WPFO

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WPFO
ATSC 3.0 station
CityWaterville, Maine
Channels
BrandingFox 23
Programming
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
OperatorSinclair Broadcast Group via LMA, (outright sale pending[1])
WGME-TV
History
First air date
August 27, 1999 (26 years ago) (1999-08-27)
Former call signs
  • WBDJ (1998)
  • WMPX-TV (1998–2003)
Former channel number(s)
  • Analog: 23 (UHF, 1999–2009)
  • Digital: 23 (UHF, 2009–2019)
Pax (1999–2003)
Call sign meaning
Portland's Fox
Technical information[2]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID84088
ERP1,000 kW
HAAT479 m (1,572 ft)
Transmitter coordinates43°55′29″N 70°29′27″W / 43.92472°N 70.49083°W / 43.92472; -70.49083
Links
Public license information
Websitefox23maine.com

WPFO (channel 23) is a television station licensed to Waterville, Maine, United States, serving the Portland area as an affiliate of the Fox network. It is owned by Cunningham Broadcasting, which maintains a local marketing agreement (LMA) with Sinclair Broadcast Group, owner of CBS affiliate WGME-TV (channel 13), for the provision of certain services. The two stations share studios on Northport Drive in the North Deering section of Portland; WPFO's transmitter is located on Brown Hill west of Raymond.

WPFO was built as WMPX-TV and began broadcasting in August 1999. It was Portland's Pax affiliate. In 2003, Paxson sold the station to Corporate Media Consultants Group, which converted it to a Fox affiliate that April. At the time, Portland had not had a Fox affiliate since October 2001. WGME-TV began producing a 10 p.m. newscast for WPFO in February 2007 and expanded its relationship with a morning newscast in 2010. Sinclair acquired the station's non-license assets in 2013, with Cunningham Broadcasting purchasing the license in 2017.

History

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Construction and Pax era

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Channel 23 was allocated to Waterville, Maine, in 1987 on a petition from the Passamaquoddy Tribe.[3] The tribe, which owned radio stations in Rockland,[4] had expressed interest in starting a station that would cater to local advertisers in the Waterville area unserved by buying ad time on stations in Bangor or Portland.[5] In spite of the allocation, no one applied for the channel.[6]

This changed in 1996, when five applicants filed for channel 23. The only Maine-based group was Diversified Communications, owner of Bangor CBS affiliate WABI-TV. It proposed locating the station's studios in facilities WABI was leasing in Waterville.[7] Because of a backlog of license applications that were mutually exclusive, stemming from a court-ordered end to the comparative hearings that once chose winning applicants in these cases,[8] the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) allowed for financial settlements in dozens of markets. In this window, WinStar Broadcasting emerged with the channel 23 construction permit.[9] WinStar transferred 49 percent of the permit to Paxson Communications Corporation, owner of the then-new Pax network.[10] The tower to broadcast the new station from Oak Hill Road in Litchfield was erected in 1999.[11]

Channel 23 began broadcasting August 27, 1999,[12] as WMPX-TV. It provided Pax its first broadcast coverage in southern Maine; the network had only been available on cable.[13] In August 2000, Portland NBC affiliate WCSH (channel 6) signed a joint sales agreement to provide advertising sales and limited programming to WMPX-TV.[14] WCSH officials twice mentioned the possibility of airing a newscast on channel 23 but had not done so by 2002.[15]

Fox era

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In November 2002, Paxson Communications Corporation announced it was selling WMPX-TV to the Ohio-based Corporate Media Consultants Group for $10 million.[16] Corporate was a joint venture of Max Media and Power Television.[17] The deal led to speculation that WMPX-TV would become Portland's new Fox affiliate.[16] The year before, Fox had cut ties with WPXT (channel 51), whose owner Pegasus Broadcast Television failed to come to a deal with the network.[18][19] Southern Maine was thus largely dependent on Foxnet for the channel's programming,[16] leaving Fox sports programs at the whim of equipment faults related to syndication exclusivity blackouts or locally irrelevant NFL game selections. Corporate Media confirmed WMPX-TV would become the new Portland Fox affiliate when it took over.[20]

Channel 23 became a Fox affiliate under the new WPFO call sign on April 15, 2003.[21] The station operated from office space on Oxford Street in Portland.[22] Beginning in November 2005, it aired a video simulcast of radio station WLOB's morning show with local headlines displayed on the screen, branded as the Fox Morning News.[23] This continued to air until March 30, 2009.[24]

On February 5, 2007, Portland CBS affiliate WGME-TV began producing a nightly 10 p.m. newscast for WPFO after a news share agreement was established between the two. It aired from a secondary set at WGME's studios.[25] The news relationship expanded in 2010 when the newscast was lengthened to an hour; a new two-hour morning newscast from 7 to 9 a.m., titled Good Day Maine, was added.[26]

On October 31, 2013, WGME-TV owner Sinclair Broadcast Group acquired the non-license assets of WPFO from Corporate Media Consultants Group for $13.6 million.[27] An affiliate of Sinclair, Cunningham Broadcasting Corporation, filed to acquire the license assets for $3.4 million on November 19, but the deal was not approved until June 23, 2017.[28] In 2024, WGME began airing a new lifestyle program, ARC Maine, at 9 a.m.; the morning newscast was shortened to an hour, with the 8 a.m. hour replaced by The National Desk.[29]

Sinclair filed to buy WPFO outright from Cunningham in August 2025, following a decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit that struck down limitations on ownership of two of the four highest-rated TV stations in a market.[1]

Technical information and subchannels

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Since June 2024, WPFO is Portland's ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV) lighthouse station.[30] The station's ATSC 1.0 channels are carried on the multiplexed signals of other Portland television stations:

Subchannels provided by WPFO (ATSC 1.0)[31][32][33]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming ATSC 1.0 host
23.1 720p 16:9 FOX Fox WGME-TV
23.2 480i Charge! Charge! WCBB/WMEA-TV
23.3 Comet Comet
23.4 Antenna Antenna TV WGME-TV

WPFO's transmitter is located on Brown Hill west of Raymond[2] and broadcasts these channels:

Subchannels of WPFO (ATSC 3.0)[34]
Channel Res. Short name Programming
8.1 1080p WMTW ABC (WMTW) DRM
10.1 WCBB PBS (WCBB)
13.1 WGME CBS (WGME-TV)
13.10 T2 T2
13.11 PBTV Pickleballtv
13.20 GMLOOP GameLoop
13.21 ROXi ROXi
23.1 720p WPFO Fox
26.1 1080p WMEA PBS (WMEA-TV)
  Subchannel broadcast with digital rights management
  Subchannel streamed via the Internet[35]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Assignments". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. August 15, 2025. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Facility Technical Data for WPFO". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. ^ Disman, Miriam (May 1, 1987). "City awarded TV station: FCC to accept bids from would-be owners immediately". Morning Sentinel. Waterville, Maine. Medill News Service. p. 1. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Mangan, Patricia (May 2, 1987). "Area officials applaud plan for TV station". Morning Sentinel. Waterville, Maine. pp. 1, 12. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Passamaquoddies ask for TV station license". The Bangor Daily News. Bangor, Maine. July 25, 1986. p. 5. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Blais, Peter (August 27, 1987). "Consultant reports no one hurrying to snap up UHF channel in Waterville". Morning Sentinel. Waterville, Maine. p. 2. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Firms vie for city TV rights: 5 companies seek to start station in Waterville". Morning Sentinel. Waterville, Maine. October 24, 1996. p. 19. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Let's make a deal—for CPs: Companies scramble to collect unclaimed TV licenses at FCC by Jan. 30". Broadcasting & Cable. January 26, 1998. pp. 6–7. ProQuest 1014774644.
  9. ^ McConnell, Chris (February 9, 1998). "Dollars, deals fly in CP gold rush: Competing applicants for 50 new stations work out settlements". Broadcasting & Cable. pp. 10–11. ProQuest 1016968619 and ProQuest 1016968634.
  10. ^ "The Pax TV network". Broadcasting & Cable. August 24, 1998. p. 25. ProQuest 1014782992.
  11. ^ Adams, Betty (August 2, 1999). "Neighbor frets about TV tower in Litchfield". Kennebec Journal. Augusta, Maine. pp. A1, A2. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "WPFO". Television & Cable Factbook. Vol. 74. Warren Communications News. 2006. p. A-1064. ISBN 1-57696-058-7.
  13. ^ "New network carries family programming". Portland Press Herald. Portland, Maine. September 3, 1999. p. 7C. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Routhier, Ray (October 16, 2000). "Affiliates merge resources to expand local TV choices: WCSH-TV reaches a joint sales agreement with WMPX-TV". Portland Press Herald. Portland, Maine. pp. 1B, 3B. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Routhier, Ray (August 24, 2002). "Channel 6 news tops local TV rating race". Portland Press Herald. Portland, Maine. p. 3B. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ a b c Routhier, Ray (November 20, 2002). "WMPX's owners-to-be promise new programs". Portland Press Herald. Portland, Maine. pp. 6C, 8C. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ Eggerton, John (September 15, 2005). "CMCG Buying Puerto Rico TVs". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
  18. ^ McClellan, Steve (September 10, 2001). "The WB inks two Fox affils". Broadcasting & Cable. p. 17. ProQuest 225305313.
  19. ^ Littleton, Cynthia (September 6, 2001). "2 Pegasus affils making switch from Fox to WB". The Hollywood Reporter. p. 27. ProQuest 2470976663.
  20. ^ Routhier, Ray (December 2, 2002). "New Fox Network affiliate lined up". Portland Press Herald. Portland, Maine. pp. 1B, 3B. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ Routhier, Ray (April 12, 2003). "New Fox station, Channel 23, set to go on air Tuesday". Portland Press Herald. Portland, Maine. pp. 1B, 6B. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ Routhier, Ray (February 14, 2003). "New station to start airing Fox programs soon". Portland Press Herald. Portland, Maine. p. 2B. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "WLOB's morning news will air on WPFO TV". Portland Press Herald. Portland, Maine. November 8, 2005. p. B4. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Local TV news program off the air". Sun Journal. Lewiston, Maine. April 10, 2009. p. C15. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ Murphy, Edward D. (January 25, 2007). "WGME to do news show for Fox". Portland Press Herald. Portland, Maine. p. B2. Retrieved September 15, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "WGME, WPFO To Expand Shared News". TVNewsCheck. March 17, 2010. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
  27. ^ Malone, Michael (November 6, 2013). "Sinclair Acquires WPFO Portland (ME) Assets For $13.6 Million". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  28. ^ "Application For Consent To Assignment Of Broadcast Station Construction Permit or License". Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
  29. ^ "ARC Maine to launch on Fox23: A new kind of interactive show for your mornings". WGME. July 16, 2024. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  30. ^ Miller, Mark K. (April 25, 2024). "Five Stations Launch NextGen TV In Portland, Maine". TVNewsCheck. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  31. ^ "Digital TV Market Listing for WGME". RabbitEars.
  32. ^ "Digital TV Market Listing for WCBB". RabbitEars.
  33. ^ "Digital TV Market Listing for WMEA". RabbitEars.
  34. ^ "Digital TV Market Listing for WPFO". RabbitEars.
  35. ^ "ATSC 3.0 Streams Delivered Via Internet". RabbitEars.info. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
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