WFGX

Last updated

WFGX
WFGX MY35 Logo.png
City Fort Walton Beach, Florida
Channels
BrandingWFGX 35 [1]
Programming
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
WEAR-TV, WPMI-TV, WJTC
History
FoundedDecember 20, 1983
First air date
April 7, 1987(36 years ago) (1987-04-07)
Former call signs
WQAC (1983–1987)
Former channel number(s)
  • Analog: 35 (UHF, 1987–2009)
  • Digital: 50 (UHF, until 2020)
Call sign meaning
 Family Group Broadcasting (founding owners), "X" as a placeholder
Technical information
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 6554
ERP 1,000 kW
HAAT 582.8 m (1,912 ft)
Transmitter coordinates 30°36′45.4″N87°38′41.6″W / 30.612611°N 87.644889°W / 30.612611; -87.644889
Links
Public license information
Website wfgxtv.com

WFGX (channel 35) is a television station licensed to Fort Walton Beach, Florida, United States, serving northwest Florida and southwest Alabama as an affiliate of MyNetworkTV. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group alongside Pensacola-licensed ABC affiliate WEAR-TV (channel 3); Sinclair also provides certain services to Mobile, Alabama–licensed NBC affiliate WPMI-TV (channel 15) and Pensacola-licensed independent station WJTC (channel 44) under a local marketing agreement (LMA) with Deerfield Media.

Contents

WFGX and WEAR-TV share studios—which also house master control and some internal operations for WPMI-TV and WJTC—on Mobile Highway (US 90) in unincorporated Escambia County, Florida (with a Pensacola mailing address); WFGX's transmitter is located in unincorporated Baldwin County, Alabama (northeast of Robertsdale).

History

WFGX signed on the air on April 7, 1987, as an independent station; it was the second independent station on the Florida side of the market, after Pensacola-based WJTC.

In 1995, WFGX's original local owners entered into a local marketing agreement (LMA) with Heritage Media, then-owner of WEAR. This enabled WFGX to become the area's WB affiliate on September 29, 1996, taking the affiliation from WBQP-CD. The station's former analog signal on UHF channel 35 was very weak (509 kilowatts), resulting in marginal (at best) reception outside Okaloosa County. It was barely viewable even in Pensacola, and could not be seen at all over the air on the Alabama side of the market. Despite the shortfall in coverage, WFGX has long identified as "Pensacola–Fort Walton Beach," which is unusual since the city of license is normally listed first when a station references another city in its legal on-air identification. It had to rely on cable and satellite carriage in order to reach the entire market.

Sinclair Broadcast Group took over WFGX's operations after Heritage sold its television division to Sinclair in 1997. When the stronger WBPG (channel 55, now WFNA) signed on from Gulf Shores, Alabama, on September 2, 2001, it replaced WFGX as the area's WB affiliate. WFGX then became an independent station, airing home shopping programming from Jewelry Television, syndicated shows and infomercials. Sinclair purchased WFGX outright in 2004.

On February 22, 2006, News Corporation announced that it would launch a new network called MyNetworkTV, which would be operated by Fox Television Stations and its syndication division Twentieth Television. [2] [3] Sinclair opted to affiliate several of its stations (including WFGX) with the new programming service, which launched on September 5, 2006.

WFGX discontinued regular programming on its analog signal, over UHF channel 35, 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 50. [4] Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former UHF analog channel 35.

At the same time, WFGX increased its digital signal to 1 million watts (equivalent to 5 million watts in analog), which was enough to provide a good signal to viewers in Pensacola. However, it was still practically unviewable on the Alabama side of the market. In July 2010, WFGX's digital transmitter was moved from Gulf Breeze, Florida, to WEAR's tower east of Rosinton, Alabama. With the same power output at the new location, it is now able to offer a signal comparable to those of the other full-powered stations in the market. Within two months, the station began offering a high definition signal over-the-air for the first time.

WFGX runs some programming from Sinclair's Stadium network, mainly local sporting events that are part of the network's national schedule (it otherwise airs on WPMI-DT3).

Newscasts

In 1996, WFGX began producing nightly newscasts at 6:30 and 9:00 p.m. called Emerald Coast News originating from its original studios on Beach Drive in Fort Walton Beach. Each broadcast aired for 30 minutes and stories on the newscasts specifically focused on Okaloosa County, Florida, helping to provide better coverage for WEAR. On December 11, 1998, Emerald Coast News was canceled by WFGX.

On August 12, 2013, sister station WEAR-TV began producing a weeknight-only, half-hour prime time newscast at 9:00 p.m. for WFGX. The newscast competes with Fox affiliate WALA-TV (channel 10)'s long established, dominant and hour-long 9:00 p.m. newscast, but due to WEAR's Pensacola focus, provides some differing content from WALA's Mobile-centric news operation.

Subchannels

The station's digital signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of WFGX [1]
Channel Res. Aspect Short nameProgramming
35.1 1080i 16:9 WFGXMain WFGX programming / MyNetworkTV
35.2 480i Get-TV Story Television
35.3Comet Comet
55.2 480i16:9Bounce Bounce TV (WFNA-DT2)
55.3 Justice True Crime Network (WFNA-DT3)
55.4 Grit Grit (WFNA-DT4)
  Broadcast on behalf of another station

Cable and satellite coverage

For most of its history, WFGX was unavailable to cable customers on the Alabama side of the market, largely because its analog signal could not be seen at all in that area. Comcast's Mobile system did not carry WFGX until October 2010. Eventually, with the transmitter move to the WEAR tower, Sinclair was able to claim must-carry with retransmission consent, requiring cable providers to carry WFGX as a condition of carrying WEAR, and it was added to most market providers.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WEAR-TV</span> ABC affiliate in Pensacola, Florida

WEAR-TV is a television station licensed to Pensacola, Florida, United States, serving as the ABC affiliate for northwest Florida and southwest Alabama. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group alongside Fort Walton Beach–licensed MyNetworkTV affiliate WFGX ; Sinclair also provides certain services to Mobile, Alabama–licensed NBC affiliate WPMI-TV and Pensacola-licensed independent station WJTC under a local marketing agreement (LMA) with Deerfield Media.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WKRG-TV</span> CBS affiliate in Mobile, Alabama

WKRG-TV is a television station licensed to Mobile, Alabama, United States, serving southwest Alabama and northwest Florida as an affiliate of CBS. It is owned by Nexstar Media Group alongside Gulf Shores, Alabama–licensed CW owned-and-operated station WFNA. The two stations share studios with several radio stations owned by iHeartMedia on Broadcast Drive in southwest Mobile; WKRG-TV's transmitter is located in unincorporated Baldwin County near Spanish Fort, Alabama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WPMI-TV</span> NBC affiliate in Mobile, Alabama

WPMI-TV is a television station licensed to Mobile, Alabama, United States, serving as the NBC affiliate for southwest Alabama and northwest Florida. It is owned by Deerfield Media alongside Pensacola, Florida–licensed independent station WJTC ; Deerfield maintains a local marketing agreement (LMA) with Sinclair Broadcast Group, owner of Pensacola-licensed ABC affiliate WEAR-TV and Fort Walton Beach–licensed MyNetworkTV affiliate WFGX, for the provision of certain services.

WPXH-TV is a television station licensed to Hoover, Alabama, United States, serving the Birmingham area as an affiliate of Ion Television. The station is owned by Inyo Broadcast Holdings, and maintains offices on Golden Crest Drive in Birmingham and a transmitter atop Red Mountain, near the city's southern edge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WTTO</span> CW affiliate in Homewood, Alabama

WTTO is a television station licensed to Homewood, Alabama, United States, serving the Birmingham area as an affiliate of The CW. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group alongside MyNetworkTV affiliate WABM and ABC affiliate WBMA-LD. The stations share studios at the Riverchase office park on Concourse Parkway in Hoover, while WTTO's transmitter is located atop Red Mountain, near the Goldencrest neighborhood of southwestern Birmingham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WJTC</span> Independent TV station in Pensacola, Florida

WJTC is an independent television station licensed to Pensacola, Florida, United States, serving northwest Florida and southwest Alabama. It is owned by Deerfield Media alongside Mobile, Alabama–licensed NBC affiliate WPMI-TV ; Deerfield maintains a local marketing agreement (LMA) with Sinclair Broadcast Group, owner of Pensacola-licensed ABC affiliate WEAR-TV and Fort Walton Beach–licensed MyNetworkTV affiliate WFGX, for the provision of certain services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WALA-TV</span> Fox affiliate in Mobile, Alabama

WALA-TV is a television station licensed to Mobile, Alabama, United States, serving as the Fox affiliate for southwest Alabama and northwest Florida. Owned by Gray Television, the station maintains studios on Satchel Paige Drive in Mobile, with an additional studio and news bureau on Executive Plaza Drive in Pensacola, Florida; its transmitter is located in Spanish Fort, Alabama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WFNA (TV)</span> CW TV station in Gulf Shores, Alabama

WFNA is a television station licensed to Gulf Shores, Alabama, United States, serving as the CW outlet for southwest Alabama and northwest Florida. It is owned and operated by network majority owner Nexstar Media Group alongside Mobile-licensed CBS affiliate WKRG-TV. The two stations share studios with several radio stations owned by iHeartMedia on Broadcast Drive in southwest Mobile; WFNA's transmitter is located in unincorporated Baldwin County near Spanish Fort, Alabama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRSP-TV</span> Fox affiliate in Springfield, Illinois

WRSP-TV is a television station licensed to Springfield, Illinois, United States, affiliated with the Fox network. It is owned by GOCOM Media, LLC, alongside Decatur-licensed CW affiliate WBUI. GOCOM maintains joint sales and shared services agreements (JSA/SSA) with the Sinclair Broadcast Group, owner of Springfield-licensed ABC affiliate WICS, channel 20, for the provision of certain services. WRSP's transmitter is located west of Mechanicsburg, in unincorporated Sangamon County; the station shares studios with WBUI and WICS on East Cook Street in Springfield's Eastside. However, WBUI also operates an advertising sales office on South Main Street/US 51 in downtown Decatur.

WVAH-TV is a television station licensed to Charleston, West Virginia, United States, serving the Charleston–Huntington market as an affiliate of the digital multicast network Catchy Comedy. It is owned by Cunningham Broadcasting, which maintains a local marketing agreement (LMA) with Sinclair Broadcast Group, owner of dual ABC/Fox affiliate WCHS-TV, for the provision of certain services. However, Sinclair effectively owns WVAH-TV as the majority of Cunningham's stock is owned by the family of deceased group founder Julian Smith. Both stations share studios on Piedmont Road in Charleston, while WVAH-TV's transmitter is located atop Coal Mountain, south of Scott Depot, West Virginia.

KFPX-TV is a television station licensed to Newton, Iowa, United States, broadcasting the Ion Television network to the Des Moines area. Owned and operated by the Ion Media subsidiary of the E. W. Scripps Company, the station maintains offices on 114th Street in Urbandale, and its transmitter is located in Alleman, Iowa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KTXS-TV</span> ABC/CW affiliate in Sweetwater, Texas

KTXS-TV is a television station licensed to Sweetwater, Texas, United States, serving the Abilene area as an affiliate of ABC and The CW Plus. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group alongside low-power TBD owned-and-operated station KTES-LD. Both stations share studios on North Clack Street in Abilene, while KTXS-TV's transmitter is located near Trent, Texas.

WDHN is a television station in Dothan, Alabama, United States, affiliated with ABC and owned by Nexstar Media Group. The station's studios and transmitter are located on AL 52 in Webb.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WFXL</span> Fox affiliate in Albany, Georgia

WFXL, virtual channel 31, is a Fox-affiliated television station licensed to Albany, Georgia, United States, and serving Southwestern Georgia. The station is owned by the Hunt Valley, Maryland–based Sinclair Broadcast Group. WFXL's studios are located on Stuart Avenue in Albany, and its transmitter is located east of Doerun along the Colquitt–Worth county line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KHQA-TV</span> CBS/ABC affiliate in Hannibal, Missouri

KHQA-TV is a television station licensed to Hannibal, Missouri, United States, serving the Quincy, Illinois–Hannibal, Missouri–Keokuk, Iowa market as an affiliate of CBS and ABC. The station is owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group, and maintains studios on South 36th Street in Quincy; its transmitter is located northeast of the city on Cannonball Road near I-172.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KAEF-TV</span> ABC affiliate in Arcata, California

KAEF-TV is a television station licensed to Arcata, California, United States, serving as the ABC affiliate for the Eureka area. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group alongside two low-power stations: dual CW/MyNetworkTV affiliate KECA-LD and Univision affiliate KEUV-LD. Sinclair also provides certain services to Eureka-licensed Fox affiliate KBVU under a local marketing agreement (LMA) with Cunningham Broadcasting; however, Sinclair effectively owns KBVU as the majority of Cunningham's stock is owned by the family of deceased group founder Julian Smith. The stations share studios on Sixth Street in downtown Eureka, while KAEF-TV's transmitter is located along Barry Road southeast of the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WGFL</span> CBS/MyNetworkTV affiliate in High Springs, Florida

WGFL is a television station licensed to High Springs, Florida, United States, serving the Gainesville area as an affiliate of CBS and MyNetworkTV. It is owned by New Age Media alongside low-power, Class A Antenna TV affiliate WYME-CD ; New Age also provides certain services to NBC affiliate WNBW-DT under a local marketing agreement (LMA) with MPS Media. All three stations, in turn, are operated under a master service agreement by the Sinclair Broadcast Group. The stations share studios on Northwest 80th Boulevard in Gainesville; WGFL's transmitter is located on Southwest 30th Avenue near Newberry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WMYG-LP</span> Former LPTV station in Lake City, Florida

WMYG-LP is a defunct low-power analog television station in Lake City, Florida, United States, which operated from 1985 to 2015. Last owned by New Age Media, it was most recently affiliated with MyNetworkTV. It was functionally replaced by a digital subchannel of co-owned, High Springs–licensed CBS affiliate WGFL. WMYG-LP was also sister to two Gainesville-licensed stations: low-power, Class A Antenna TV affiliate WYME-CD and full-power NBC affiliate WNBW-DT. The latter is actually owned by MPS Media but operated by New Age Media under a local marketing agreement (LMA). All of the stations, in turn, are operated under a master service agreement by Sinclair Broadcast Group. WMYG-LP's operations were based at the shared studios of WGFL and WNBW-DT on Northwest 80th Boulevard in Gainesville; its transmitter was located in Lake City's Lacymark section.

WPAN is a television station licensed to Fort Walton Beach, Florida, United States, and also serving Pensacola. Its main channel primarily airs programming from Blab TV, a locally based channel that produces local infomercials and paid programming. Owned by B&C Communications, WPAN maintains transmitter facilities near Molino, Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KARZ-TV</span> MyNetworkTV affiliate in Little Rock, Arkansas

KARZ-TV is a television station in Little Rock, Arkansas, United States, affiliated with MyNetworkTV. It is owned by Nexstar Media Group alongside NBC affiliate KARK-TV ; Nexstar also provides certain services to Fox affiliate KLRT-TV and Pine Bluff–licensed CW affiliate KASN under a local marketing agreement (LMA) with Mission Broadcasting. The stations share studios at the Victory Building on West Capitol Avenue and South Victory Street in downtown Little Rock, while KARZ-TV's transmitter is located at the Shinall Mountain antenna farm, near the city's Chenal Valley neighborhood.

References

  1. 1 2 "Digital TV Market Listing for WFGX". RabbitEars.info. Retrieved September 9, 2014.
  2. ↑ "News Corp. to launch new mini-network for UPN stations". USA Today . February 22, 2006. Retrieved January 21, 2013.
  3. ↑ News Corp. Unveils MyNetworkTV, Broadcasting & Cable , February 22, 2006.
  4. ↑ "DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and Second Rounds" (PDF). Retrieved March 24, 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.