1 0 , ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁as ▁W CE O - TV , ▁originally ▁broadcast ing ▁on ▁U H F ▁channel ▁ 6 8 . ▁It ▁changed ▁its ▁call ▁letters ▁to ▁W COM ▁on ▁July ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 1 9 8 7 . ▁The ▁station ▁attempted ▁to ▁enter ▁the ▁Columb us ▁market ▁by ▁construction ▁with ▁a ▁tall ▁transmit ter ▁tower ▁( the ▁tall est ▁ever ▁ere cted ▁in ▁Ohio ) ▁south ▁of ▁Mans field ▁in ▁Butler , ▁but ▁it ▁never ▁achieved ▁cable ▁carriage ▁in ▁the ▁market ▁and ▁shut ▁down ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 . ▁ ▁Channel ▁ 6 8 ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁air ▁under ▁the ▁current ▁WM FD - TV ▁call ▁letters ▁on ▁June ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 9 2 ; ▁this ▁time , ▁target ing ▁view ers ▁in ▁north - central ▁Ohio ▁( the ▁WM FD - TV ▁call sign ▁was ▁previously ▁used ▁on ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁W ECT ▁in ▁Wil ming ton , ▁North ▁Carolina ▁from ▁that ▁station ' s ▁sign - on ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 ▁until ▁ 1 9 5 8 ). ▁ ▁Digital ▁television ▁ ▁Digital ▁channels ▁The ▁station ' s ▁digital ▁signal ▁is ▁multiple x ed : ▁ ▁Anal og - to - dig ital ▁conversion ▁WM FD - TV ▁signed ▁on ▁its ▁digital ▁signal ▁on ▁V H F ▁channel ▁ 1 2 ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁claim ing ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁first ▁independent ▁station ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁to ▁begin ▁digital ▁television ▁broadcast