WEMT

Medium Rare Inc., a company headed by Greeneville{{r|King850330}} men Jay Austin and Robert Lochte, filed on October 20, 1982, for a construction permit to build a station on channel 39 in Greeneville.{{Cite news|work=Broadcasting|page=71|title=For the Record|date=November 22, 1982|id={{ProQuest|1014698738}} }} The Federal Communications Commission granted the permit on May 25, 1983;{{Cite news|work=Broadcasting|page=83|title=For the Record|date=June 20, 1983|id={{ProQuest|963241717}} }} Medium Rare then sold WMGL, an FM radio station it owned in Pulaski, Tennessee.{{Cite news|work=Broadcasting|page=71|title=For the Record|id={{ProQuest|963229008}} |date=October 24, 1983}}

WETO ("East Tennessee's Own") announced its forthcoming existence in March 1985; the station would have a general-entertainment independent format and studios in a Greeneville industrial park.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/johnson-city-press-new-television-statio/126924012/|date=March 30, 1985|pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/johnson-city-press-tv/126924033/ 20]|title=New television station planned in region|newspaper=Johnson City Press-Chronicle|first=Rick|last=Patterson|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 10, 2023}} The antenna, on a tower on Camp Creek Bald{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/kingsport-times-news-weto-tv-to-be-on-ai/127957187/|date=March 30, 1985|page=10A|title=WETO-TV to be on air in 6-8 months|newspaper=Kingsport Times-News|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 10, 2023}} of Viking Mountain near Greeneville, was installed in September.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/johnson-city-press-weto-to-bring-new-pro/126924101/|date=September 25, 1985|page=16|edition=Evening|first=Jon|last=Ruetz|title=WETO to bring new programming to Tri-Cities|newspaper=Johnson City Press-Chronicle|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 10, 2023}} The station, which began broadcasting on November 4, 1985,{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/johnson-city-press-weto-to-begin-broadca/126924135/|date=November 2, 1985|page=11|title=WETO to begin broadcasting|newspaper=Johnson City Press-Chronicle|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 10, 2023}} represented a $1.6 million investment for the owners.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/kingsport-times-news-weto-tv/59729870/|date=October 18, 1985|page=1D|first=Bill|last=williams|title=WETO-TV: Greeneville's channel 39 region's 1st independent|newspaper=Kingsport Times-News|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 10, 2023}}

WETO affiliated with Fox when the network launched in 1986.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-knoxville-news-sentinel-some-viewers/89732988/|date=August 15, 1986|page=B5|first=Reon|last=Carter|title=Some viewers will see Joan Rivers|newspaper=The Knoxville News-Sentinel|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 10, 2023}} This made it the closest Fox affiliate to Knoxville, where it took a year for WKCH-TV to link up with the network.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-knoxville-news-sentinel-wkch-joins-f/89762781/|date=June 25, 1987|page=B7|first=Reon|last=Carter|title=WKCH joins fourth network|newspaper=The Knoxville News-Sentinel|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 10, 2023}}

As a business, WETO-TV suffered for several years. Undercapitalized from the start, Austin and Lochte failed to anticipate a surge in programming costs or changes in federal rules affecting cable systems.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/kingsport-times-news-fox-affiliate-weto/127927655/|date=July 8, 1989|page=3A|title=Fox-affiliate WETO sells for $1.9 million|newspaper=Kingsport Times-News|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 10, 2023}} At first, East Tennessee's Own Inc. (the former Medium Rare) reached a deal in October 1988 to sell the station to MT Communications of Los Angeles, with most of the purchase price in assumption of debt.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/kingsport-times-news-greenevilles-weto/127928125/|date=October 19, 1988|page=1B|first=Rose|last=Hutchinson|title=Greeneville's WETO-TV sold: Station manager Jay Austin says lack of capital forced sale|newspaper=Kingsport Times-News|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 10, 2023}} The original MT deal never took place,{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/kingsport-times-news-weto-television-sta/127927755/|date=May 25, 1989|page=7A|agency=Associated Press|title=WETO television station set for auction in July|newspaper=Kingsport Times-News|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 10, 2023}} and in the meantime, the station was sued for failing to pay ASCAP dues and thereby broadcasting copyrighted music, including the theme to the Fox series Duet, without permission.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/kingsport-times-news-music-companies-fil/127927811/|date=April 25, 1989|page=3B|first=Allison|last=Mechem|title=Music companies file suit against WETO-TV alleging infringement on copyrights|newspaper=Kingsport Times-News|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 10, 2023}}

On July 7, 1989, WETO and its assets were put up for public auction.{{r|King890525}} The original winning bid of $1.9 million came from Elvin Feltner and his company, Krypton Broadcasting.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/bristol-herald-courier-new-york-business/127927704/|date=July 8, 1989|page=5A|title=New York businessman buys WETO|newspaper=Bristol Herald Courier/Virginia Tennessean|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 10, 2023}}{{efn|For more information on Feltner and Krypton, see WTVX.}} When Krypton failed to put together financing for the deal, MT Communications won the auction with its bid of $1.85 million.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/kingsport-times-news-probable-new-weto-t/127927551/|date=July 26, 1989|page=7A|first=Lee Ann|last=Fleet|title=Probable new WETO-TV owner: Warner sees rosy future for station|newspaper=Kingsport Times-News|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 10, 2023}}

MT Communications took over on November 15, 1989, and changed the call sign to WEMT on December 1.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/kingsport-times-news-weto-call-letters-t/127928219/|date=November 26, 1989|page=1C|title=WETO Call Letters to Change|newspaper=Kingsport Times-News|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 10, 2023}} This call sign change coincided with similar moves at its Fox affiliates in Memphis (WMKW-TV to WLMT) and Nashville (WCAY-TV to WXMT).{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115393421/juke-box-available-for-a-fee/|date=October 4, 1989|page=C2|first=Tom|last=Walter|title=Juke Box available for a fee|newspaper=The Commercial Appeal|location=Memphis, Tennessee|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=March 25, 2023|archive-date=December 29, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221229191302/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115393421/juke-box-available-for-a-fee/|url-status=live}} MT Communications also acquired WJWT, a struggling Fox affiliate in Jackson, and converted it to a semi-satellite of WLMT with local advertising that December;{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120797961/wjwt-joins-nashville-firms-tv-holdings/|date=December 20, 1989|page=7A|first=Brenda|last=Robertson|title=WJWT joins Nashville firm's TV holdings|newspaper=The Jackson Sun|location=Jackson, Tennessee|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=March 15, 2023|archive-date=March 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230315064512/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120797961/wjwt-joins-nashville-firms-tv-holdings/|url-status=live}} it became WMTU in January 1990.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120798001/new-owner-marks-former-wjwt-tv-with-his/|date=January 15, 1990|page=1B|first=Brenda|last=Robertson|title=New owner marks former WJWT-TV with his initials in call letters|newspaper=The Jackson Sun|location=Jackson, Tennessee|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=March 15, 2023|archive-date=March 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230315064516/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120798001/new-owner-marks-former-wjwt-tv-with-his/|url-status=live}} While revenues at WEMT increased 130 percent in 1990 and another 35 percent in 1991,{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/johnson-city-press-max-media-to-acquire/127928313/|date=February 5, 1992|page=7|first=Lesia|last=Paine-Brooks|title=Max Media to acquire Fox-affiliated WEMT|newspaper=Johnson City Press|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 10, 2023}} the MT stations in Memphis and Nashville lost their Fox affiliations in 1990.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89302420/fox-to-flip-channel-to-wpty-tvs-24/|date=May 30, 1990|page=C4|first=Tom|last=Walter|title=Fox to flip channel to WPTY-TV's 24|newspaper=The Commercial Appeal|location=|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=March 25, 2023|archive-date=March 25, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230325221026/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89302420/fox-to-flip-channel-to-wpty-tvs-24/|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115206106/ch-17-owner-buys-chunk-of-ch-30/|date=February 6, 1990|page=1D|first=Richard|last=Schweid|title=Ch. 17 owner buys chunk of Ch. 30|newspaper=The Tennessean|location=Nashville, Tennessee|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=December 29, 2022|archive-date=December 29, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221229194303/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115206106/ch-17-owner-buys-chunk-of-ch-30/|url-status=live}}

In December 1991, MT Communications moved to sell three of its four stations—WMTU, WLMT, and WEMT—to former Virginia lieutenant governor Dick Davis. Max Media—a Virginia company founded by three former officers of TVX Broadcast Group—then would manage the stations for Davis.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120798215/tv-30-gets-new-bosses-sale-pends/|date=December 28, 1991|page=C1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120798238/wlmt/ C3]|first=Tom|last=Walter|title=TV 30 gets new bosses; sale pends|newspaper=The Commercial Appeal|location=Memphis, Tennessee|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=March 15, 2023|archive-date=March 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230315064451/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120798215/tv-30-gets-new-bosses-sale-pends/|url-status=live}} Max Media began the process of moving WEMT out of Greeneville and to a more centrally located site in the Tri-Cities. The station already had a sales office in Johnson City, Tennessee, but it was insufficient to house the whole station.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/kingsport-times-news-wemt-tv-to-move-sta/127928382/|date=August 14, 1992|page=3C|first=Becky|last=Purser|title=WEMT-TV to move station to Tri-Cities|newspaper=Kingsport Times-News|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 10, 2023}} The entire operation moved to a new building on Hanover Road in Johnson City in February 1993. The station also analyzed the eventual possibility of starting a local newscast at this time.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/johnson-city-press-wemt-to-relocate-tele/127928524/|date=January 20, 1993|page=7|first=Lesia|last=Paine-Brooks|title=WEMT to relocate television studios|newspaper=Johnson City Press|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 10, 2023}} Max Media, which had only been serving as manager, acquired WEMT outright in 1994.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/johnson-city-press-max-media-buys-wemt-t/127928544/|date=February 19, 1994|page=14|first=Lesia|last=Paine Brooks|title=Max Media buys WEMT-TV station|newspaper=Johnson City Press|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 10, 2023}}

The company's stations were acquired by Sinclair Broadcast Group in 1998.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120342053/baltimore-media-group-to-purchase-longvi/|date=December 5, 1997|page=1B, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120342224/ketk/ 2B]|first=Mike|last=Elswick|title=Baltimore media group to purchase Longview's KETK station|newspaper=Longview News-Journal|location=|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=March 7, 2023|archive-date=March 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307213533/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120342053/baltimore-media-group-to-purchase/|url-status=live}} Even though the larger deal closed in July 1998, Sinclair could not directly acquire WEMT because it owned a station with an overlapping coverage area, which was not permissible at the time; it instead took over operations under a local marketing agreement (LMA) with Max Media.{{Cite news|first=Kristine|last=Lamm|work=Broadcasting & Cable|page=73|date=July 13, 1998|title=Sinclair closes deals, has more pending|id={{ProQuest|225348026}} }}

In 2005, Sinclair sold WEMT's license for $1.4 million to Aurora Broadcasting Inc. and the non-license assets for $5.6 million to BlueStone Television, which owned NBC affiliate WCYB-TV in Bristol, Virginia. As part of the deal, WCYB-TV assumed most of the station's operations and began producing a local 10 p.m. newscast for WEMT.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/bristol-herald-courier-wcyb-parent-buys/127928838/|date=May 17, 2005|page=A8|title=WCYB parent buys local FOX station|newspaper=Bristol Herald Courier|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 10, 2023}} The Aurora purchase closed in February 2006;{{cite press release |url=http://www.sbgi.net/press/release_200628_145.shtml |title=SBG Closes on Sale of WEMT-TV in Tri-Cities |date=February 8, 2006| publisher=Sinclair Broadcast Group |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060923101710/http://www.sbgi.net/press/release_200628_145.shtml |archive-date=September 23, 2006}} that May, BlueStone put all of its television properties on the market,{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/bristol-herald-courier-three-tri-cities/127928903/|date=May 31, 2006|page=B4|first=Joe|last=Geraghty|title=Three Tri-Cities TV stations for sale|newspaper=Bristol Herald Courier|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 10, 2023}} and parallel with Bonten Media Group acquiring BlueStone, Esteem Broadcasting purchased WEMT from Aurora.{{Cite web|url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101174455&formid=315&fac_num=40761|title=Application for Consent to Transfer Control of Entity Holding Broadcast Station Construction Permit or License (BTCCT-20061127AID)|date=February 26, 2007|archive-date=July 10, 2023|website=Consolidated Database System|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|access-date=July 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230710060105/https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101174455&formid=315&fac_num=40761}}

WEMT shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 39, on June 12, 2009, the official date on 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 38, using virtual channel 39.{{Cite web |date=May 23, 2006 |title=DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and Second Rounds |url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |archive-date=August 29, 2013 |access-date=August 29, 2021 |publisher=Federal Communications Commission}} However, the station continued to broadcast from Viking Mountain until November 2011, when its transmitter was moved to Holston Mountain, a shift northeast that improved the signal strength and coverage in the Tri-Cities and southwest Virginia while removing areas around Knoxville from the service area.{{Cite news|url=http://www.wcyb.com/news/29879723/detail.html|work=WCYB|title=Fox Tri-Cities Now Broadcasting In New Areas|first=Ken|last=Smith|date=November 29, 2011|access-date=July 9, 2023|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406134933/http://www.wcyb.com/news/29879723/detail.html|archive-date=April 6, 2012}}

On April 21, 2017, Sinclair announced its intent to purchase the Bonten stations for $240 million. As an aspect of the deal, the Esteem stations were sold to Sinclair affiliate Cunningham Broadcasting, maintaining the current operational arrangement.{{cite web |last1=Jessell |first1=Harry A. |date=April 21, 2017 |title=Sinclair Buying Bonten Stations For $240M |url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/103465/sinclair-buying-bonten-stations-for-240m |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190910225259/https://tvnewscheck.com/article/103465/sinclair-buying-bonten-stations-for-240m/ |archive-date=2019-09-10 |access-date=April 21, 2017 |website=TVNewsCheck}} Cunningham is controlled by trusts of the Smith family, which controls Sinclair.{{Cite news |last=Yu |first=Roger |date=September 19, 2013 |title=Sinclair emerges as a major broadcasting player |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/09/19/sinclair-broadcast/2819599/ |access-date=2025-05-23 |work=USA Today |language=en-US}} The sale was completed on September 1.{{Cite web|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1765812&Service=DT&Form_id=905&Facility_id=40761|title=Consummation Notice|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230710055809/https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101765812&formid=905&fac_num=40761|archive-date=July 10, 2023|website=Consolidated Database System|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|access-date=September 6, 2017}}

WEMT relocated its signal from channel 38 to channel 28 on April 12, 2019, as a result of the 2016 United States wireless spectrum auction.{{Cite web|url=http://data.fcc.gov/download/incentive-auctions/Transition_Files/Phase_Assignment_Closing_PN.csv|title=FCC TV Spectrum Phase Assignment Table|format=CSV|website=Federal Communications Commission|date=April 13, 2017|access-date=April 17, 2017|archive-date=April 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170417160749/http://data.fcc.gov/download/incentive-auctions/Transition_Files/Phase_Assignment_Closing_PN.csv|url-status=live}}

The station's signal is multiplexed:

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Category:1985 establishments in Tennessee

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Category:Sinclair Broadcast Group

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Category:Television channels and stations established in 1985

EMT