WNJC

WNJC, virtual channel 40 (UHF digital channel 36) is an NBC owned-and-operated television station licensed to Wildwood, New Jersey. The station is owned by the NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations subsidiary of NBCUniversal and operates as part of a triopoly with Philadelphia, Pennsylvania licensed fellow NBC owned-and-operated station WCAU (channel 10) and Atlantic City, NJ licensed Telemundo owned-and-operated station WWSI (channel 62). Both networks are owned by NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Philadelphia-based Comcast. WNJC serves as a semi-satellite of WCAU for the fringe areas of the Jersey Shore that cannot receive NBC 10 over the air. Master control and most internal operations of WNJC originate from the studios of WCAU and WWSI in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, the triopoly's Jersey Shore News Bureau located on West Patcong Avenue in Linwood, New Jersey (NBC 40's former main studio locations), and its transmitter is located along Avalon Boulevard in the Swainton section of Middle Township, NJ, east of the Garden State Parkway off Exit 13.

The station is officially considered part of the Philadelphia market, but primarily serves Southeast New Jersey. WNJC is the only major network affiliate licensed directly within the state. As such, the station's coverage area has always overlapped with its now-parent station.

WNJC, under the previous WMGM-TV call letters, was owned by the New York City-based Access.1 Communications. In October 2013, the station was sold to LocusPoint Networks for $6 million, but remained operated by Access.1. The company retains ownership of the station's low-power transmitter, WMGM-LP. The sale proved controversial, due to speculation that LocusPoint only bought the station so that it could sell its license and wireless spectrum to the FCC during its upcoming spectrum incentive auction, and was not interested in its further operation. Comcast, NBC's parent company, purchased the station from LocusPoint in late 2014 and changed the stations' call letters to the present day WNJC.

On December 31, 2014, WMGM-TV was slated to end its 48-year affiliation with NBC, its management agreement with Access.1, and its news operation. Amid a public outcry from Jersey Shore residents without cable who could not pull in WCAU over the air, NBC agreed to continue their affiliation with the station and offered LocusPoint a record price (which at present time has not been disclosed) to purchase the station. Upon assuming ownership and changing the call letters, NBC made WNJC a semi-satellite of WCAU for the fringe areas of the shore that could not pull in NBC 10 over the air. Access.1 retained ownership of the former WMGM-TV studios, which now serves as the NBCUniversal Philadelphia triopoly's shore news bureau due to a deal between the two companies, while some former WMGM staff members were relocated to Bala Cynwyd. WNJC airs the exact same programming as WCAU, the only differences being the timeslots that some syndicated programming airs in. Local advertising on WCAU and WNJC is also separate; WNJC's local commercials target Cape May, Atlantic, and Cumberland Counties exclusively, while WCAU's local commercials target the rest of the Delaware Valley and the Lehigh Valley.

History
The station first signed on the air on January 25, 1966 known as WCMC-TV (meaning Cape May County). It was owned by Jersey Cape Broadcasting, along with the WCMC radio stations (1230 AM and 100.7 FM, now WZXL). The station initially could not get a direct network feed from NBC, forcing station engineers to switch to and from the signal of KYW-TV (channel 3) in Philadelphia for network programming. During the station's early years, even when NBC went to full-time color programming, the station still broadcast its local programming in black and white. WCMC-TV was sold to South Jersey Radio in 1981, and changed its call letters first to WAAT on April 27, 1981, and then to WMGM-TV on April 12, 1984 to match co-owned WMGM radio (103.7 FM). From 1983 to 1987, channel 40 picked up shows from rival network ABC that were preempted by Philadelphia-based ABC affiliate WPVI-TV. Under South Jersey Radio, channel 40 was able to obtain its own NBC affiliate feed. Upon the death of owner Howard Green in 2002, the stations were eventually sold to Access.1 Communications.

For many years, the station has operated a low-powered repeater, WMGM-LP in Atlantic City on VHF channel 7, to serve Atlantic City itself. On July 3, 2006, WMGM-LP fell silent when a fire struck its transmitter building. The building also housed the transmitters for Atlantic City's WMGM radio as well as Pleasantville's WOND (1400 AM) and WTKU-FM (98.3). While WMGM radio began broadcasting from WPUR (107.3 FM)'s auxiliary facilities atop the Trump Taj Mahal casino, the AM stations and WMGM-LP remained dark, leaving many Atlantic City residents without clear reception of NBC programs over-the-air. However, the on-air signals were eventually brought back.

For several years, people in much of the New Jersey side of the Philadelphia market could watch the entire NBC schedule on WMGM-TV, as longtime Philadelphia NBC affiliate KYW-TV (now a CBS owned-and-operated station) pre-empted many of NBC's daytime programs as well as other shows. WMGM was one of the few affiliates not to carry the Sunday edition of Today. The station began airing it on January 4, 2015, the day before the NBCUniversal purchase was finalized.

Acquisition by LocusPoint Networks
On October 10, 2013, Access.1 Communications agreed to sell WMGM to LocusPoint Networks for $6 million; WMGM was LocusPoint's second station in the Philadelphia market, as the company was also in the process of acquiring WPHA-CD. As part of the deal, Access.1 continued to manage WMGM. However, the deal was met with public controversy, over concerns that LocusPoint was only buying WMGM so it could auction off the station's license and spectrum during the FCC's 2015 spectrum incentive auction. Indeed, the company does not describe itself as a broadcaster, but as an "early stage wireless communications company". Stations in close proximity to major markets (in WMGM's case, Philadelphia) have been considered potentially valuable at auction, leaving the fate of WMGM in jeopardy. In response to the concerns (which also included viewers establishing a Save NBC 40 website), LocusPoint co-founder Bill deKay stated that they planned to continue operating the station as an NBC affiliate. The sale was completed on January 28, 2014.

Acquisition by NBCUniversal
On April 16, 2014, Broadcasting & Cable reported that WMGM-TV would lose its NBC affiliation at the end of 2014, at the conclusion of a two-year extension of the station's most recent affiliation contract (which expired at the end of 2012). The station's former general manager, Ron Smith, claimed that the move was a result of NBCUniversal and its parent company Comcast wanting to protect WCAU. He argued that the loss of the NBC affiliation would make it difficult for WMGM to continue operating. The loss of NBC affiliation also would've coincided with the end of Access.1's management agreement with LocusPoint Networks.

In July 2014, WMGM-TV introduced the "Friends of 40 Summer Membership Club" in which viewers contributed money in return for benefits such as station merchandise, discounts, and invitations to its outings; this form of fundraising is more commonly associated with public broadcasting, including NJTV. According to general manager J. Roger Powe III, "The membership club allows all the folks who have been loyal and supportive to keep engaged in a more intimate fashion;" while some of the money raised goes to the station's operations, much of it is used to pay for the club's benefits. As WMGM remains a commercial, for-profit station, contributions to the club are non-tax-deductible, unlike with public broadcasting stations. In September 2014, NBCUniversal made a surprise announcement that they were acquiring WMGM-TV from LocusPoint "at a record price (which has not been disclosed)." They announced that they were purchasing the station amid a public outcry from Jersey Shore residents without cable who were not able to pull in their Philadelphia owned-and-operated station, WCAU. The network, seeing a chance to earn more potential advertising revenue by expanding its audience in the Philadelphia market, decided to purchase the station and continue to air NBC programming on the station. 21st Century Fox subsidiary Fox Television Stations, Inc. briefly tried to outbid NBC at one point, hoping to make WMGM-TV a semi-satellite of their Philadelphia Fox owned-and-operated station WTXF-TV. Fox backed out under pressure from Access.1, who made it clear that they would not continue being involved with the station if any network other than NBC were to air on channel 40. The sale closed on January 5, 2015, just 4 days after the station would have lost NBC programming, and the call letters were changed to WNJC, which officially stands for " N BC on the J ersey C oast," but cited on WCAU/WNJC newscasts to mean "New Jersey's Connection." NBC immediately made WNJC a semi-satellite of WCAU. NBC moved master control and its internal operations, along with some of the station's personnel, to the WCAU studios in Bala Cynwyd on January 1, 2015, while the facility in Lynwood would become the headquarters for the triopoly's shore news bureau, with some station personalities staying behind to report on events on the shore. Due to this arrangement, building owner Access.1's involvement with the station was indefinitely extended, with Access.1 continuing to oversee operations of the news bureau for the network. NBCUniversal is allowed to keep all three stations due to WNJC's status as a semi-satellite of WCAU.

On December 9, 2014, Access.1 made a statement on WMGM's website, indicating that it was looking forward to continuing their involvement with the station, as well as looking forward to welcoming the merger of the station with WCAU and WWSI, and to working with NBCUniversal. Access.1 still owns WMGM-LP, a low-power analog rebroadcaster of WNJC.

WMGM-TV aired its final night of independent newscasts on December 31, 2014; its final program under Access.1 was an hour-long documentary focusing on the station's history and staff entitled NewsCenter 40: The Stories Behind The Station. Although the sale had not yet been complete, WCAU's newscasts began to be simulcast on the station on January 1, 2015. The merger kicked off with a special newscast that aired simultaneously on both stations at 1am on January 1, 2015, anchored by Renee Chenault-Fattah and Michelle Dawn Mooney, similar to the special 1am newscast anchored by Chenault and the late Ken Matz that had aired some 20 years earlier on channel 10 when WCAU switched from CBS to NBC. The merger also brought former WMGM-TV news director and anchor Ted Greenberg back to NBC40 by default, 12 years after he left the station for NBC 10. Greenberg retained his status as main reporter for the Jersey Shore.

WNJC, along with parent station WCAU and sister station WWSI, will be moving their operations to the under-construction Comcast Innovation and Technology Center on Arch Street in Center City Philadelphia, which will be owned by the network's parent company, Comcast. NBCUniversal and Access.1 recently purchased a building in Atlantic City 2 blocks from the boardwalk, confirming previous rumors that they were looking into making such a purchase, both companies purchasing a 50% stake in the building. NBC had previously owned a building in Atlantic City for WCAU's shore news bureau, selling the building in 2015 upon acquiring the then-WMGM after Access.1 and NBC agreed to the deal to temporarily house the triopoly's shore bureau at the former NBC40 studios in Linwood. Acces.1 announced in May 2016 that they were negotiating to sell the former WMGM-TV studios to an undisclosed upstart advertising agency, confirming that they and NBC are moving the news bureau. The deal was cancelled on May 27, however, the building is still up for sale. The move is still expected to be completed in mid 2017, likely to coincide with the main studios' move from Bala Cynwood to Center City. Access.1 will continue to oversee operations of the shore news bureau on behalf of NBC.

Digital channels
Under Access.1 and LocusPoint ownership, channel 40 only made use of the main channel, 40.1. On January 1, 2015, when NBCUniversal took over operations of the station, they signed the 40.2 (digital 36.2) subchannel on and placed their multicast network Cozi TV on the subchannel, same as with parent station WCAU. Unlike NBC 10, NBC 40 does not use 40.3 for a simulcast of WWSI, as the station is already available in WNJC's coverage area due to the station's transmitter being located in Waterford Township, NJ. Prior to NBC's purchase of the station, WCAU was simulcast on one of WWSI's subchannels. NBC terminated the simulcast and signed the subchannel off the air upon making channel 40 a semi-satellite of channel 10. The station's main channel's PSIP Short Name is still displayed through digital converters on old TVs and digital tuners on newer HD sets as the former call letters "WMGM-TV."

Analog-to-digital conversion
WMGM-TV discontinued regular programming on its analog signal, over UHF channel 40, on June 12, 2009, the official date in which full-power television stations in the United States transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate. The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 36. Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former UHF analog channel 40.

Coverage area
WNJC primarily serves Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland counties. Its digital over-the-air signal also penetrates parts of southern Ocean County, southern Burlington County, eastern Camden and Gloucester counties and coastal Delaware, even though the station has no cable carriage in these areas.

It is also available on cable throughout Salem County. In addition, WNJC is also on cable in Vineland and Turnersville which covers parts of eastern Camden and Gloucester counties such as Winslow Township and the Williamstown/Monroe Township area. This is the only location where WNJC is carried out of its designated area. However, it is only viewable on Comcast digital channel 247. DirecTV and Dish Network had carried the station in the Philadelphia market until 2011, because of signal issues.

CATV
In coastal and some interior portions of Sussex County, Delaware, WMGM was carried on CATV systems during the 1970s and possibly the 1980s.

Newscasts and local programming
WNJC simulcasts all 37 1/2 hours of WCAU-produced newscasts each week. The station did not produce a midday newscast on weekdays or any morning or early evening newscasts on weekends prior to the acquisition by the network. Prior to the sale and merger of news departments, WMGM-TV was the only remaining New Jersey-licensed commercial television station that maintained its own news department; MyNetworkTV station WWOR-TV upstate in Secaucus controversially shut down its news department (which was kept in operation long after its 2001 acquisition by Fox Television Stations, which created a duopoly with Fox owned-and-operated station WNYW in nearby New York City) in July 2013, its 10 p.m. newscast was replaced by the outsourced news program Chasing New Jersey that month. NBCUniversal kept all former WMGM-TV personalities for the NBC 10 newscasts except meteorologist Dan Skeldon, who chose to move on to another job as a writer for The Press of Atlantic City instead of renewing his contract with the station so as not to interfere with Glenn "Hurricane" Schwartz's duties, out of respect. NBC moved some personalities to the WCAU studios while the rest remained based at the Linwood studios. Personalities from both NBC 10 News and NBC40News pre-merger now appear on the newscasts together.

The station produced an entertainment program called Curtain Call with David Spatz (which won a 2007 Emmy Award for outstanding interview/discussion series); the program featured interviews with world-class artists performing in Atlantic City. WMGM also produced two public affairs programs: WMGM Presents Pinky (Saturday nights at 7:30), and Forum 40 (Sunday mornings at 11:30). Prior to 2011, the station did not air local news programming on weekday mornings (instead running religious programming from 5 to 6 a.m. and a simulcast of the Don Williams radio talk show from WOND, from 6 to 7 a.m.). WMGM debuted its first weekday morning newscast on March 28, 2011, the hour-long Today in South Jersey.