:WHMB 2022 logo.jpg|left|thumb|175px|Former WHMB logo, used from June 2008 until August 2024.]]
The station began broadcasting on a 24-hour schedule by 1981;<ref name="Indi810929">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/103011357/ch-40-goes-24-hours/|date=September 29, 1981|page= 13|title=Ch. 40 goes 24 hours|newspaper=The Indianapolis Star|location=Indianapolis, Indiana|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 2, 2022}}</ref><!-- Tue --> around this time, WHMB ran Christian programs from 9&nbsp;a.m. to 2&nbsp;p.m. and 7&nbsp;p.m. to 7&nbsp;a.m.; [[animated cartoon|cartoons]] from 7 to 9&nbsp;a.m. and 3 to 5&nbsp;p.m.; classic [[sitcom]]s from 1 to 3&nbsp;p.m.; and a mix of sitcoms and occasional westerns from about 5 to 7&nbsp;p.m. On Saturdays, the station ran children's and family-oriented secular programming, most of which was drawn from their weekday schedule from 7&nbsp;a.m. to 6&nbsp;p.m., and religious programming during the nighttime hours, and a schedule consisting entirely of Christian-oriented religious programs on Sundays.
Gradually, by 1983, WHMB carried Christian programming for much of the broadcast day, with breakaway windows for secular programming (including sitcoms, westerns and [[public domain]] movies) each weekday from 3 to 6&nbsp;p.m. and Saturdays from 11&nbsp;a.m. to 6&nbsp;p.m. By the 1990s, the station began acquiring somewhat more recent sitcoms from the 1970s and 1980s. WHMB eventually reduced its secular programming (consisting of sitcoms, [[drama series]] and lifestyle programs) to 2 to 7&nbsp;p.m. each weekday and a scattered amount for a few hours a day on Saturdays, along with carrying children's programs complying with the FCC's [[E/I|educational programming]] guidelines for two hours on Saturday mornings and an hour on Sunday afternoons.
In August 2024, WHMB and South Bend sister station [[WHME-TV]] switched their primary channels to Univision.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tvnewscheck.com/business/article/family-broadcasting-launches-univision-on-whmb-whme-taps-susan-buterbaugh-as-whmb-gm/|title=Family Broadcasting Launches Univision On WHMB & WHME, Taps Susan Buterbaugh As WHMB GM|website=TVNewsCheck|date=August 5, 2024|accessdate=August 5, 2024}}</ref>
WHMB's Univision affiliation marks the network's return to the Indianapolis market after its previous affiliate, [[WIIH-CA]], dropped Univision programming after that station's then-owner LIN failed to renew its contract with the network (which expired on December 31, 2008), and adopted a weather-focused programming format, branded as "LWS: Local Weather Station". As a result, two other pay television providers in the Indianapolis market, [[Xfinity|Comcast]] and [[AT&T U-verse]] secured carriage agreements with Univision to receive its programming from the network's national feed; however, Bright House decided not to pursue a contract with the network at that time.<ref name="indystar.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.indystar.com/article/20081229/LOCAL18/812290361|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090201180457/www.indystar.com/article/20081229/LOCAL18/812290361|archive-date=February 1, 2009|title=Many in metro area losing TV in Spanish: Decision to drop Univision leaves growing population of Hispanics with few options}}</ref>
==Programming==
During the mid-1990s, WHMB aired a rebroadcast of then [[CBS]] affiliate [[WISH-TV]] (channel 8, now a [[The CW|CW]] affiliate)'s 6&nbsp;p.m. newscast on a one-hour [[broadcast delay|delay]] at 7&nbsp;p.m.
===Sports programming===
In 1997, the [[Indiana High School Athletic Association]] (IHSAA) awarded WHMB the local television rights to the statewide boys' and girls' [[high school basketball]] tournament finals and [[high school football]] championship games after [[UPN]] affiliate [[WTTV]] (channel 4, now a CBS affiliate) chose not to renew its contract to carry the games citing ratings declines; that year, the IHSAA converted its basketball tournament from a single-class to a multi-class format. WHMB opted against renewing the contract in 2004; the station continues to air high school football and basketball games on Friday nights during the IHSAA athletic season. The station also maintains rights to broadcast a handful of [[minor league baseball]] games annually from the [[Indianapolis Indians]]; during instances in which the station carries an away game featuring the team, WHMB instead transmits the home team's broadcast feed.
From 2012 to 2019, WHMB-TV was the Indianapolis home to the syndicated package of [[Atlantic Coast Conference]] [[college football|football]] and men's basketball games originating from the [[ACC Network (syndication package)|ACC Network]], an ''ad hoc'' syndicated sports network operated by [[Raycom Sports]]. The package included some men's basketball games involving the [[University of Notre Dame]] [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's basketball|Fighting Irish]] as that school's sports programs (except [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish football|football]]) joined the ACC in July 2013.<ref name=acc-84-us>{{Cite web | title = ACC Network Has Expanded National Reach | url = http://raycomsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ACCNetwork84US.pdf | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141009191038/http://raycomsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ACCNetwork84US.pdf | url-status = dead | archive-date = October 9, 2014 | publisher = [[Raycom Sports]] (via Press Release) | date = July 1, 2014 | access-date = July 1, 2014 }}</ref><ref name=acc-mbb13>{{Cite web | last = Haygood | first = Daniel | title = Through Part of Seven Decades, From C.D. Chesley to Raycom Sports, ACC Basketball has Gaines Exposure Through Partnerships, Distribution, Innovation | url = http://raycomsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/ThroughPartofSevenDecades.pdf | publisher = ACC Sports Journal | date =Spring 2013 | access-date = June 23, 2013 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140520191515/http://raycomsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/ThroughPartofSevenDecades.pdf | archive-date = May 20, 2014 }}</ref>
==Technical information==
===Subchannels===
The station's signal is [[Multiplex (TV)|multiplexed]]:
{| class="wikitable"
|+Subchannels of WHMB<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WHMB#station|title=RabbitEars TV Query for WHMB|website=[[RabbitEars.info]]|accessdate=August 5, 2024}}</ref>
! scope = "col" | [[Digital subchannel#United States|Channel]]
! scope = "col" | [[Display resolution|Res.]]
! scope = "col" | [[Aspect ratio (image)|Aspect]]
! scope = "col" | Short name
! scope = "col" | Programming
|-
! scope = "row" | 40.1
| [[720p]] || rowspan=2|[[16:9]] || WHMB-HD || [[Univision]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 40.2
| rowspan=5|[[480i]] || CHSN || [[Chicago Sports Network|CHSN]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 40.3
| rowspan=2|[[4:3]] || QVC || [[QVC]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 40.4
| HSN || [[HSN]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 40.5
| rowspan=2|16:9 || QVC2 || [[QVC2]]
|-
! scope = "row" | 40.6
| CHSN+ || [[Chicago Sports Network|CHSN+]]
|}
WHMB-TV was the only LeSEA-owned station that was not included in a groupwide affiliation agreement with [[Cozi TV]] that was announced on June 17, 2014;<ref>[http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/77115/cozi-tv-diginet-adds-eight-markets Cozi TV Diginet Adds Eight Markets], ''TVNewsCheck'', June 17, 2014.</ref> the network, which primarily airs classic television series (including some that are currently or have previously aired on WHMB), has been carried locally on the second digital subchannel of [[NBC]] affiliate [[WTHR]] (channel 13) since March 2013 due to an existing agreement with then-owner [[Dispatch Broadcast Group]] and its [[Class A television service|Class A]] [[sister station]] [[WALV-CD]] (channel 46), now a [[MeTV]] affiliate since 2016, which is carried on WTHR's third digital subchannel as well.
In January 2017, LeSEA announced All Sports Channel 40.3, a subchannel with programming from the [[American Sports Network]]. It aired [[college basketball]] and [[college ice hockey|ice hockey]] from the [[Big Ten Conference]], [[Mid-American Conference]], [[Horizon League]] and [[Hockey East]]. The subchannel also featured a sports talk show. The affiliation only lasted a short time, with a "WHMB-40.3" logo screen broadcasting from April until the end of May 2017.
At the end of May 2017, LeSEA shuffled World Harvest Television to its 40.3 subchannel, and added [[TheGrio|Light TV]] to 40.2. In September 2018, 40.3 was realigned to broadcast [[HSN]], and WHT was dropped. In May 2020, Light TV was dropped, and [[QVC]] was added to 40.2.
On October 17, 2024, WHMB announced that [[Chicago Sports Network]], the local television home for the [[Chicago Bulls]], [[Blackhawks]] and [[White Sox]], would begin broadcasting on the station's second and sixth subchannels.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/family-broadcasting-corporation-launches-chicago-sports-network-on-whmb-tv-40-302279398.html|title=Family Broadcasting Corporation Launches Chicago Sports Network on WHMB TV-40|publisher=[[PRNewswire]]|date=October 17, 2024|access-date=October 17, 2024}}</ref> The station is disallowed from carrying Bulls games to protect the local rights for the [[Indiana Pacers]].
===Analog-to-digital conversion===
WHMB-TV shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 40, on January 16, 2009. The station's digital signal continued to broadcast on its pre-transition UHF channel 16, using [[virtual channel]] 40.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |title=DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and Second Rounds |format=PDF |access-date=March 24, 2012}}</ref> In May 2012, the FCC issued a Report & Order, approving a request by LeSEA to move the station's digital signal from channel 16 to UHF channel 20.
==See also==
*[[Family Broadcasting Corporation]]
*[[fetv]]
*[[WHME-TV]]
*[[KWHE]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* {{Official website|https://www.whmbtv40.com/}}
{{Indy TV}}
{{Other Indiana Stations}}
{{Family Broadcasting}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whmb-Tv}}
[[Category:1972 establishments in Indiana]]
[[Category:Family Broadcasting Corporation]]
[[Category:Noblesville, Indiana]]
[[Category:Spanish-language television stations in Indiana]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1972]]
[[Category:Television stations in Indianapolis|HMB-TV]]
[[Category:Univision affiliates]]