Light TV (styled LIGHTtv) is an American digital broadcast television network owned by the Allen Media Group division of Entertainment Studios. that launched on December 22, 2016. The network features family-friendly and faith-based entertainment programming.
 | |
| Type | Digital broadcast television network |
|---|---|
| Country | |
| Availability | Nationwide (available on OTA digital television and LPTV) |
| Headquarters | Beverly Hills, California |
| Owner | Allen Media Group |
Launch date | December 22, 2016 |
| Dissolved | January 15, 2021 |
Picture format | 480i (SDTV) |
| Affiliates | List of affiliates |
Official website | www |
Light TV is headed by MGM TV CEO Mark Burnett and his wife, actress Roma Downey. The pair have teamed in the past to produce several religious and family-oriented projects through the MGM subsidiary Downey leads, Lightworkers Media.[1][2]
History
The then-new over-the-top (OTT) faith-based channel was under development as early as September 2014 when MGM purchased 55% of One Three Media and LightWorkers Media, owned by Hearst Entertainment, Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, and consolidated them into United Artists Media Group.[3] With MGM purchasing Hearst and Burnett and Downey's shares in UAMG, the channel was still a planned streaming service. However, Hearst and Burnett and Downey retained their stakes in the channel.[4]
MGM announced the formation of Light TV on November 16, 2016, with a launch planned for December on thirteen major market stations owned by Fox Television Stations.[5] The network launched on December 22, 2016[6] with two stations, and the rest of the group's stations launching the subchannel throughout early 2017.[7]
Light TV was sold by MGM TV in October 2020 to the Allen Media Group division of Entertainment Studios, along with its movie-oriented sister channel This TV.[8] On December 3, 2020, it was announced that the network will be relaunched as TheGrio.TV on January 15, 2021, carrying lifestyle and entertainment programming of interest to the African American community. It will be an extension of the Entertainment Studios-owned website TheGrio.[9]
On or after that date, Entertainment Studios stopped feeding Light TV programming to some of the network's affiliates (mainly those associated with Fox Television Stations), leaving a test pattern card promoting TheGrio.TV's upcoming launch, though MGM continues to feature a live stream of Light TV on its website, suggesting only the satellite transponder for Light TV was sold to Entertainment Studios; some affiliates have thus taken the subchannel dark due to a current lack of programming on that satellite space. FTS confirmed on December 9 that it would indeed carry TheGrio.TV on its stations when it launches.[10]
Programming
Light TV features several series and movies meant to fit the network's family-oriented approach, including content from the MGM film and TV library or acquired through outside sources.[1][2] Infomercials were added to the Light TV lineup in 2019, occupying all of the overnight hours and into the early morning.
Current programming
Below is a current list of programming broadcast on Light TV:[11]
- Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?[5] (2016–2019, 2020-present)
- Animal Rescue
- Flipper
- Flipper – The New Adventures
- Green Acres (2016-2018; October 1, 2019)
- Highway to Heaven[5] (December 22, 2016–present)
- Heartland
- The Patty Duke Show (September 3, 2018 – present)
- Sea Hunt
- It's About Time (October 5, 2019 - present)
- My Mother the Car (October 5, 2019 - present)
- Mister Ed
- Wild Times at the San Diego Zoo
Former children's programming
- The Adventures of Paddington Bear (2016-2019) (aired in rotation with Franny's Feet, now aired on Qubo)
- All Dogs Go to Heaven: The Series (December 22, 2016 – September 29, 2019)
- Franny's Feet (2017–September 30, 2019) (aired in rotation with The Adventures of Paddington Bear)
- Heathcliff (October 6, 2018 – September 30, 2019)
- Madeline (December 22, 2016 – September 30, 2019, now on Qubo)
- The Pink Panther Show (December 24, 2016 – September 29, 2019)
- Wimzie's House (December 22, 2016 – September 30, 2019)
- Inspector Gadget (December 22, 2016 – October 5, 2018; October 1, 2019 - April 2020; now aired on Qubo)
- Naturally Sadie (October 1, 2019 - April 2020)
- The Busy World of Richard Scarry (December 22, 2016 - October 2, 2020)
- The Country Mouse and the City Mouse Adventures (December 22, 2016 - October 2, 2020)
Affiliates
Light TV initially launched on subchannels of fourteen Fox and MyNetworkTV stations owned by Fox Television Stations, with most of the initial affiliates being owned-and-operated stations of the Fox Broadcasting Company.[12] MGM will offer the network to stations outside the initial markets.[13]
| City | Station[14] | Physical channel |
Virtual channel |
Owner (management company) | Date of affiliation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama | ||||||
| Greensboro | WDVZ-CD | 3 | 3.2 | University of Alabama | ||
| Tuscaloosa/Birmingham | WVUA | 6 | 23.2 | June 1, 2017 | ||
Arkansas | ||||||
| Harrison | K26GS-D | 26 | 26.4 | Reynolds Media, Inc. | 2017 | |
| Little Rock | KTVV-LD | 18 | 18.2 | Larry Morton | ||
California | ||||||
| Fresno | KAIL | 7 | 7.2 | Tri-State Christian Television | October 19, 2017 | |
| Sacramento | KCSO-LD | 3 | 33.4 | NBCUniversal | 2018 | |
| Santa Barbara | KZDF-LP | 8.3 | HC2 Holdings | December 2017 | ||
Colorado | ||||||
| Colorado Springs | KWHS-LD | 51.1[15] | 51.1 | Christian Television Network | KWHS-TV No longer carries Light TV[15] | |
| Sterling | KCDO-TV 3 | 23.6, 34.6[16] | 10.1 | E. W. Scripps Company | 2017 | KCDO-TV 3's display channel for Light TV is 10.1[16] |
Florida | ||||||
| Miami | WSVN | 7.2[17] | 7.2 | Sunbeam Television | July 14, 2017[18] | |
| Orlando | WOFL | 22.4[19] | 35.2 | Fox Television Stations | ||
| Tampa Bay | WTOG | 44.3[20] | 44.3 | CBS Corporation | ||
Georgia | ||||||
| Atlanta | WAGA-TV | 27 | 5.4 | Fox Television Stations | 2017 | |
Hawaii | ||||||
| Honolulu | KWHE-TV | 31 | 14.2 | Family Broadcasting Corporation | 2017 | |
Idaho | ||||||
| Boise | KRID-LD | 22 | 22.7 | Karlo Maalouf[21] | July 2017 | |
| Idaho Falls | KVUI | 31 | 31.3 | Ventura Broadcasting | ||
| Twins Falls | KXTF | 34 | 35.3 | Tri-State Christian Television | ||
Illinois | ||||||
| Oakwood Hills (Chicago) | WCHU-LD | 7.2[22] | 59.2 | Venture Technologies Group, LLC | December 2020 | Relocated from WPWR-TV 50.3 and WFLD 32.4 |
| Marion | WTCT | 30.5[23] | 27.3 | Tri-State Christian Television | ||
| Peoria | WAOE | 39.3[24] | 59.3 | Venture Technologies Group | 2017 | |
Indiana | ||||||
| Angola | WINM | 12 | 12.3 | Tri-State Christian Television | September 2017 | |
| Fort Wayne | WEIJ-LD | 38.5[25] | 38.3 | |||
Iowa | ||||||
| Des Moines | KDMI | 19.3[26] | 19.3 | Tri-State Christian Television | ||
| Iowa City | KWKB | 25 | 20.2 | KM Communications Inc. | 2017 | |
Kansas | ||||||
| Wichita | KGPT-CD | 24 | 26.7 | Great Plains Television | ||
Kentucky | ||||||
| Lexington | WLJC-TV | 7 | 65.2 | Hour of Harvest | ||
| Louisville | WBNA | 8 | 21.3 | Word Broadcasting Network | March 2017[27] | |
Louisiana | ||||||
| Baton Rouge | KPBN | 14.4 | Pelican Broadcasting Network | January 1, 2018 | ||
Michigan | ||||||
| Detroit | WHNE-LD | 20.1[28] | 14.1 | Tait Broadcasting, LLC[28] | Since late August 2017 | |
| Traverse City-Cadillac | WMNN-LD | 14.6[29] | 26.6 | Freelancer Television Broadcasting, Inc.[29] | Since August 2017 | |
| Flint/Saginaw/Bay City | WAQP | 48.5[30] | 49.3 | Tri-State Christian Television | Since September 2017 | |
| Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo | WTLJ | 24 | 54.3 | 2018 | ||
Missouri | ||||||
| Kansas City | KSMO-TV | 32.4[31] | 62.2 | Meredith Corporation | May 6, 2018 | |
| Springfield, Missouri | KRFT-LD | 21 | 8.2 | Craft Broadcasting | November 9, 2017[32] | |
Nevada | ||||||
| Las Vegas | KGNG-LD | 26 | 47.5 | King Kong Broadcasting, Inc.[33] | October 23, 2017 | Century Link Cable Channel 22 |
| Reno | KTVN | 11 | 2.2 | Sarkes Tarzian, Inc. | 2018 | |
New Mexico | ||||||
| Albuquerque | KTVS-LD | 36.1[34] | 36.1 | Alpha Omega Broadcasting[34] | October 2017[35] | (physical and virtual) channel 36.3 is a simulcast of 36.1[34] |
New York | ||||||
| Albany | WNYA | 13.4[36] | 51.2 | Hubbard Broadcasting | November 1, 2017 | Replaced Antenna TV |
| Jamestown | WNYB | 26.5[37] | 26.3 | Tri-State Christian Television | ? | |
| Buffalo | WBNF | 15.5[38] | 15.3 | Tri-State Christian Television | ||
| Rochester | DWNIB-LD | 42.3[39] | 42.3 | Tri-State Christian Television | ||
North Carolina | ||||||
| Charlotte | WJZY | 47.10[40] | 46.8 | Nexstar Media Group | 2017 | |
Ohio | ||||||
| Cincinnati | WBQC-LD ("WKRP-TV") | 47.7[41] | 25.5 | Elliot Block | 2018 | |
| Mansfield | WMFD-TV | 12 | 68.3 | Mid-State Television, Inc. | 2017 | |
| Marion | WOCB-CD | 22.5[42] | 39.5 | Central Ohio Assoc. of Chr. Broadcasters | ||
Oklahoma | ||||||
| Tulsa | KGEB | 53.2[43] | 53.2 | Golden Eagle Broadcasting | August 26 2019 | |
Pennsylvania | ||||||
| Pittsburgh | WPCW | 11.4, 27.4[44] | 19.4 | CBS Corporation | July 2018 | |
South Carolina | ||||||
| Greenville | WGGS-TV | 16.6[45] | 16.4 | Carolina Christian Broadcasting | 2017 | |
Tennessee | ||||||
| Chattanooga | WRCB | 3 | 3.2 | Sarkes Tarzian, Inc. | 2018 | |
| Nashville | WJFB | 44.3[46] | 44.3 | Tri-State Christian Television | November 20, 2017 | |
Texas | ||||||
| Austin | KGBS | 19 | 19.5 | CNZ Communications | October 9, 2017 | Operated by HC2 Holdings |
| San Antonio | KGMM-CD | 24.4[47] | 24.2 | CNZ Communications | ||
Utah | ||||||
| Ogden | KULX-CD | 14 | 10.5 | NBCUniversal | ||
| Salt Lake City | KTMW | 20 | 20.5 | |||
Virginia | ||||||
| Grundy | WLFG | 49.4[48] | 68.2 | Living Faith Ministries, Inc. | February 3, 2018 | |
Washington | ||||||
| Seattle | KYMU-LD | 6.2[49] | Seattle 6 Broadcasting LLC | 2019 | ||
Wisconsin | ||||||
| Milwaukee | WIWN | 68.2 | CNZ Communications | September 1, 2017 | ||
Former affiliates
| Market | Station | Channel | Current owner | Years of affiliation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, Illinois | WFLD-TV | 32.4 | Fox Television Stations | 2018-2020 | |
| Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas | KDFI | 27.5 | 2017-2020 | ||
| Gary, Indiana (Chicago, Illinois) |
WPWR-TV | 50.4 | 2017-2018 | ||
| Houston, Texas | KRIV | 26.2 | 2017-2020 | Was dropped and replaced by Decades[50] | |
| Los Angeles, California | KCOP | 13.8 [51] | 2016-2020 | ||
| Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Minnesota | KMSP-TV | 9.5 | 2017-2020 | ||
| New Orleans, Louisiana | WHNO | 20.2 | Christian Television Network | 2016-2018 | Replaced by CTN Lifestyle |
| New York City, New York | WNYW | 5.4[52] | Fox Television Stations | 2016-2020 | |
| Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | KBZC-LD | 42.2 | HC2 Holdings | Replaced by CBN News Channel, and later Revenue Frontier. | |
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | WTXF-TV | 29.3[53] | Fox Television Stations | 2017-2020 | |
| Phoenix, Arizona | KSAZ-TV | 10.4 | |||
| Tulsa, Oklahoma | KWHB | 47.2 | Christian Television Network | 2017-2019 | Replaced by Dabl |
| Washington, D.C. | WDCA | 20.4 | Fox Television Stations | 2017-2018 | Was dropped due to channel share with sister station WTTG |
References
- ^ a b "MGM Launches Light TV on Fox Owned Stations and Affiliates". Broadcasting & Cable. NewBay Media. November 16, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
- ^ a b "Faith-Based LIGHT TV Coming To FOX 32.2 In December". Chicagoland Radio & Media. November 16, 2016. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
- ^ Busch, Mike Fleming Jr,Anita (September 22, 2014). "MGM Buys 55% Of Roma Downey And Mark Burnett's Empire; Relaunches United Artists". Deadline. Penske Business Media. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Lieberman, David (December 14, 2015). "MGM Taps Mark Burnett To Run TV Operation After Buying Out JV Partners". Deadline. Penske Business Media. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
- ^ a b c Busch, Anita (November 16, 2016). "Roma Downey, Mark Burnett And MGM Launch Light TV With Fox Stations On Board". Deadline. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
- ^ Bouma, Luke (March 3, 2017). "Three New Over-the-Air TV Networks Recently Launched - Cord Cutters News". Cord Cutters News. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
- ^ "Light TV". Light TV.com. LightWorker Media OTT, LLC. Archived from the original on December 23, 2016. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
- ^ "Allen Media Group Buys Two Networks From MGM," from Deadline, 10/28/2020
- ^ Haring, Bruce; Haring, Bruce (2020-12-04). "Byron Allen's Light TV Will Transition To 'TheGrio.TV' Next Month To Kick Off MLK Day Weekend". Deadline. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
- ^ Miller, Mark (9 December 2020). "Fox O&Os Adding TheGrio.TV To Subchannels". TVNewsCheck. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
- ^ "LIGHT_SCHEDULE_AUGUST_24_UPDATE" (PDF). 2017-08-01.
- ^ "Fox Stations Sign on For Roma Downey and Mark Burnett Network". TVSpy. Prometheus Global Media. November 16, 2016.
- ^ Kate Stanhope (November 16, 2016). "Roma Downey, Mark Burnett and MGM to Launch Faith Digital Network on Fox Stations". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
- ^ "Stations for Network - Light TV". RabbitEars.Info. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
- ^ a b RabbitEars TV Query for KWHS
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- ^ Jacobson, Adam (January 5, 2018). "Exclusive: 'Estrella TV' Ready For A Big Miami Return". Radio & Television Business Report. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
On July 14, 2017, Sunbeam Television-owned WSVN-7 dropped Estrella TV from its DT2 multicast channel, replacing it with LIGHT TV…
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- ^ https://lighttv.com/#footer LIGHT TV - Find Light TV in Your Area (via Zip Code search query)
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