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Youngstown's WFMJ-TV to Launch WB Affiliate Nov. 1
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- The Mahoning Valley will have a sixth television station come Nov. 1 when WFMJ-TV is poised to launch an affiliate of the WB Television Network.The new station, WBCB-TV, will be transmitted via digital channel 20B, which means only digital TV sets will be able to receive its over-the-air signals. The station's signal will, however, be transmitted by most cable companies that serve the Mahoning and Shenango valleys, station officials said. Promotional announcements heralding the Nov. 1 debut of the new WB station began appearing this weekend on WFMJ programming."Our WB station will reach a different spectrum of the Youngstown market," said John Grdic, general manager of WFMJ and WBCB. "No existing station is going after the 18-to-24's or the 18-to-34's [demographics]," he explained. "WB wanted to come into the market very badly. It's a niche that will work."The WB Television Network, launched by Warner Bros. in 1995, boasts network television's lowest median age (33.3), according to its Web site, and a core demographic of 12-to-34 year olds. This hard-to-reach audience tends to be first-time buyers for big ticket products, a lucrative target market for advertisers seeking to build brand loyalty.WB broadcasts prime-time programming Sundays through Friday. Its most popular shows include Gilmore Girls, Smallville, 7th Heaven and Everwood. It also broadcasts childrens' programming weekday afternoons and Saturday mornings via its KidsWB! subsidiary.The remainder of the broadcast day will be filled with syndicated programming. As viewership increases, and the new station begins to show up in the ratings, "We'll entertain having a 10 o'clock newscast," Grdic said.Grdic estimates WFMJ will invest $300,000 to launch the new station, primarily for broadcast equipment such as a video server. The station manager said new employees are likely to be added in sales and clerical positions. WFMJ has about 75 full-time employees and 25 part-time employees.Because WFMJ is launching a second television station on digital channel 20, which it is licensed to operate, it does not need clearance from the Federal Communications Commission. Digital technology enables signals to be split -- using just part of the same spectrum -- which is how WFMJ's signal is seen on Channel 20A and WBCB's signal will be seen on Channel 20B.Visit the WB Television Network at www.thewb.com"