WATM-TV

WATM-TV

Altoona–Johnstown– State College, Pennsylvania United States
City	Altoona, Pennsylvania
Channels	Digital: 31 (UHF) Virtual: 23
Branding	ABC 23; ABC 23 News Centre
Programming
Affiliations	23.1: ABC 23.2: Fox for others, see § Subchannels
Ownership
Owner	Palm Television, L.P.
Operator	Cunningham Broadcasting via LMA (certain services provided by Sinclair Broadcast Group via TBA)
Sister stations	WWCP-TV, WJAC-TV
History
First air date	November 28, 1974 (49 years ago) (1974-11-28)
Former call signs	WOPC (1974–1986) WWPC-TV (1986–1988)
Former channel number(s)	Analog: 38 (UHF, 1974–1981), 23 (UHF, 1981–2009) Digital: 24 (UHF, 2002–2020)
Former affiliations	ABC (1974–1986) Fox (1986–1988, as satellite of WWCP)
Call sign meaning	"Altoona Television Market"
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	20287
ERP	790 kW[2]
HAAT	326 m (1,070 ft)
Transmitter coordinates	40°34′6″N 78°26′37″W / 40.56833°N 78.44361°W / 40.56833; -78.44361
Translator(s)	WWCP-TV 8.2 Johnstown
Links
Public license information	Public file LMS
Website	www.abc23.com

WATM-TV (channel 23) is a television station licensed to Altoona, Pennsylvania, United States, serving as the ABC affiliate for the Johnstown–Altoona–State College market. It is owned by Palm Television, L.P., which maintains a local marketing agreement (LMA) with Cunningham Broadcasting, owner of Johnstown-licensed Fox affiliate WWCP-TV (channel 8), for the provision of certain services. Both stations, in turn, are operated under a time brokerage agreement (TBA) by Sinclair Broadcast Group, owner of Johnstown-licensed dual NBC/CW+ affiliate WJAC-TV (channel 6).

WATM-TV and WWCP-TV share studios on Lulay Street in the borough of Geistown, and also operate advertising sales offices in Altoona (on East Walton Avenue/PA 764) and State College (on West Beaver Avenue/PA 26); master control and some internal operations are based at WJAC-TV's facilities on Old Hickory Lane in Upper Yoder Township. WATM-TV's transmitter is located on Lookout Road, in Logan Township, along the Cambria County line.

Since WATM-TV's signal is barely viewable in Johnstown, it is simulcast in high definition on WWCP-TV's second digital subchannel (8.2) from a transmitter along US 30/Lincoln Highway, in Ligonier Township, near the Somerset County line.