WHTN

WHTN
CityMurfreesboro, Tennessee
Channels
BrandingCTN Middle Tennessee
Programming
NetworkCTN (1986–present)
Ownership
OwnerChristian Television Network, Inc.
History
First air date
December 30, 1983 (40 years ago) (1983-12-30)
Former call signs
WFYZ (1983–1985)
Former channel number(s)
  • Analog: 39 (UHF, 1983–2009)
  • Digital: 38 (UHF, 2009–2020)
Independent (1983–1986)
Call sign meaning
Said to mean nothing[1]
Technical information[2]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID11117
ERP900 kW
HAAT250 m (820 ft)
Transmitter coordinates36°4′58″N 86°25′52″W / 36.08278°N 86.43111°W / 36.08278; -86.43111
Links
Public license information
Websitewww.ctntv.org

WHTN (channel 39) is a religious television station licensed to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, United States, serving the Nashville area as an owned-and-operated station of the Christian Television Network (CTN). The station's studios are located on Lebanon Road in Mount Juliet, and its transmitter is located on Lone Oak Road near Gladeville. WHTN offers 24-hour religious programming, much of which is produced either locally or at the CTN home base in Clearwater, Florida.

Although CTN has owned WHTN since 1986, it had a turbulent history before that. Channel 39 started broadcasting on December 30, 1983, as WFYZ, a second independent station for Middle Tennessee owned by Focus Communications. However, its plans to market itself were hindered by two factors: a signal that was not clearly received in all areas of Nashville and the launch less than two months later of WCAY-TV (channel 30), which had better programming and ratings. Within months, WFYZ was struggling financially; the station pivoted programming several times, from general entertainment to religious programming to music videos.

As the major investors in Focus Communications decided to focus on another business they owned, the troubled United Press International wire service, WFYZ was sold to a group led by Bob Hudson and rebranded as WHTN in November 1985. The relaunched station, however, continued to face serious economic problems which culminated in the station ceasing broadcasts in April 1986 due to unpaid electric bills. It returned to the air the next month after CTN agreed to buy the station.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Tenn851018 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WHTN". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.