Editing WNUV (section)

===Early years: Super TV===
There had been several expressions of interest in [[Baltimore]]'s [[ultra high frequency]] (UHF) channel 54 in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Two applications were considered for the channel in 1967,<ref name="Balt671110">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122940222/legal-notices/|date=November 10, 1967|page=C21|title=Legal Notices|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 16, 2023|archive-date=April 17, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417051334/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122940222/legal-notices/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri --> and the Zamoiski Company held a construction permit for channel 54 as WUHF-TV in the early 1970s.<ref name="Balt730215">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122939519/tv-tower-weighed-for-druid-hill-site/|date=February 15, 1973|pages=D24, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122939569/park-board-considers-site-at-druid-hill/ D9]|title=TV tower weighed for Druid Hill site|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 16, 2023|archive-date=April 17, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417051339/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122939519/tv-tower-weighed-for-druid-hill-site/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Thu --> However, it was not until June 23, 1977, when New-Vision, Inc. tendered for filing an application for channel 54, specifying possible use for [[subscription television]] (STV) programming.<ref name="Balt770706">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122940254/public-notice/|date=July 6, 1977|page=C11|title=Public Notice|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 16, 2023|archive-date=April 17, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417051335/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122940254/public-notice/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> New-Vision found itself in competition with Peter and John Fellowship, owners of Christian FM station [[WRBS-FM]], which had filed by late 1978.<ref name="Even781103">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104003254/bids-made-on-two-new-local-television-st/|date=November 3, 1978|page=D5|first=Michael K.|last=Hirten|title=Bids Made On Two New Local Television Stations|newspaper=The Evening Sun|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 16, 2023|archive-date=June 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220619000152/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104003254/bids-made-on-two-new-local-television/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri --> The latter group dropped out, leaving New-Vision uncontested for the channel and resulting in the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) granting the firm a construction permit in June 1979.<ref name="Even790614">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122940352/new-visions-wins-ok-for-uhf-channel-54/|date=June 14, 1979|page=C13|first=Michael K.|last=Hirten|title=New Visions wins OK for UHF Channel 54|newspaper=The Evening Sun|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 16, 2023|archive-date=April 16, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230416035415/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122940352/new-visions-wins-ok-for-uhf-channel-54/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Thu --> From the name of the company, channel 54 took the call letters WNUV.<ref name="Balt790819">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122940472/call-letters-some-flew-on-waves-of-air/|date=August 19, 1979|pages=Magazine 18, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-baltimore-sun-call-letters/122940451/ 19], [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122940422/call-letters/ 21]|first=Thomas H.|last=O'Connor|title=Call Letters: Some Flew on Waves of Air; Others Sank, We Know Not Where|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 16, 2023|archive-date=April 17, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417051338/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122940472/call-letters-some-flew-on-waves-of/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun --> Also signed before the station was built was a contract that would have seen the station broadcast [[Wometco Home Theater]] as its subscription service.<ref>{{cite news|title=Wometco pay TV service to Balt.|id={{ProQuest|2598211917}}|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|page=12|date=October 17, 1979}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|page=20|title=Wometco subsidiary to add Baltimore to subscription|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=March 31, 1980|id={{ProQuest|2598151933}} }}</ref>

Construction of the station's tower in [[Catonsville]] began in April 1982,<ref name="Even820414">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122940614/subscription-tv-to-begin-in-june/|date=April 14, 1982|pages=D7, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122940630/pay-tv-service-ready/ D10]|first=Stacie|last=Knable|title=Subscription TV to begin in June|newspaper=The Evening Sun|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 16, 2023|archive-date=April 17, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417051335/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122940614/subscription-tv-to-begin-in-june/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> ahead of a July 1 launch.{{r|Balt820628}} The [[independent station]] aired syndicated reruns and the [[Financial News Network]] during the day leading into the subscription service [[Super TV (American TV channel)|Super TV]] at night and on weekend afternoons. Super TV was already in business in Washington, where its scrambled programs had been airing on [[WDCW|WCQR]] since November 1981.<ref name="Balt820423">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122940658/starting-july-1pay-tv-in-the-city/|date=April 23, 1982|page=B4|first=Bill|last=Carter|title=Starting July 1—pay TV in the city|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 16, 2023|archive-date=April 17, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417051339/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122940658/starting-july-1pay-tv-in-the-city/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Fri --> The star attraction on Super TV was a package of [[Baltimore Orioles]] baseball games.<ref name="Even820424">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122940683/orioles-land-super-tv-contract/|date=April 24, 1982|page=10|first=Jim|last=Henneman|title=Orioles land Super-TV contract|newspaper=The Evening Sun|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 16, 2023|archive-date=April 16, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230416035423/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122940683/orioles-land-super-tv-contract/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sat --> For a $20 decoder deposit, a $49 installation charge, and a $19 monthly service fee (plus an optional package of late-night adult movies), subscribers could watch the Orioles, special events, and 70 movies a month.<ref name="Balt820628">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122940712/pay-tv-comes-to-baltimore/|date=June 28, 1982|pages=B1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-baltimore-sun-baltimore-meet-pay-tv/122940729/ B6]|first=Bill|last=Carter|title=Pay TV comes to Baltimore|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 16, 2023|archive-date=April 17, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417051358/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122940712/pay-tv-comes-to-baltimore/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Mon --> Super TV's entry in the Baltimore market convinced competing independent [[WBFF]] (channel 45) to abandon its plans to pursue subscription programming despite receiving FCC approval,<ref name="Even821201">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122940851/wbff-wont-join-pay-tv-business/|date=December 1, 1982|page=35|title=WBFF won't join pay-TV business|newspaper=The Evening Sun|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 16, 2023|archive-date=April 16, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230416035418/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122940851/wbff-wont-join-pay-tv-business/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> and it also accumulated 30,000 subscribers in Baltimore (alongside 55,000 more in greater Washington) within a year of starting up.<ref name="Even830803">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/61026780/channel-54-and-super-tv-have-some-things/|date=August 3, 1983|page=B6|first=Michael|last=Hill|title=Channel 54 and Super TV have some things to celebrate|newspaper=The Evening Sun|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 16, 2023|archive-date=April 17, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417051336/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/61026780/channel-54-and-super-tv-have-some/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> The ad-supported portion of the station also experimented with some local programming, such as a daily [[newsmagazine]], ''Say Baltimore'', that aired in 1984.<ref name="Balt840108">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122941121/psst-heard-the-latest-gossip-about-gos/|date=January 8, 1984|page=E5|first=Laura|last=Charles|title=Psst! Heard the latest gossip about 'Gossip'?|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 16, 2023|archive-date=April 17, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417051346/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122941121/psst-heard-the-latest-gossip-about/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun -->

However, as the early 1980s progressed, subscription television would experience headwinds nationally due to [[early 1980s recession|a recession]] and the development of [[cable television]] in major cities. As early as January 1984, WNUV general manager Mark Salditch realized that Super TV likely was not going to be around much longer and began preparing the station for a future without subscription programming.<ref name="plug">{{Cite news |last=Carter |first=Bill |title=Pulling the plug at Super TV |date=March 13, 1986|pages=1C, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/61026741/ 8C] |work=The Sun |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/61026723/ |access-date=October 12, 2020 |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=April 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417051336/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/61026723/pulling-the-plug-at-super-tv/ |url-status=live }}</ref> For the 1984–85 television season, channel 54 overhauled its daytime schedule to be more typical for a general-entertainment independent, and the station launched a promotion campaign to make viewers aware that it offered more than subscription programming.<ref name="Even840827">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/61026888/david-lettermans-show-is-coming-to-chan/|date=August 27, 1984|page=B6|first=Michael|last=Hill|title=David Letterman's show is coming to Channel 2 Sept. 10|newspaper=The Evening Sun|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 16, 2023|archive-date=April 17, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417051336/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/61026888/david-lettermans-show-is-coming-to/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Mon --> One element of the revamped channel 54 was a series of "Pet of the Day" station IDs featuring the dogs, cats, and birds of regional viewers, an idea taken from [[KOFY-TV|KTZO]] in [[San Francisco]].<ref name="Even841003">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122941163/some-local-cats-aim-for-fame-on-station/|date=October 3, 1984|pages=B1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122941186/some-cats-aim-for-fame-on-tv/ B5]|first=Elise T.|last=Chisolm|title=Some local cats aim for fame on station breaks|newspaper=The Evening Sun|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 16, 2023|archive-date=April 17, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417051358/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122941163/some-local-cats-aim-for-fame-on-station/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed -->

In October 1985, Subscription Television of Greater Washington, which owned Super TV, announced it would cease broadcasting over WCQR in Washington at year's end and retune subscribers' equipment to receive WNUV if they fell within its coverage area.<ref name="drop">{{Cite news |last=Henderson |first=Nell |date=October 28, 1985 |title=Channel 50 to Drop Super TV |pages=WB3, 5 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |id={{ProQuest|138445823}}}}</ref> However, the number of subscribers continued to fall rapidly, from 28,000 in late 1985 to 14,000 in early 1986. As a result of the company's failure and WNUV's desire to become a full-time commercial independent, Super TV broadcast for the last time on March 31, 1986.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Abramowitz |first=Michael |date=April 1, 1986 |title=Declining Subscriptions Kill Super TV |page=D3 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |id={{ProQuest|138884523}}}}</ref>