WFBT to become WMEU-TV, a.k.a Me-Too; Me-TV expands to Milwaukee; Retro TV Network arrives in Rockford, South Bend
Can't get enough of classic television? You're not alone.
In a major expansion of its digital strategy, Weigel Broadcasting announced it is scrapping ethnic-format programming at low-powered WFBT-Channel 48 and replacing it with a spin-off of its' already successful WWME-Channel 23 (Me-TV), labeled Me-Too.
The WFBT call letters will become WMEU-TV, effective March 1. WFBT's format will move to one of Weigel's six digital channels of WCIU-TV.
Meanwhile, the original Me-TV format is expanding to Milwaukee (second item) next month, where it will become a digital subchannel on Weigel-owned CBS affiliate WDJT-TV, where it will be available on Channel 58.3, as well as on digital tiers on the city's cable systems. It will air mostly the same programs as WWME in Chicago, including I Love Lucy and The Dick Van Dyke Show.
In Chicago, the new Me-Too will be available on Comcast Digital Channel 248, WOW and RCN cable systems, and analog Channel 48.
Among programs scheduled to air on Me-Too include classics Route 66, Naked City, The Monkees, The Brady Bunch, and The Partridge Family. Between the Me-TV and Me-Too channels, they will air around 100 television series.
In a recent interview with TV Newsday, WCIU GM Neal Sabin discussed the possibility of one of his low-powered stations in Chicago joining the Retro Television Network, but this move apparently is not the case, although that still may be possible down the road.
Retro has a format similar to Me-TV and is a digital sub-channel network owned by Equity Broadcasting Group, which is airing on several low-powered and digital sub-channels. The network can be customized to suit stations' needs.
Retro recently signed with the Quincy Newspaper Group, whose WREX-TV (NBC) in Rockford and WSJV-TV (Fox) in South Bend recently agreed to carry Retro on one of their digital sub-channels.
updated at 11:59 p.m. on 2008-02-06
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