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WFTV (channel 9) is a television station in Orlando, Florida, United States, affiliated with ABC. It is owned by Cox Media Group alongside WRDQ (channel 27), an independent station. The two stations share studios on East South Street (SR 15) in downtown Orlando; WFTV's primary transmitter is located near Bithlo, Florida.

Key Information

Channel 9 began broadcasting as WLOF-TV on February 1, 1958, after a four-year application process; it brought full three-network broadcasting to Central Florida. The call sign changed to WFTV in 1963. It was originally granted to the Mid-Florida Television Corporation, owned by the Brechner family and other investors. However, the same year the station went on the air, it was discovered as part of investigations into corruption at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that an Orlando attorney had made unethical ex parte contact on behalf of Mid-Florida to FCC commissioner Richard A. Mack. The resulting investigation triggered more than two decades of proceedings that swung between the FCC, a federal court of appeals, and the Supreme Court. A wide range of issues came under discussion, including what Mid-Florida knew about the ex parte contact; what preference should be given to minority ownership of broadcast stations; and the character of a lawyer who was partially paralyzed in a murder-suicide and indicted on gambling charges in the same week.

Under a court order, Mid-Florida ceded operational control of WFTV in 1969 to Channel Nine of Orlando, Inc., a consortium of the five companies vying for the full-time broadcast license. After enduring a fatal collapse of its tower in 1973 and returning to full power in 1975, WFTV rode the rising fortunes of the ABC network in the late 1970s to become the top-rated station in Central Florida. The five companies agreed to a settlement, approved in 1981, that gave all of them varying shares of the station and ended what was then the longest proceeding in FCC history, filling 55 volumes. Many of their 67 shareholders became millionaires when SFN Companies purchased WFTV in 1984 as part of its expansion into the broadcasting industry.

SFN made a $60 million profit within a year by selling the station to Cox in 1985. Cox moved the station to newer, larger studios at its present site in 1990. Although it has faced renewed ratings competition since 2000, WFTV continues to lead ratings in the Orlando–Daytona Beach market.

History

[edit]

Permitting and construction

[edit]

Channel 9 was assigned to Orlando in 1952, when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) lifted a four-year freeze on television station grants. Throughout 1952, several applications were received for channel 9 from local radio stations: WHOO, WORZ, and WLOF. Applications poured in for channel 9, while groups were initially reticent to challenge WDBO for channel 6.[3][4] However, channel 6 and ultra high frequency (UHF) channel 18 also gained competing proposals. By April 1953, seven groups were seeking three channels, and Orlando was still without television.[5]

In November 1953, WLOF was sold to a group led by Joseph Brechner and John Kluge, and its original application for channel 9 was replaced by one filed by the new ownership under the name Mid-Florida Television Corporation.[6][7] The new owners also moved the radio station to a new site in Orlo Vista in preparation for eventual television operations.[8] WHOO's owner, Ed Lamb, became caught up in a proceeding questioning his loyalty to the American government and alleged associations with communist groups.[9] His character became a point of discussion in hearings called for the three applicants for channel 9 in July 1954.[10] On November 2, WHOO bowed out of the contest, leaving WLOF and WORZ competing for channel 9.[11] The remaining applicants attended hearings in Washington in December.[12]

FCC hearing examiner Basil Cooper recommended WORZ's application for approval in an initial decision released in August 1955. He noted that WORZ was locally owned and had rendered better service to Orlando than WLOF, whose owners were from the Washington area.[13] Mid-Florida Television appealed the decision. The chair of the FCC's Broadcast Bureau refuted many of Cooper's findings as "erroneous" in a report released in October,[14] and the case came to the full FCC in June 1956. There, both parties questioned the other's conduct. Mid-Florida emphasized the role of Will O. Murrell, a lawyer suspended for a year by the Florida Bar, in the WORZ application, while WORZ noted a letter sent by WLOF principal Hyman Roth on the matter.[15] With a final decision from the FCC pending, in January 1957, Washington businessman Harris H. Thomson moved to buy a controlling interest in WLOF radio but not Mid-Florida Television.[16]

On June 7, 1957, the FCC voted to grant channel 9 to Mid-Florida Television, the WLOF group, reversing the 1955 Cooper initial decision in favor of WORZ.[a] It cited Murrell's involvement in ownership.[18] Mid-Florida announced it would begin negotiating for an affiliation with the NBC network "immediately" and constructing the television station.[17] WORZ appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, believing the FCC to have overemphasized positive aspects of WLOF's application.[19] In August, WLOF-TV filed for a maximum-power and maximum-height tower facility and initiated talks with ABC for network affiliation instead of NBC.[20] Despite WORZ's protest, the FCC approved the technical changes in November.[21]

WLOF-TV began broadcasting on February 1, 1958, as the second station in Orlando itself. Between Daytona Beach station WESH (channel 2) moving its tower closer to Orlando, making it the NBC affiliate for both cities, and the launch of WLOF-TV, Central Florida at last had three stations airing the programming of the three major networks; ABC programs migrated from Orlando's WDBO-TV (channel 6) and WESH in the weeks that followed.[22][23]

Ex parte influence scandal

[edit]
Further information: WPST-TV

As WLOF-TV was getting on the air, a scandal involving the FCC's decisions in several contested television station cases exploded into view. In January 1958, syndicated columnist Drew Pearson published a column alleging that FCC commissioner Richard Mack, a Florida native, had been influenced to switch the approval of channel 10 in Miami to a company affiliated with National Airlines.[24] The resulting congressional investigation uncovered other cases of ex parte communications between attorneys and FCC commissioners on matters before the commission. Among the proceedings the committee investigated was that of channel 9 in Orlando. Stephen J. Angland, an investigator for the committee, testified that William H. Dial, an attorney working for Mid-Florida Television, had contacted Mack; Dial noted they had gone to dinner several times, though not while he was engaged with Mid-Florida. As a result, in early October 1958, the FCC began a staff investigation into any irregularities in the channel 9 award.[25] At the time, the Court of Appeals had affirmed Mid-Florida's 1957 grant, and WORZ was appealing to the Supreme Court of the United States. The House committee's findings led the court, on a 7–2 vote, to remand the case to the appeals court for further hearings in late October.[26]

WORZ objected to the FCC's decision to conduct a staff investigation and requested a formal inquiry before a hearing examiner; the FCC showed openness to this request in February 1959[27] and announced it would do so in March, pending the appeals court proceedings.[28] At the end of that year, Kluge sold his interest in the television station to Brechner.[29] After the appeals court remanded the matter to the FCC, the commission named chief hearing examiner James D. Cunningham to hear the case in February 1961[30] and set hearing dates in May.[31] Cunningham's initial decision, released in September, recommended that Mid-Florida be stripped of the right to broadcast on channel 9 due to what he called "improper influences" by Dial on Mack. He also suggested that Mid-Florida be disqualified and not allowed to apply for the channel. Mid-Florida objected, noting that Cunningham found that Dial had acted without the knowledge or consent of company officials, though he had said that the company could not have been unaware of his actions.[32][33]

Mid-Florida asked for an appeal by the full FCC and blasted Cunningham's decision as based "on suppositions and conjecture",[34] a move WORZ characterized as a "fantastic and frantic" stall tactic.[35] The commission heard oral argument in May 1962, at which time Mid-Florida tried to differentiate its case from other ex parte actions as not being abetted by the station applicant, where WORZ asked for a four-month grant to get on the air, as the FCC had done in the WPST-TV case and another, for channel 7 in Miami.[36] Mid-Florida appeared successful; in January 1963, the FCC filed a report with the Court of Appeals noting that the grant should be reconsidered though there was no wrongdoing by Mid-Florida officials because they were unaware of what Dial had done until the congressional investigation in 1958. The vote by commissioners to clear Mid-Florida was 4–1, with commissioner Newton N. Minow the only dissenter.[37] Minow contended that Mid-Florida officials knew of Dial's advances.[38]

In celebration of its fifth anniversary of signing on the air, WLOF-TV changed its call letters to WFTV (Wonderful Florida Television) on February 3, 1963.[1]

Rehearing, new applicants, and interim operator

[edit]

WORZ moved in February 1963 to challenge the FCC report to the Court of Appeals, claiming that the commission could not reverse some of the findings in the 1961 Cunningham report concerning the credibility of witnesses.[39] In July, the appeals court sent the case back to the FCC, in its ruling adopting elements of Minow's dissent. It ordered the commission to hold oral argument to determine whether the grant should be continued for WFTV, go to WORZ, or possibly be reopened for new applicants for the channel.[38] WORZ also attempted to have the Supreme Court overturn the FCC's decision and was rebuffed in 1964.[40]

The suggestion of reopening the channel 9 file was taken up by the FCC's Broadcast Bureau, which urged the commission to take new applications; commission members were said to be unenthusiastic about the idea. Pat Valicenti, attorney for the bureau, noted that the record had "grown stale" because of changes in ownership of Mid-Florida in the intervening years, particularly as the expertise of the original principals had been a major factor in the 1957 grant.[41] The commission did not take up the Broadcast Bureau's call, disagreeing that the record was so stale as to not be useful, and in June 1964, it affirmed the grant and awarded a three-year full-term license to Mid-Florida Television Corporation for WFTV, allowing the station to stop operating under program test authority as it had for more than six years.[42]

WORZ appealed to the Court of Appeals yet again; the court agreed with the Broadcast Bureau and the losing applicant that the record was stale. In March 1965, the case was returned to the FCC for a third time, this time with orders to allow new applicants to seek channel 9. The unsigned decision stated:[43]

...[T]his case has been beset throughout by a variety of dubious circumstances which, at best, have prolonged the ultimate choice an unconscionably long period beyond the assembling of the facts upon which that choice must of necessity be based, and which, at worst, leave a nagging uncertainty as to whether so vital a community facility as is involved here should not be exposed to what may possibly be wider interests than those represented by these two applicants.

After the Supreme Court denied review of this decision on a petition from Mid-Florida,[44] new applicants began filing for channel 9 in late 1965 and early 1966. These included:

  • Central Nine Corporation, a consortium of investors with the largest share held by Richard G. Danner, a Washington attorney. Other stockholders included former Orlando mayor J. Rolfe Davis and Benjamin Smathers, who resigned as director of WDBO parent Outlet Company to participate;[45]
  • Comint Corporation;[46]
  • Florida 9 Broadcasting Company;[46]
  • Florida Heartland Television, a consortium of investors including the Gay–Bell group that owned WLEX-TV in Lexington, Kentucky, and WCOV-TV in Montgomery, Alabama;[47][48]
  • Howard Weiss, an attorney from Chicago, in representation of a group from that city;[49]
  • Mid-Florida Television Corporation;[50]
  • Orange Nine, Inc., a successor to WORZ, Inc., owned by the Murrell family;[51]
  • TV-9, Inc., headed by Rollins College president Hugh McKean.[46][52]

Five of the applicants—Central Nine, Florida Heartland, Orange Nine, and TV-9—plus attorney Howard A. Weiss formed Consolidated Nine, Inc., to request interim operating authority to run the channel while the FCC determined its final licensee, with Comint, Florida 9, and Mid-Florida eligible to buy shares later.[53] Though the Murrells initially filed with their new company, in September, they withdrew their application to permanently run channel 9 after 14 years of legal wrangling under WORZ, Inc., and Orange Nine. The Murrells made the decision because they believed the FCC had no intention of forcing Mid-Florida to cease broadcasting on channel 9 or set a hearing on the matter "in the near future".[54] Initially, the FCC rebuffed efforts to have an immediate new operator for channel 9 by giving Mid-Florida authority to run it on an interim basis in April 1967, believing allowing WFTV to continue with its present operators served the public interest.[55] At the same time, the FCC designated the case for a full comparative hearing of the applicants' qualifications.[56]

In September 1968, the Court of Appeals ordered the FCC to consider the interim operating authority requests from competing applicants for channel 9 and channel 12 in Jacksonville, which also was embroiled in a similar case.[57] After the issuance of that order, in lieu of appealing, Mid-Florida offered to cooperate with the other five applicants—Weiss no longer in the running. Under the arrangement proposed, Joseph Brechner and his wife would resign; all station staff would remain; Mid-Florida would lease the facilities to the operator at a fair rate; and station profits would be donated to charity or cultural institutions.[58] While rejecting some of the proposed conditions, the FCC awarded interim operating authority to Consolidated Nine (consisting of Central Nine, Florida Heartland, Orange Nine, and TV-9) on January 10, 1969.[59] Orange Nine, having previously withdrawn its bid for the permanent channel 9 license, withdrew from seeking interim authority in late January.[60] Meanwhile, the comparative hearing to determine the full-time owner of the channel began in March.[61] Brechner later told a reporter, "I was on the witness stand for 8+1⁄2 days, with four lawyers quizzing me. I came back to Orlando and had a heart attack."[62]

On April 1, 1969, Mid-Florida turned over operating control of WFTV to the new interim operator, which had changed its name to Channel Nine of Orlando, Inc.; after Orange Nine's exit, Comint had joined the consortium. A representative of each of the five firms—Central Nine, Comint, Florida Heartland, Mid-Florida, and TV-9—sat on the governing board that controlled the station's affairs.[63] Brechner's exit was more definitive: Mid-Florida took out a full-page ad in the Orlando Evening Star the next day, titled "Until We Meet Again", with photos of Brechner and other station executives and a list of awards WFTV had received in its more than 11 years under the company's ownership. It also expressed hope that Mid-Florida would become the permanent operator again, promising a "vigorous presentation of its qualifications" in the FCC proceedings.[64]

Channel 9 case in the 1970s: Minority ownership and Martin Segal

[edit]

In early June 1970, FCC examiner Herbert Sharfman released his initial decision in the WFTV case, a document described as "book-length" by Broadcasting magazine.[65] He found in favor of Mid-Florida and described it as "clearly" preferred for its integration of ownership and management (station stockholders also participating as senior managers). This was because Joseph Brechner and his wife, Marion, would run the station—as they had prior to 1969—and controlled 62 percent of the company.[66] The initial decision was appealed to the FCC's review board, which concurred with the decision favoring Mid-Florida in January 1972 and also highlighted its "unusually good past broadcast record".[67]

After the full FCC affirmed the grant in September, the other four companies seeking the station appealed to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.[68] A year later, a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals led by Charles Fahy returned the matter to the FCC, this time issuing new instructions to the commission on two issues: minority ownership and the character of one of Mid-Florida's directors. Two Black men each held seven percent of Comint, and the court ordered the FCC to consider and prioritize minority ownership when it would be "likely to increase diversity of content, especially of opinion and viewpoint".[69] The decision also noted that there were no Black-owned broadcast media in Orlando, a city which at the time was 25 percent Black.[69]

The decision also highlighted a new issue negatively affecting Mid-Florida. Martin Segal, an Orlando attorney, had sat on the board of directors of Mid-Florida since 1962, when he became the firm's general counsel and acquired 1.5 percent of its stock.[52] On the night of October 27, 1971, a family fight devolved into Martin's wife shooting Martin and then herself; Martin survived, while she died.[70] On November 1, Segal was one of 60 people indicted as part of an FBI investigation into illegal gambling in Central Florida.[71] In the wake of these events, Segal resigned from his director position with Mid-Florida,[69] though he was never tried owing to his health;[72] he had become a paraplegic.[73] In its order, the appeals court directed the FCC to investigate the company's basic character qualifications to be a broadcast licensee.[69]

The section of the ruling pertaining to minority ownership, in the eyes of the FCC, constituted a rewriting of the commission's rules and led the FCC to request an en banc rehearing of the Court of Appeals ruling. One FCC lawyer believed the judges to have "misapplied and blurred" sections of the commission's comparative qualification priorities, set out in 1965.[72] The case was reheard by the full bench, which upheld the November 1973 ruling on a 5–4 vote; the Supreme Court let the decision stand over the dissent of Justice Harry Blackmun in November 1974. This augured another reopening of the record in the WFTV case; one private attorney said of it, "Everyone will litigate the hell out of how much weight should be given to Comint's two Blacks."[74]

In June 1975, the FCC set more hearings on the matter.[75] The minority ownership issue attracted a new party to the long-running proceedings. The Office of Communication of the United Church of Christ (UCC) had previously been active in the WLBT license challenge in Jackson, Mississippi, leading a successful effort to have the license pulled from its original owners for its lack of attention to the Black community and censoring of civil rights stories in national news programming. Sensing the possibility that the channel 9 case could be a precedent, the UCC petitioned to become a party in the case.[76] The case was a substantial source of paper records and attorneys' fees. Brechner estimated that each of the parties to the channel 9 case was paying $15,000 to $25,000 a year for legal representation.[62] Per David Wilkening of the Sentinel Star in 1975:[62]

In the public reference room of the FCC headquarters [in Washington], the file on Channel 9 covers 37 volumes, each as thick as a New York telephone book.

The new comparative hearing round ended with administrative law judge Daniel Kraushaar issuing an initial decision in December 1977. Yet again, Mid-Florida emerged as the most qualified applicant to run channel 9, dismissing the Segal line of argument and favoring the Brechner group because of its high integration of ownership and management. He also took aim at the FCC's handling of the long-running proceeding, calling it a "'tasteless monstrosity'".[77] Comint, Florida Heartland, and TV-9 all announced their intention to appeal.[78] In their appeals to the FCC review board, they charged that Kraushaar had been biased in favor of Segal in his findings. The review board agreed, finding his participation a "substantial character blemish" for Mid-Florida. However, the review board's ruling prioritized integration of ownership and management over racial diversity, in part citing a very recent commission decision that upheld the renewal of WPIX in New York City; the board indicated that if that had gone the other way, Comint might have won, and it expressed some frustration at having to follow that decision.[79] On those grounds, the next most integrated applicant was favored: TV-9, Inc.[52] Holders of 47.5 percent of the company's stock would be involved in management, more than with any of the other contenders for the license.[79] The decision would be left to the full commission, with Comint and TV-9 the leading applicants.[80]

Under joint venture operation, WFTV had grown considerably during the 1970s. A new transmitting tower at Bithlo had been proposed since 1966 as a joint venture with WDBO-TV;[81] this was activated in 1970, replacing the mast at its Orlo Vista site.[82] The 1,549-foot (472 m) tower had been delayed a year because of manufacturing issues at General Electric.[83]

The tower collapsed on June 8, 1973, while workers were installing an antenna for public station WMFE-TV; two people died.[84] WFTV was able to get on air within three days by mounting an antenna on a 320-foot (98 m) tower loaned by Southern Bell.[85][86] The collapse had a substantial impact on ratings for the three local stations: an unaffected WESH took the lead in news, while leader WDBO sank to second and WFTV remained in third.[87] WFTV was the first of the three television stations affected to transmit from the replacement tower on the site, switching in October 1975.[88] By 1978, bolstered by an ascendant ABC and changes to its newscasts, WFTV was the number-one station in Central Florida, leading with its noon and 11 p.m. newscasts.[89]

Settlement and sale to SFN

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The FCC's longest-running proceeding began to come to an end in 1980.[80] That October, the five companies filed the outlines of a settlement agreement between them which would see the station license granted to a joint venture composed of all five. By then, the channel 9 case had come to fill 55 volumes.[80] Under the terms of the agreement, Mid-Florida, Comint, and TV-9 would each receive a 28+1⁄3-percent capital interest and slightly less in income, with Florida Heartland Television receiving ten percent and Central Nine five percent.[90] Mid-Florida would receive $3.5 million for the sale of the station's assets to the joint venture. Comint's Black stockholders would also receive the option to buy an additional 14 percent three years after approval,[91] while the United Church of Christ was reimbursed by Channel Nine of Orlando for nearly $35,000 in legal fees.[92] The FCC approved the settlement in July 1981, ending more than 12 years of interim operation.[93]

After the settlement was approved, the five-company consortium received constant inquiries about selling WFTV. In 1983, the FCC allowed stations to be sold after less than three years of ownership. In the year ending in February 1984, James Robinson of Comint estimated that he had fielded 30 expressions of interest in buying the station. On February 22, 1984, the companies agreed to sell WFTV to SFN Companies of Glenview, Illinois, for $125 million—double to triple the appraisal of $40 to $50 million given in 1980.[91] SFN had just begun expanding into broadcasting by purchasing Western Broadcasting Company, with radio and television stations in Montana, Georgia, and Puerto Rico. It managed to secure the deal by being swift. SFN CEO John R. Purcell had heard from a source in February that an unnamed station in a Sun Belt market might be available; after figuring out the station was WFTV, he wrote to its owners expressing interest, visited it within the week, and within 26 hours had agreed to the $125 million acquisition, minutes before WFTV received a $135 million offer from a larger company.[94] Many of the 67 shareholders in WFTV's five owning companies became millionaires after the sale closed.[95] Walter Windsor, who had been general manager since the joint venture ownership began in 1969, became the president of the new SFN Communications division, then retired in early 1985.[96]

Cox ownership

[edit]

SFN announced the sale of WFTV to Cox Broadcasting for $185 million in June 1985—an increase of $60 million in value in a year. SFN had not intended to sell the station but had received several offers.[97] The sale was particularly satisfying for SFN management, including Purcell, which had been criticized by industry analysts for purchasing the station in the first place: SFN stock declined when the news was announced, and Forbes anticipated a "pretty low return" for the company on its Orlando TV station investment. It also marked the first acquisition for Cox since the FCC had raised television station ownership limits from seven to twelve the year before.[98] Cox closed on the sale in September.[99]

Among the first priorities for Cox was investing in the station's facilities. WFTV had outgrown its original Central Boulevard studio, which had received multiple expansions making its layout complicated,[100] and WFTV's general manager discussed a possible new building with Cox when they bought the station.[97] In August 1987, the station announced it would relocate to a site on South Street in downtown Orlando; the building would be 70,000 square feet (6,500 m2), nearly twice the Central Boulevard building, with two studios for production.[101] The first newscast from the new studios was aired on January 1, 1990.[102] The second studio also enabled WFTV to take on non-news projects: it was used by The Adventures of Superboy, which mostly filmed at Universal Studios Florida.[103]

In 1995, WFTV signed a time brokerage agreement with former reporter Marsha Reece, holder of a construction permit for WZWY (channel 27), which it proposed to program.[104] Issues in selecting a location for a tower site stalled the channel 27 project,[105] but the station debuted as WRDQ on April 23, 2000.[106] WRDQ airs newscasts from WFTV and is also used in an overflow capacity. From May to July 2011, ABC daytime programming was moved over to sister station WRDQ due to WFTV's wall-to-wall coverage of the Casey Anthony trial;[107] this practice was repeated to accommodate coverage of the George Zimmerman trial in 2013.[108]

Though Ocala and Marion County are drawn into the Orlando market, WFTV's signal overlaps with WCJB-TV of Gainesville in this area. In 1998, the Cox Communications cable system in Ocala removed WFTV from its lineup to keep just one ABC affiliate.[109] However, this was reversed in July 2006, when WFTV was restored to the Ocala system.[110]

On July 24, 2018, Cox Enterprises announced that it was "exploring strategic options" for Cox Media Group's television stations, including WFTV, which the company said could involve "partnering or merging these stations into a larger TV company."[111] Cox Media Group's president, Kim Guthrie, subsequently clarified to trade publication Radio & Television Business Report that the company was solely seeking "a merger or partnership" and not an outright sale of the television stations.[112]

In February 2019, it was announced that Apollo Global Management would acquire Cox Media Group and Northwest Broadcasting's stations.[113][114] Although the group planned to do business as Terrier Media, it was later announced in June 2019 that Apollo would also acquire Cox's radio and advertising businesses and retain the Cox Media Group name.[115] The sale was completed on December 17, 2019.[116]

News operation

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Prior to the mid-1970s, WFTV had been the traditional third-rated station in Central Florida.[87] The news product was not the laggard, but the ABC network and signal compared poorly to its competitors.[89] Several efforts were made by station management to improve the situation; one such attempt in 1975 saw John Tesh, later host of Entertainment Tonight, become the main anchor of its Eyewitness News newscasts.[87]

After the replacement Bithlo tower was put into place in 1975, the station started a significant turnaround. In 1976, WFTV hired Robert Jordan, then the news anchor and director at WKRG-TV in Mobile, Alabama.[117] An increased willingness to invest in news led to additional money for the news department and an overhaul of the news product. Jordan also hired Carole Nelson, who had come to Orlando to host a talk show on the failed WSWB (channel 35); she moved to WFTV and hosted the station's midday newscast. By 1978, WFTV had zoomed into the lead in midday and late news, though it still was behind WESH in early evening news coverage.[89] Jordan, who had three separate stints as WFTV news director (1976–1981, 1982–1986, 2002–2012), also hired some of the station's most recognizable personalities in the decades that followed, including anchor Bob Opsahl.[118] The station also gradually expanded its news offerings with 5:30 p.m. news (1981)[119] and a morning newscast (1984).[120]

However, the lead for WFTV has narrowed at times since the turn of the millennium with more vigorous competition from WKMG-TV and WESH, which pulled closer particularly in late news.[121] From 1996 to 2001, the station lost 40 percent of its viewers in late news, in part due to weakness in ABC's prime time lineup.[122] As a result, in 2002, Cox hired Jordan—the architect of the station's original rise to ratings—to work at WFTV for the third time.[123] Even though the newscasts were facing ratings difficulties and WFTV had five news directors in six years, it still led the Orlando market in advertising revenue, and it still retained a healthy lead for its early evening newscasts.[124][125] Among Jordan's moves was to lure Martie Salt, whom he had hired at WFTS-TV in Tampa when that station started news in 1994 and there was no chance for her to be a lead anchor at WFTV,[126] back to Orlando; she reunited with Opsahl on the anchor desk.[b][127][128] Rehiring Salt turned out to be a successful move in reversing WFTV's flagging ratings fortunes; she spent 16 years at the station, the last few as the noon anchor, before retiring in 2019.[129] She had been preceded in retiring by Opsahl, who left in 2016.[130]

On June 29, 2006, channel 9 became the first station in Florida, the first station owned by Cox, and the tenth in the country to begin broadcasting its local newscasts in high definition.[131] The station debuted a 4 p.m. newscast in 2013, expanding it to a full hour after just a month on the air.[132][133]

Alongside its own Eyewitness News shows, WFTV has also been producing a nightly 10 p.m. newscast since the 1990s. WFTV first produced a 10 p.m. newscast for WRBW (channel 65) in April 1997.[134] In 2002, WRDQ began airing the newscast.[135] It added a weekday morning newscast at 7 a.m. on WRDQ in 2007[136] and a half-hour 6:30 p.m. newscast on that station in 2010.[137] The latter was discontinued in 2013, though the next year the 10 p.m. news was expanded to an hour to provide stronger competition for Fox station WOFL.[138][139]

Notable current on-air staff

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Notable former on-air staff

[edit]

Technical information

[edit]

Subchannels

[edit]

WFTV's primary transmitter is located near Bithlo, Florida, with a digital replacement translator at Deltona in Volusia County.[2] The station's signal is multiplexed, using different minor channel numbers from each transmitter:

Subchannels of WFTV[153]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
Bithlo Deltona
9.1 9.11 720p 16:9 WFTV ABC
9.2 9.12 480i Laff Laff
9.3 9.13 Mystery Ion Mystery
9.4 9.14 MeToons MeTV Toons
65.4 65.14 480i 16:9 Grio. QVC2 (WRBW)
  Broadcast on behalf of another station

The 2000s saw the WFTV transition to digital and high-definition broadcasting. WFTV was the first Orlando station to broadcast a digital signal, beginning in April 2001.[154] WFTV ended programming on its analog signal, on VHF channel 9, on June 12, 2009, as part of the federally mandated transition from analog to digital television;[155] it continued to broadcast in digital on UHF channel 39, using virtual channel 9.[156]

In 2010, WFTV launched a weather channel (9.2) and announced that it would add a simulcast of GenTV affiliate WAWA-LD on a third subchannel.[157][158] However, before the subchannel could launch, WAWA's chief investor pulled out, effectively closing that station and dissolving the partnership with WFTV.[159]

In January 2020, WFTV completed repack work to move from channel 39 to 35;[160] while antenna work was done, the station broadcast from a backup site at St. Cloud, some 16 miles (26 km) south of Christmas.[161]

Notes

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References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

WFTV

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
WFTV, virtual channel 9 (UHF digital channel 39), is an ABC-affiliated television station licensed to Orlando, Florida, United States, serving the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford designated market area. The station is owned by Cox Media Group, which operates it alongside independent outlet WRDQ (channel 27); the two stations share studios on East South Street in downtown Orlando, with WFTV's transmitter sited in Bithlo. Originally signing on as WLOF-TV on February 1, 1958, under the ownership of Mid-Florida Television Corporation, it adopted its current call letters in 1963 and has maintained a primary affiliation with ABC since its inception as the market's third commercial television station. Acquired by Cox Enterprises in 1985, WFTV has established itself as Central Florida's leading local news provider through its Eyewitness News format, emphasizing comprehensive coverage of regional news, weather, and sports amid the area's growth as a major tourism and media hub. The station's programming includes syndicated content and original reporting, contributing to Cox Media Group's portfolio in one of the nation's top-20 media markets by viewership.

History

Licensing, construction, and early FCC corruption investigations (1950s)

The (FCC) allocated VHF channel 9 to the Orlando area as part of its Sixth Report and Order revising the Table of Television Allocations, effective in 1952, following the lifting of a nationwide freeze on new applications that had begun in 1948. Multiple parties, including Mid-Florida Television Corporation—principally owned by investors associated with WLOF-AM radio, such as Joseph L. Brechner—and Orlando Broadcasting Company (owners of WORZ-AM), filed competing applications for a permit in the early . A comparative hearing ensued to evaluate applicants' qualifications, including financial resources, technical expertise, and proposed programming to serve the . In 1955, FCC hearing examiner James A. Cooper issued an initial decision recommending the grant to Orlando Broadcasting Company, citing superior diversification of media ownership and integration of ownership with management. However, on June 7, 1957, the full FCC Commission reversed this recommendation in a 4-3 vote, awarding the construction permit to Mid-Florida Television Corporation, emphasizing its stronger local ties through WLOF-AM operations and commitments to expanded . Mid-Florida received a temporary 90-day operating authority shortly thereafter, enabling rapid construction amid the competitive VHF scarcity in , where only channels 2 (, ) and 6 (WDBO, ) had previously operated. Construction proceeded swiftly at a newly built studio facility on 639 West Central Boulevard in , featuring expansive production spaces suitable for live local broadcasts, while the transmitter was erected to cover the growing . WLOF-TV signed on February 1, 1958, as Orlando's first ABC affiliate, completing three-network coverage and transmitting from a tower designed for VHF signal over Central Florida's . The station's debut included ABC network programming alongside initial local content, marking it as the third commercial television outlet in the region. As WLOF-TV commenced operations, broader congressional investigations into FCC corruption—led by the House Special Subcommittee on Legislative Oversight—uncovered influence in the channel 9 grant. Florida Congressman William H. Dial (D-FL) admitted to intervening with FCC Chairman John C. Doerfer on behalf of Mid-Florida principals, including unreported meetings and advocacy that violated FCC prohibitions on off-the-record communications in pending adjudications. Doerfer, who had voted for the reversal, faced scrutiny for accepting favors from broadcasters nationwide, contributing to his in March 1960 amid the scandals; Dial's actions exemplified how congressional pressure could sway license decisions, prompting examiner recommendations in 1961 to void the 1957 grant on grounds of procedural taint. These early probes highlighted systemic vulnerabilities in FCC comparative hearings during the , where personal influence occasionally overrode evidentiary merits, though the channel 9 award withstood immediate revocation.

Post-scandal operations, rehearings, and initial broadcasts

Despite revelations of improper communications influencing the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) 1957 grant of channel 9 to the Orlando Broadcasting Co. consortium, WLOF-TV commenced operations on February 1, 1958, from studios in downtown Orlando. The station aired its inaugural broadcast, featuring ABC network programming as its primary affiliate, thereby providing viewers with local access to the third major television network alongside existing outlet (channel 2) and CBS affiliate WDBO-TV (channel 4). Initial programming emphasized ABC-supplied content, including daytime soaps, primetime dramas, and variety shows, supplemented by limited local productions such as weather updates and community announcements; a structured local newscast did not debut until late 1959. Station management, led by principals including future media mogul , proceeded with technical setup using a 1,000-foot tower near Bithlo for a coverage radius exceeding 100 miles, enabling signal reach across much of the Orlando-Kissimmee area despite the unfolding scandal. Operations continued uninterrupted amid congressional probes into FCC decision-making irregularities, with WLOF-TV focusing on audience growth through promotional campaigns touting "We Love Orlando, Florida" branding tied to its call letters. Ratings data from the era indicated steady viewership gains, particularly for ABC's popular series like Maverick and , as the station invested in mobile production units for live remote coverage of local events. The scandal, stemming from off-the-record lobbying by competitors like Mid-Florida Television Corp. to FCC Commissioner Richard A. Mack despite his recusal, prompted the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to remand the channel 9 comparative hearing case in 1960 for further FCC review, citing procedural taint. Rehearings commenced in 1961, examining evidence of influence peddling uncovered in broader investigations that led to Mack's and criminal charges against other FCC officials; however, WLOF-TV retained its pending resolution, allowing sustained broadcasts while legal proceedings dragged into the mid-1960s. These challenges did not immediately disrupt daily programming, though they fueled rival petitions and delayed expansion plans, underscoring systemic vulnerabilities in FCC licensing exposed by the era's corruption inquiries. In 1970, during comparative renewal proceedings for WFTV's license held by Mid-Florida Television Corporation, FCC hearing examiner Herbert Sharfman issued an initial decision recommending denial of renewal to the incumbent licensee. Sharfman cited evidence of improper ex parte communications, including contacts by Mid-Florida's general counsel Martin Segal—who held a 1.54% ownership stake—with FCC commissioners and staff, as potentially undermining the integrity of prior grant processes dating to the 1950s. These contacts involved discussions on competing applications for Channel 9 in Orlando, raising concerns over undisclosed influence in the station's original licensing amid earlier FCC corruption probes. Challengers to Mid-Florida's renewal, including groups like TV 9, Inc., emphasized emerging FCC considerations for minority ownership to enhance broadcast diversity, arguing that preferences should favor applicants with substantial minority equity or management integration over established incumbents. The FCC had begun weighing such factors in comparative hearings, viewing minority participation as relevant to serving underserved communities, though not yet formalized in policy until ; in this case, minority stock in competing applicants was deemed a plus but insufficient to outweigh Mid-Florida's operational record and local integration under owner Joseph Brechner. The FCC Review Board and full Commission overruled Sharfman's recommendation in 1972, determining that the ex parte contacts, while irregular, did not constitute disqualifying misrepresentation or character flaws warranting revocation, and granted Mid-Florida a construction permit to continue operations. Challengers appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, which in TV 9, Inc. v. FCC (1974) upheld the FCC's rulings, affirming that minority ownership preferences were permissible but not mandatory overrides of incumbency advantages like proven service and no proven deceit. No license revocation occurred; Mid-Florida retained control of WFTV through the decade's end, resolving protracted litigation that traced back to 1950s grant disputes and solidified FCC deference to renewal absent egregious violations.

Ownership transitions to SFN and Cox Media Group

Following the settlement of protracted legal challenges to its broadcast license in the 1970s, WFTV was acquired by the SFN Companies, a Glenview, Illinois-based publisher and educational materials provider seeking to expand into broadcasting, on July 1, 1984, for $125 million in cash. The transaction benefited the station's prior ownership group, comprising 67 shareholders who realized substantial gains from the sale. SFN's purchase price represented approximately 12.5 times WFTV's 1984 cash flow, reflecting optimism about the station's growth potential in the expanding Orlando media market amid Florida's population boom. SFN's ownership proved short-lived, as the company announced on June 3, 1985, an agreement to sell WFTV to Inc., an Atlanta-based media conglomerate with established broadcasting operations, for $185 million in cash—a premium of about 48% over SFN's acquisition cost just 11 months prior. The deal, which required regulatory approval from the , was completed on September 18, 1985, marking Cox's entry into the Orlando market and aligning with its strategy of acquiring high-performing ABC affiliates in growth regions. Under (later reorganized as ), WFTV benefited from integrated resources, including enhanced news production capabilities and cross-promotional synergies with Cox's other properties, though the immediate transition focused on maintaining operational continuity.

Digital expansion and adaptations in the 2000s–2020s

WFTV initiated tests in early 2001, with official over-the-air commencement targeted for May 1 of that year, aligning with FCC requirements for advanced television deployment. The station fully transitioned to high-definition production on July 1, 2006, after over a year of upgrades, marking it as the first Orlando affiliate to deliver HD newscasts. This upgrade enhanced visual clarity for viewers equipped with digital receivers, focusing initially on content while expanding to broader programming. The analog signal ceased on June 12, 2009, completing the national DTV transition and relocating WFTV's digital signal to UHF channel 39, which mapped to 9.1 for ABC programming. Post-transition, the station introduced digital subchannels to diversify offerings; in April 2010, it allocated a third subchannel (9.3) for a of GenTV affiliate WAWA-LD, later repurposing 9.2 from a weather-focused feed to MegaTV, a Spanish-language network, launching on January 24, 2013, to serve Central Florida's growing audience via over-the-air and . These subchannels expanded capacity without diluting primary ABC feeds. In the , WFTV extended its reach through web-based adaptations, integrating tools like Ignite with MediaFUSE in 2009 to automate extended sports content for online distribution, augmenting broadcast schedules. Mobile applications followed, with the WFTV Channel 9 news app providing 24/7 access to live streams, alerts, and coverage, available on iOS and Android platforms by the mid-. A dedicated app complemented this, delivering real-time forecasts tailored to Orlando's storm-prone climate. By the 2020s, WFTV adopted (NEXTGEN TV) on August 26, 2022, enabling enhanced features like , interactive elements, and improved mobile reception for free over-the-air viewers in the Orlando market. The WFTV Now channel emerged as a 24/7 digital stream, featuring continuous newscasts and local programming accessible via apps and smart TVs, reflecting broader industry shifts toward IP-delivered content amid trends. These developments, under ownership, prioritized multi-platform delivery to maintain audience engagement in a fragmented media landscape.

Facilities and infrastructure

Studios and production facilities

WFTV operates its primary studios and production facilities at 490 East South Street in , , a site spanning approximately 4 acres. The complex houses multiple production studios, a dedicated , and technical support operations, including media production capabilities for broadcast and digital content. The current facility originated from a $12 million project announced in August 1987, when station Cliff Conley detailed plans for a state-of-the-art building to replace the existing setup, which featured only one production studio. commenced in the first quarter of 1988 and required about one year to complete, enabling expanded operations with dual studios for simultaneous programming and news production. Prior to this relocation, WFTV's studios were situated on West Central Boulevard in Orlando, supporting broadcasts since the station's launch as WLOF-TV on , 1958. No major expansions to the South Street facility have been publicly documented since the late 1980s move.

Transmitter and signal distribution

WFTV's primary transmitter facility is situated near , at 4498 TV Tower Road, in an area shared historically with other local broadcasters. The site features a tower originally constructed in 1969 as a joint venture between WFTV and WDBO-TV (now ), standing approximately 1,604 feet above average terrain. The station transmits with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 1,000 kW in the horizontal polarization and 250 kW vertical, employing a pattern to optimize coverage over the Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne designated market area (DMA). This configuration yields a predicted noise-limited contour extending 67.1 miles from the transmitter, encompassing roughly 14,166 square miles and serving Central Florida's primary viewing population. Following the 2017 FCC spectrum repack, WFTV relocated to UHF RF channel 35 ( 9.1 for ABC programming), with subchannels including 9.2 (Laff), 9.3 (), and 9.4 (). Signal distribution occurs primarily via over-the-air (OTA) digital terrestrial broadcast in ATSC 1.0 format, with voluntary adoption of (NextGen TV) beginning in July 2021 as part of a market-wide including sister station WRDQ and . enhances reception robustness, supports higher data rates, and enables features like IP-based datacasting, though it requires compatible tuners for OTA access. A low-power translator on UHF channel 19 in Deltona extends fringe coverage in Volusia County. In January 2020, ahead of the , viewers using antennas were required to rescan to maintain reception after a frequency shift. An auxiliary antenna installation at a St. Cloud site, completed in October 2019, provides redundancy for signal continuity during maintenance or outages at the primary Bithlo tower.

Programming

ABC network affiliation and syndicated content

WFTV signed on the air on February 1, 1958, as WLOF-TV, establishing itself as the ABC affiliate for the Orlando market, which at the time lacked a local outlet for the network's programming. The station adopted its current call letters, WFTV, on August 26, 1963, while retaining its ABC affiliation without interruption. As the primary ABC outlet serving the Orlando–Kissimmee–Daytona Beach designated market area (DMA), ranked as the 17th-largest in the United States by , WFTV carries the full slate of ABC network content, including national news programs like , primetime scripted series, and live event coverage such as NFL games via . In addition to ABC network feeds, WFTV incorporates syndicated programming to fill daytime and early fringe slots, a standard practice for network affiliates to maximize audience retention before evening newscasts. Current syndicated staples include the game shows Jeopardy! airing at 2:00 p.m. and Wheel of Fortune at 1:30 p.m. on weekdays, which draw strong viewership in the access period leading into local news. Historically, the station has aired high-profile first-run syndication such as The Oprah Winfrey Show, Family Feud, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, and Wheel of Fortune across multiple decades, adapting to shifts in the syndication market while prioritizing shows with proven ratings appeal in the competitive Central Florida media landscape. Daytime blocks often feature court shows, talk formats, and off-network reruns, though specific lineups evolve seasonally based on clearance deals and performance metrics from syndicators like Sony Pictures Television and Disney-ABC Domestic Television.

Local non-news programming and community outreach

WFTV's local non-news programming is limited, with the station's schedule dominated by ABC network feeds, syndicated content, and news blocks; original local productions outside news primarily consist of segments integrated into broader broadcasts. The station airs occasional lifestyle-oriented syndicated fare, such as Beautiful Homes & Great Estates and Made in Hollywood, during early morning and late-night slots, but lacks dedicated ongoing local talk or lifestyle shows. Community outreach forms a core non-news effort through the 9 Family Connection initiative, operational for over 25 years as of October 2025, which connects residents with non-profit resources via on-air promotions, online directories, and hosted events. This program partners with agencies to address needs like housing, veteran services, health screenings, and family support, organizing free community resource fairs that facilitate direct access to services. Key activities include annual events such as the Empower Walk and 5K Run (formerly Florida Walk) for early childhood screening and adult transitions, the Together In TEAL Walk benefiting the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition on October 7, 2025, and Pours for Paws drives on September 17, 2025. Additional initiatives feature Christmas in July toy collections for foster children and collaborations with groups like and McCoy Federal for fundraisers. The Forever Family segment, a component of 9 Family Connection, spotlights and stories, partnering with organizations like Preventing Florida to promote family placements and wraparound services, with recent features on adoptions and group home transitions aired in 2024–2025. These efforts emphasize practical resource linkage over , aligning with WFTV's mandate under FCC guidelines for affiliates.

News and public affairs

Department structure and broadcast format

The WFTV news department operates with a hierarchical structure typical of local broadcast newsrooms, led by executive producers and a news director who oversee assignment desks, content production, and on-air teams. Key divisions include anchors for lead newscasts, reporters for breaking and feature stories, specialized investigative units like 9 Investigates focusing on consumer and public accountability reporting, meteorologists for segments, and sports anchors for athletic coverage. Staff listings categorize personnel into anchors (e.g., handling evening and morning shows), reporters (covering field investigations and daily ), and support roles such as digital executive producers managing online extensions of broadcasts. This organization supports a staff of approximately 50-100 in the broader operation, emphasizing collaborative teams for rapid response to local like hurricanes in the Orlando market. Broadcasts adhere to the format, branded across WFTV's newscasts to prioritize dynamic visuals, live field reports, and concise storytelling over extended anchor monologues. Weekday programming includes This Morning from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m., followed by evening editions at 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., and 11:00 p.m. on WFTV (channel 9), with a 10:00 p.m. newscast produced for sister station WRDQ (channel 27) since the . Weekend schedules feature abbreviated morning and evening blocks, often integrating updates via Live Doppler 9 and segments through Action 9. This format extends to digital platforms, with live streams and on-demand clips under the same branding, allowing 24/7 access to news feeds that mirror linear TV structure but incorporate interactive elements like user-submitted videos. Newscasts typically run 30-60 minutes, allocating segments to headlines, (5-7 minutes), sports (3-5 minutes), and investigative features, adapting to high-impact events such as tropical storms with extended "Eye on the Tropics" coverage.

Investigative reporting and notable coverage

WFTV maintains dedicated investigative units including "9 Investigates" for in-depth reporting on government accountability, public safety, and institutional failures, alongside "Action 9" for issues such as scams and deceptive business practices. These efforts have yielded series on topics like crises involving investor-driven displacements and disputes with major retailers. In 2012, investigative reporter George Spencer received a Sunshine State Award for best investigative reporting on instances of welfare fund misspending in Florida, highlighting administrative inefficiencies and prompting public scrutiny. The station's coverage of the 2016 in Orlando extended to a 2017 Florida award-winning public affairs documentary, "Pulse: Stories of Orlando," which examined community recovery and policy responses following the attack that killed 49 people. Action 9 investigations by Jeff Deal have exposed practices such as unauthorized use of customers' vehicles at parking facilities and contractor frauds leading to home foreclosures, with one probe into a fraudulent contributing to its shutdown and earning WFTV a national Award for its impact. Recent examples include a 2025 report on a builder's that rendered a couple homeless, underscoring regulatory gaps in Florida's construction industry. Reporter Ashlyn Webb's 2023 work garnered two regional awards for a continuing coverage series and best news series, focusing on local and issues. Similarly, Emmy award-winner Daralene Jones has contributed data-driven probes to 9 Investigates, including examinations of Florida's "free kill" animal law amendments that affected families seeking legislative reform after personal losses. These reports emphasize verifiable evidence from and firsthand accounts, often leading to tangible outcomes like business closures or policy discussions.

Editorial history and commentary under Joseph Brechner

Under Joseph Brechner's leadership as founder, principal owner, and president-general manager of WFTV from its inception in , the station pioneered regular on-air editorials, marking one of the earliest sustained efforts by a U.S. broadcaster to deliver explicit commentary on local and societal issues. Brechner, drawing from his prior experience in radio and , initiated these broadcasts on October 6, 1960, viewing them as essential for public enlightenment and rather than neutral reporting. He argued that broadcaster silence on contentious matters could imply acquiescence to injustice, positioning editorials as a tool to foster informed debate and counteract . The editorial series spanned nine years, culminating in the 2,000th and final broadcast on March 31, 1969, titled "Until We Meet Again," after which Brechner discontinued them amid regulatory pressures from the regarding fairness doctrines. Content focused on civil rights, , extremism, patriotism, voting rights, higher education access, and community integration, often delivered in a blunt, advocacy-driven style that challenged viewers to confront uncomfortable realities. For instance, the November 30, 1960, editorial "Common Sense in " urged open dialogue on racial tensions without evasion, while the December 19, 1963, piece "" emphasized empirical observation over ideological extremes in addressing societal divisions. Brechner also used the platform to oppose groups like the , airing ABC's civil rights documentary Walk in My Shoes in the early 1960s—unlike other affiliates—and publicly condemning Klan activities despite threats to destroy WFTV's transmitter. These commentaries elicited polarized responses: supporters credited them with promoting moderation and minimizing racial unrest in Orlando through Brechner's service on the city's Interracial Advisory Committee and Human Relations Committee, while critics labeled them irresponsible or overly interventionist. Brechner advocated broader deregulation of broadcast s, testifying in favor of lifting FCC-imposed "editorial fairness restraints" to allow unhindered expression, reflecting his commitment to causal accountability over enforced balance. His approach prioritized verifiable community impacts, such as campaigning for a college via on-air pleas that contributed to Valencia Junior College's establishment in 1967. The Joseph L. Brechner Collection, housed at the Orange County Regional History Center, preserves scripts, correspondence, and viewer feedback documenting this era's influence on local discourse. Brechner retained ownership until selling to in the mid-1980s, after which WFTV's editorial practices shifted away from his personal commentary model.

Market ratings, competition, and journalistic impact

WFTV operates in the Orlando–Daytona Beach–Melbourne designated market area (DMA), ranked 15th nationally with 1,902,420 television households as of the 2024–2025 season. Its broadcasts have historically dominated key time slots, particularly mornings and early evenings, according to Nielsen data. For instance, in February 2019, WFTV led among adults 25–54 at 6 a.m. (24,965 viewers) and 6 p.m., outperforming competitors and WKMG. Similar leadership occurred in July 2019 for news overall, though late-night slots showed tighter races. More recent sweeps, such as August 2018, reinforced WFTV's edge at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., while acknowledging variability in demos prized by advertisers. The Orlando market remains highly competitive, with WFTV vying against established outlets like (NBC affiliate owned by ) and WKMG (CBS affiliate owned by ) for news supremacy. has occasionally topped late-evening ratings, as in September 2018 (11 p.m. newscast) and a 2021 sweep where it held a 2.64 household share versus WFTV's 1.75. Fox affiliate and Spanish-language stations like WVEN add further pressure, but English-language network affiliates dominate local viewership, driven by the DMA's tourism-fueled population growth. WFTV's journalistic efforts, especially through its investigative "9 Investigates" and consumer-focused Action 9 units, have yielded measurable public influence via exposés prompting accountability. Reporter Jeff Deal's coverage of a business shutdown drew global attention and earned a regional Edward R. Murrow Award from the Radio Television Digital News Association. The station secured five Florida Associated Press Broadcasters Awards in 2017 across categories including spot news and investigative reporting. As part of Cox Media Group, WFTV contributed to a 2024 Goldsmith Prize for investigative work on government accountability, shared with KFF Health News and recognized by the Shorenstein Center for excellence in local reporting. These accolades underscore WFTV's role in fostering transparency in a market prone to rapid demographic shifts and event-driven coverage, though sustained impact requires scrutiny of source-driven narratives amid competitive pressures.

Current and former on-air staff

WFTV's current on-air anchors include Kirstin Delgado, Daralene Jones, Martha Sugalski, and Greg Warmoth, who co-anchor evening newscasts including at 4, 5, 6, and 11 p.m.. Q McCray serves as a morning reporter and anchor, while Alexa Lorenzo handles traffic reporting and anchoring. Reporters on the Eyewitness News team encompass general assignment and investigative roles, such as Sam Martello, who joined in May 2023 after prior experience in Florida markets, and Daniel McFarland. Meteorologists include Karla Ray and Kassandra Crimi, contributing to weather segments across broadcasts. Notable former on-air staff include Martie Salt, who anchored Eyewitness News for 29 years before retiring on December 13, 2019. Bob Opsahl anchored for 38 years until his retirement in 2016. John Tesh served as an early anchor in the 1970s before transitioning to entertainment roles. Barbara West anchored from the 1970s through the 1990s. Other former personalities include Bud Hedinger, who anchored in the 1980s, and reporters like Natalie Allen and Deborah Roberts, who later joined national networks.

Technical information

Analog-to-digital transition

WFTV, operating its on VHF channel 9 from its transmitter site in , completed the transition to full-power digital as mandated by the U.S. under the and Public Safety Act of 2005. The station's digital signal, initially on UHF channel 39 with an of 250 kW, had been since at least 2002 in for the nationwide switchover. On June 12, 2009, WFTV terminated analog operations at approximately 12:57 p.m. Eastern Time, aligning with the federal deadline extended from an original February 17 target due to public preparedness concerns. The analog sign-off featured a scripted announcement acknowledging the station's : "This is WFTV, Orlando. WFTV signed-on, February 1st, 1958, as WLOF-TV. We have proudly served the community for over 50 years. WFTV analog is now however our digital service continues." Post-transition, WFTV remapped its primary digital channel to virtual 9.1, preserving the legacy channel number for viewers while utilizing the physical UHF 39 for improved signal reliability in the Orlando-Kissimmee-Daytona Beach market. This shift enabled multicasting capabilities, including subchannels for local and syndicated programming, without significant coverage loss as the digital facility maintained comparable at 492 meters. No voluntary early termination occurred, unlike select markets that tested analog shutdowns in .

Subchannels and multicast services

WFTV operates its main ABC programming on 9.1, broadcasting in high definition with 5.1 audio plus a secondary audio program () option. The station utilizes ATSC 1.0 standards for its streams on 9, transmitted over physical RF channel 35 following the 2017-2020 broadcast repack.
Virtual ChannelProgramming NetworkVideo ResolutionAudio FormatNotes
9.1ABCDD 5.1 + SAPPrimary HD feed for network and local content.
9.2Laff480i (widescreen)DD 2.0Comedy-focused digital multicast network owned by Nexstar Media Group.
9.3ION Mystery480i (widescreen)DD 2.0True crime and mystery programming from the Katz networks.
9.4Me-TV Toons480i (widescreen)DD 2.0Classic animated series from Weigel Broadcasting.
In August 2022, WFTV introduced support for (NEXTGEN TV) on its primary channel, enabling enhanced features such as higher resolution streaming, interactive elements, and integration with broadband content for compatible receivers, while maintaining for ATSC 1.0 viewers. This upgrade does not alter the existing subchannel lineup but allows for potential future expansion of services.

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  66. https://www.wftv.com/news/local/eyewitness-news-honored-2012-sunshine-state-awards/287821613/
  67. https://www.wftv.com/news/local/channel-9-eyewitness-news-wins-5-florida-ap-awards/511110337/
  68. https://www.wftv.com/video/archive/action-9-investigates-builders-scam-that-left-couple-homeless/6VJK4L6IWNUVR7UUCNARADDAG4/
  69. https://www.wftv.com/author/ashlyn-webb/
  70. https://www.wftv.com/author/daralene-jones/
  71. https://www.wftv.com/news/9-investigates-florida-free-kill-law/5df9de2d-fcca-44c1-a27b-89346ae42469/
  72. https://brechner.org/about/joseph-brechner/
  73. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2005/09/25/tv-pioneer-knew-silence-isnt-always-golden-2/
  74. https://www.worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/Commentary/Radio-Television-and-American-Politics-Chester-1969.pdf
  75. https://valenciacollege.edu/about/50-years-of-better-tomorrows.php
  76. https://www.rcfp.org/marion-brechner-foi-advocate-and-benefactor-dies-98/
  77. https://nationalmediaspots.com/DMA-Ranks.pdf
  78. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2019/02/28/february-ratings-wftv-leads-the-way/
  79. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2019/08/01/july-ratings-wftv-leads-in-news-nbc-prime-scores-on-wesh/
  80. https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2018/08/23/august-ratings-wftv-leads-at-6-am-6-pm-wesh-has-11-pm-edge/
  81. https://www.nexttv.com/features/local-news-sweltering-orlando-heats-up
  82. https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2018/09/20/september-2018-ratings-wesh-tops-at-11-pm-wftv-leads-at-6-am-6-pm/
  83. https://www.wftv.com/news/local/cox-media-group-kff-health-news-win-goldsmith-awards-inaugural-prize-government-reporting/EBOXXDM6PJATFIVI7IMI2ZWSJY/
  84. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2021/06/04/orlando-tv-radio-stations-win-broadcast-journalism-awards/
  85. https://www.wftv.com/author/martha-sugalski/
  86. https://www.wftv.com/author/greg-warmoth/
  87. https://www.wftv.com/author/q-mccray/
  88. https://www.wftv.com/author/alexa-lorenzo/
  89. https://www.wftv.com/author/sam-martello/
  90. https://www.wftv.com/station/contact/
  91. https://www.wftv.com/news/local/legendary-anchor-martie-salt-to-retire-38-years-after-joining-channel-9/992689896/
  92. https://www.orlandofamilymagazine.com/index.php/all-articles/interview/signing-off-one-last-time-bob-opsahl/
  93. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2013/09/03/pictures-the-anchors-of-wftv-channel-9/
  94. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2019/11/01/former-orlando-tv-anchors-where-are-they-now/
  95. https://rogersimmons.com/florida-television-history/orlando-tv-stations/golden-50-list/
  96. https://www.fcc.gov/dtv/markets/maps_report1/Orlando-Daytona_Beach-Melbourne_FL.pdf
  97. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sDWyQgZXF8
  98. https://signons-and-signoffs.fandom.com/wiki/WFTV_Final_Analog_Sign_Off
  99. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2009/01/27/E9-1543/implementation-of-short-term-analog-flash-and-emergency-readiness-act-establishment-of-dtv
  100. https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WFTV
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