WBXZ-LP


WBXZ-LD is a low-power television station in Buffalo, New York, broadcasting locally on channel 17. Owned by Steven Ritchie, WBXZ operates a large and varying number of digital subchannels, two of which are permanent: Cozi TV on 56.1 and independent "Throwback Television" on 56.4.

History and programming

The station broadcast on channel 56 analog until it had to vacate that frequency when the Federal Communications Commission removed it from the broadcast spectrum. It used to be an affiliate of The Box, from which the station gets its call sign. The station is owned by Steven Ritchie, a local retired police officer who acquired the station from Craig Fox in December 2013.
After the digital transition, the station moved from analog channel 56 to channel 17 through a Special Temporary Authority approved by the FCC. The station returned to virtual channel 56 upon digital conversion, at which point it also planned to add several digital subchannels from Luken Communications, among them being Retro Television Network, PBJ and Heartland. WBXZ-LP returned to the air April 17, 2014 with test programming; on May 2, the station indicated it was having trouble securing a carriage agreement with Luken and was seeking other options. As of 2014, the station was carrying Cozi TV on 56.1 and "Throwback TV" is carried on 56.2. Retro and a new Luken subchannel known as Rev'n would be added to WBXZ-LP on December 1, 2014. Buzzr would be added shortly after that network's launch.
Luken's networks, along with Buzzr, were pulled from WBXZ on June 28, 2016 after technical difficulties. Ebru TV and AMGTV were briefly added as replacements; both have since been removed. With the exception of Cozi and the returning Tuff TV. Retro was re-added in July 2017; Tuff TV was dropped later that year.
In February 2018, Buzzr was added back to the list of subchannels. Jewelry Television was added shortly thereafter, with the station signing on with NewsNet, an upstart news network, when it launched in fall 2018, bringing the number of subchannels to 11. With Tuff TV ceasing operations in August 2018, Rev'n was re-added. WBXZ began showing This TV in September 2019.
UPDATE: As of May 30, 2020 they are off the air until at least June 6, 2020. Below is quoted from their website as viewed on May 30,2020.
" ***We will be off the air until Saturday June 6. While working on frequency change we had some technical issues which requires new parts. We will keep you updated here and at our Facebook page. "
UPDATE 2: Since May 30, 2020 & an attempt to rescan on & just after June 6, 2020 have been UNABLE to receive the station. Upon checking their website on 6-25-2020 and still on 7-23-2020 found the following statement quoted below from their website. Unknown how long this statement has been posted on their site.
" ***RESCAN****RESCAN*** We are operating at a lower power until our new transmitter arrives. It is scheduled to be here by mid-July. "

Digital channels

The station's digital signal is multiplexed:
ChannelVideoAspectPSIP Short NameProgramming
56.1480iCoziCozi TV
56.2480iRetroRetro TV
56.3480iJEWELRYJewelry Television
56.4480iTBTVIndependent
56.5480iBUZZRBuzzr
56.6480iSBNSonLife Broadcasting Network
56.7480iCSTVCorner Store TV
56.8480iQVCQVC
56.9480iDRIVEINIndependent
56.10480iREV'NRev'n
56.11480iNEWSNETNewsNet
56.12480iTHIS TVThis TV

56.4 and 56.9 are locally programmed.

Throwback Television

"Throwback Television" is the brand used for the 56.4 subchannel. It serves as the channel's flagship service, programmed by Ritchie with programming including independent regional pro wrestling, the locally produced science-fiction series Captain Isotope and the Enemy of Space, and an assortment of hosted movie shows, shows and films in the public domain, infomercials, and low-cost/barter syndicated fare.