WPAG-TV
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Founded | April 3, 1953, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States |
| Defunct | December 31, 1957 |
| Fate | Ceased operations |
| Headquarters | Ann Arbor , United States |
| Products | Television broadcasting |
| Owner | Washtenaw Broadcasting (until 1957); Edward Baughn (from 1957) |
WPAG-TV (channel 20) was a television station based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, which operated from 1953 until 1957.
History
Beginning operations on April 3, 1953, WPAG-TV became the inaugural television station in Washtenaw County and the first UHF broadcaster in Michigan, launching two days ahead of Saginaw's WKNX-TV.
The station was owned by Washtenaw Broadcasting, the same company behind WPAG radio (currently WTKA). Leadership included Art Greene as president and Edward Baughn as general manager, with Baughn assuming full ownership by 1957. The TV and radio studios were situated together in downtown Ann Arbor. By 1955, WPAG-TV limited its broadcasts to evening hours from 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., occasionally serving as an alternative outlet for Detroit Tigers games when Detroit’s WJBK-TV was unavailable.
While officially independent, WPAG-TV likely maintained a part-time affiliation with the DuMont Television Network. After DuMont ceased operations, the station aired educational content from the University of Michigan alongside ABC programs such as The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet and Sky King. It also introduced a brief local news segment anchored by Dave Prince from WPAG radio. In late 1955, the station increased its transmission power tenfold to 17,500 watts, extending its broadcast reach to approximately 30–40 miles around Ann Arbor; however, audience numbers for UHF signals remained modest.
Operations ended on December 31, 1957, following an unsuccessful attempt to secure Channel 12 in Flint, Michigan. Over four years, ownership reported cumulative losses amounting to $145,680. The Channel 20 license was subsequently reassigned to WJMY-TV in Allen Park, which operated briefly between 1962 and 1963 before surrendering its license in 1970. Since 1972, this frequency has been utilized by WMYD.
Ann Arbor did not see another television station for many years; although the University of Michigan held a construction permit for Channel 26 in 1953 for WUOM-TV, it never commenced broadcasting. The next station to launch was independent WRHT in 1981, now known as WPXD-TV, affiliated with Ion Television.