WHKY-TV

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = WHKY-TV
city =
station_
station_slogan =
station_branding = WHKY-TV 14
analog = 14 (UHF)
digital = 40 (UHF)
other_chs =
affiliations = independent
network =
founded =
airdate = February 14, 1968
location = Hickory/Charlotte, North Carolina
callsign_meaning = HicKorY
former_callsigns =
former_channel_numbers =
owner = Long Communications, LLC
licensee =
sister_stations =
former_affiliations =
effective_radiated_power = 2000 kW (analog)
600 kW (digital)
HAAT = 182 m (both)
class =
facility_id = 65919
coordinates = coord|35|43|58.7|N|81|19|50.4|W|type:landmark_scale:2000
homepage = [http://www.whky.com/ www.whky.com]

WHKY-TV is an independent television station based out of Hickory, North Carolina. It broadcasts on UHF channel 14 (analog) and channel 40 (digital), and is seen on cable channel 7 on Charter Communications cable systems and channel 18 on Time Warner Cable systems in the Charlotte area. It is owned and operated by Long Communications, LLC. The station airs programming from Jewelry Television in addition to paid programming and locally produced religious and entertainment shows.

The station signed on February 14, 1968; it is North Carolina's oldest independent station. It primarily targets the northwestern corner of the Charlotte market, a region known as the "Unifour." For many years, it aired Cincinnati Reds baseball, as well as some other stronger programming. However, as other stations signed on that covered more of the Charlotte area, channel 14 moved more toward paid programming. It has made some efforts to upgrade its programming in recent years.

In 2002, WHKY-TV installed two new antennas, replacing their older NTSC antenna and also installing one for digital. Replacing the older NTSC antenna by itself helped WHKY's analog signal to cover the far northern corner of Mecklenburg County. As a result, it was added to Time Warner Cable's Charlotte/Mecklenburg system under must-carry rules. It began identifying as "Hickory/Charlotte" on-air, even though it can't be seen at all in Charlotte itself and only provides marginal coverage of Mecklenburg County via analog antenna ("rabbit ears"). In 2004, WHKY-TV was able to increase its power to 2 million watts, which greatly improved its signal in the "Unifour". It is also operating it's digital signal at 600,000 watts.

In June, 2006 WHKY-TV begin broadcasting on Dish Network and DirecTV's Charlotte feeds, expanding the station’s reach to cover 2 million people in North and South Carolina.

The station is co-owned with WHKY Radio (AM 1290).

Newscasts

The station produces Unifour Tonight, a twice-nightly local newscast, hosted by Jim Karas.

External links

* [http://www.whky.com/ WHKY homepage]
*TVQ|WHKY-TV
*BIA|WHKY|TV|TV