| Semi-satellite of WCSH, Portland, Maine | |
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| Channels | |
| Branding | WLBZ 2; News Center Maine |
| Programming | |
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| Ownership | |
| Owner |
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| WCSH | |
| History | |
First air date | September 12, 1954 |
Former call signs |
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Former channel number(s) |
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Call sign meaning | taken from former sister station WLBZ radio |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 39644 |
| ERP | 3 kW |
| HAAT | 192 m (630 ft) |
| Transmitter coordinates | 44°44′10.2″N 68°40′15.1″W / 44.736167°N 68.670861°W |
| Translator(s) | 4 WGCI-LD Skowhegan |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Website | www |
WLBZ (channel 2) is a television station in Bangor, Maine, United States, affiliated with NBC and owned by Tegna Inc. The station's studios are located on Mount Hope Avenue in Bangor, and its transmitter is located on Rider Bluff in Holden.
Although identifying as a separate station in its own right, WLBZ is considered a semi-satellite of sister station WCSH (channel 6) in Portland. WLBZ's master control, as well as some internal operations, are housed at WCSH's studios on Congress Square in Downtown Portland. WLBZ clears all network programming as provided through its parent, simulcasts most of WCSH's newscasts (with local weather inserts) and airs most of its syndicated programming (though in some cases at different times). There are also some programs that only air on WLBZ while some are only seen on WCSH. WLBZ also airs separate station identifications and commercial inserts. Although WLBZ and WCSH are based in different locations and technically serve separate markets, the two essentially operate as one station. With their combined resources, the stations provide statewide coverage not offered by any other outlet in Maine.
WLBZ previously served as the default NBC affiliate for the Presque Isle market, which did not have an affiliate of its own. It is carried in the local tier of Spectrum's cable system in Presque Isle, and is also offered as the NBC affiliate in the Presque Isle Dish Network and DirecTV channel lineups. This changed in 2020,[2] however, with the sign-on of NBC affiliate WWPI-LD by CBS/Fox/CW+ affiliate (and sister station of rival WABI-TV) WAGM-TV.[3] In addition to its main signal, WLBZ operates low-power digital repeater WGCI-LD on VHF channel 4. Licensed to Skowhegan, this station has a transmitter in Norridgewock's Larone section.
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WLBZ". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ "What became of WAGM's plan to add NBC?". Radio Discussions. RadioDiscussions.com. January 31, 2020. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
- ^ "WAGM announces launch of NBC Affiliation". WAGM-TV. Gray Television. June 24, 2019. Retrieved June 30, 2019.