Branding WTLW 44 | Channels Digital: 44 (UHF/PSIP) | |
Slogan Your Local Family Station Subchannels 44.1 Religious Independent
44.2 WOSN Owner American Christian Television Services, Inc. First air date June 13, 1982; 34 years ago (1982-06-13) | ||
WTLW is a religious and family-entertainment television station in Lima, Ohio. The station is owned by American Christian Television Services, and broadcasts its digital signal on UHF channel 44. It runs infomercials and religious programming before 5 p.m.; and family dramas, first-run talk shows, family movies, local sports programming, and reality shows after 5 p.m.
History
WTLW has its roots in Christian radio station WTGN-FM, also in Lima. In 1976, WTGN solicited its listeners for seed money for a new television station. Before the station received FCC approval, however, WTGN opted not to own nor operate the new station, and the people behind the drive to get WTLW on the air decided to incorporate as American Christian Television Services, Inc.
The station chose a hangar at the former site of Lima Allen County Airport on Baty Road near Elida, northwest of Lima, to build a studio. The new studios, measuring 80 feet by 80 feet (24 m by 24 m), was believed by the station founders to be the largest television studio in Northwest Ohio. The hangar was converted into a television studio in 1980, through the efforts of volunteers.
On June 13, 1982, WTLW signed on the air.
The station's owner, American Christian Television Services, should not be confused with the American Christian Television System, a defunct television network, or Associated Christian Television System, owners of WACX in Orlando, Florida.
In 1988 the station expanded its focus from religious broadcasts to incorporate full length broadcasts of local high school basketball games. Eventually, football games were added as well. In the fall of 2010, WTLW launched a 24-hour all-sports network on its digital sub-channel, 44.2. The station was called WOSN, standing for West Ohio Sports Network.
WOSN now covers 70 schools and several colleges and airs hundreds of full length sporting events throughout the year. WOSN is also home to several sports related shows - Sports Report, Big Sports Weekend, Buckeye Insider and Marks Madness. The majority of games aired on WOSN are football and basketball games, but Soccer, Volleyball, Tennis, Swimming, Softball, Baseball, Track, Bowling and even Soapbox Derby Racing have been featured.