WRAZ-DT Joins ‘Retro’ Network Next Month
By Danny Hooley, The News & Observer, Raleigh, N.C.
Aug. 16–Capitol Broadcasting, the Raleigh-based owner of WRAL and other television and radio stations, plans to begin airing the Retro Television Network next month on one of its digital TV channels.
The new affiliate will launch Sept. 10 on Capitol’s WRAZ-DT, which reaches more than 20 North Carolina counties.
Owned by Little Rock, Ark.-based Equity Media Holdings Corp., which has stations in 41 U.S. markets, RTN provides affiliates with customized feeds of classic hit shows such as “Perry Mason,”"Hawaii 5-0″ and “Mission: Impossible.”
These three shows will be on the WRAZ-DT schedule, which WRAZ program director Joanne Stanley said should be ironed out in about a week. RTN launched nationally in July.
Stanley said RTN seemed the most viable option for using multicast possibilities on WRAZ’s digital tier.
“We’ve looked at a lot of different scenarios — looking at maybe going for the Hispanic audience, at music, that sort of thing,” she said. “It just seemed to be the best option, because everybody knows the programming. It’s classic. It’s family-friendly. It just fits the Capitol Broadcasting mold.”
General Manager Tommy Schenck said that the deal gives WRAZ the option to also provide local programming including news, weather and sports, which WRAZ-DT will do at some point.
“This channel will continue to be the home of the Durham Bulls,” Schenck says.
Until Sept. 10, WRAZ-DT will remain a simulcast of WRAZ Fox 50.
WRAZ-DT is available on Time Warner Cable digital channel 251, and to analog TV users who use a set-top box, or at channel 50.2 for viewers with a newer TV equipped with a digital receiver.
Staff writer Danny Hooley can be reached at 829-4728 or danny.hooley@newsobserver.com.
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