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WMBB (channel 13) is a television station in Panama City, Florida, United States, affiliated with ABC. Its second digital subchannel serves as an owned-and-operated station of The CW (via The CW Plus). Owned by Nexstar Media Group, the station maintains studios on Harrison Avenue/US 231 in downtown Panama City, and its transmitter is located in unincorporated Youngstown along the Bay–Calhoun county line.
Key Information
History
[edit]Channel 13 first began broadcast operations on October 4, 1973, as WDTB. The station was started by Panhandle Broadcasting Corporation (run by attorney Denver T. Brannen, from where the original call letters were derived from), financed by local businessman/car dealer Tommy Thomas, and attorneys Julian Bennett and Dick Arnold. When it first took to the air, the station was originally an NBC affiliate. The station was a relatively late start for a VHF frequency; most of the allocations on that band elsewhere in the U.S. had been taken by that point. On April 18, 1977, WDTB was sold to Octagon Broadcasting, an Atlanta-based outfit. Upon the change, Octagon changed the station's call sign to the current WMBB (which stands for "The World's Most Beautiful Beaches").[2]
Originally, the station was positioned to be the NBC affiliate for Tallahassee as well since the market did not have one until April 21, 1983, when WTWC-TV signed on. At the time, WMBB's transmitter was in Frink, Calhoun County, well over fifty miles (80 km) away from Tallahassee at approximately 30°22′9″N 85°12′29″W / 30.36917°N 85.20806°W. In addition, many viewers in the capital city already received NBC from Albany, Georgia's WALB which provided a better signal to the area.
On January 4, 1982, WMBB became an ABC affiliate, swapping affiliations with crosstown rival WJHG, which had been the market's original NBC station prior to 1972. Then on December 5, 1986, Buford Television of Tyler, Texas, purchased the station and began investing in equipment and news talent in order to make the station more competitive, not only with WJHG, but also with Dothan, Alabama's WTVY, the CBS station serving the eastern part of the northwestern Florida Panhandle region. It was also around this time that this station moved from its location in Downtown Panama City to its current location on Harrison Avenue that formerly housed a Buick dealership. The new facilities offered three times the space of the previous location.
At 2:03 p.m. Central Time on May 18, 1989, an Air Force F-15 fighter jet clipped a wire at WMBB's Frink tower. This caused the tower, antenna, and transmitter to be completely destroyed. Not long after this incident, channel 13 was sold once again. This time, it joined Spartan Communications of Spartanburg, South Carolina, as the construction of new transmission equipment got underway. The company completed the acquisition on April 12, 1990. On August 6 of that same year, WMBB began broadcasting from a new 1,500-foot (457 m) state-of-the-art antenna and transmitter tower now in Youngstown. This allowed for better viewing of the station in the western half of the market including the rapidly growing southern Walton County area and Destin.
In 1993, WMBB was one of several ABC affiliates that refused to clear the police procedural drama NYPD Blue, carrying syndicated sitcoms instead under the orders of the station's general manager, Hugh Roche, over indecency concerns. It only picked up the program at the start of 1997, when the TV Parental Guidelines came into force, along with the v-chip. Other than WLOX in Biloxi, Mississippi, which never carried the series, WMBB was the last ABC station to hold off on carrying the show.
In March 2000, WMBB became one of 13 stations in a package acquired by Media General worth $605 million. Later that year, Media General purchased the Jackson County Floridan newspaper. WMBB then established a Jackson County Bureau and used the resources of the Floridan to cover Jackson County as well. This caught the eye of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) because of the common ownership of a newspaper and television station in the same market. With the sale of WMBB to Hoak Media, the issue became moot. By the time Media General sold the station, Media General was granted a permanent waiver by the FCC to operate both properties in the same market. Media General later divested all of their newspapers (with the exception of the Tampa Tribune) to Warren Buffett's World Media Holdings in June 2012.
On March 14, 2008, it was announced that Media General would sell the station (and then-sister KALB-TV in Alexandria, Louisiana) to Hoak Media.[3] The deal was closed on July 16.[4] At the time of the closing, WMBB was Hoak's only television station east of the Mississippi River. In July 2010, the station replaced its second digital subchannel broadcast of weather radar with This TV. That network originally aired on WBIF after that channel stopped airing content from the Retro Television Network (RTV). Its replacement was supposed to be WPGX-DT2 but this never made it to air.
On November 20, 2013, Hoak announced the sale of most of its stations, including WMBB, to Gray Television. Due to Gray's existing ownership of WJHG-TV and WECP-LD, Gray immediately placed the station, along with KREX-TV in Grand Junction, Colorado, up for sale to comply with FCC regulations.[5] On December 19, Gray announced that the overlap properties, including WMBB, would be sold to Nexstar Broadcasting Group, for $37.5 million.[6] The sale was completed on June 13, 2014.[7] The deal made WMBB a sister station to Dothan's ABC affiliate, WDHN. On January 17, 2017, Nexstar completed its purchase of Media General, which reunited WMBB with most of its former Media General sister stations.
The station was knocked off the air on October 10, 2018, by Hurricane Michael.[8]
News operation
[edit]WMBB made history during Hurricane Dennis in July 2005 when it became the first station in Panama City to broadcast live storm coverage over the internet. It was one of the first stations in the country to use Weather Services International's Titan forecasting tool (a 3D forecasting system which showed the collapse of the storm just before it struck Santa Rosa Island).
On July 21, 2011, WMBB announced on its Facebook page that it would add another newscast starting September 12, News 13 Midday, that runs from 11 a.m. until noon each weekday. This is actually a return to doing a news program during the midday time slot since the station used to produce a midday program until the late-1990s.
In February 2016, Tom Lewis returned to WMBB to become its news director. He was the primary anchor from the late 1980s until 2001, and left for rival station WJHG to become its primary anchor until 2014. He also served as its news director from 2005 to 2010.
On June 1, 2020, WMBB began producing an hour-long 9 p.m. weeknight newscast for Fox affiliate WPGX.
Technical information
[edit]Subchannels
[edit]The station's signal is multiplexed:
| Channel | Res. | Aspect | Short name | Programming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13.1 | 720p | 16:9 | WMBB-DT | ABC |
| 13.2 | 480i | CW Plus | The CW Plus[10] | |
| 13.3 | Laff | Laff | ||
| 13.4 | Escape | Ion Mystery |
Analog-to-digital conversion
[edit]WMBB shut down its analog signal, over VHF channel 13, 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 relocated from its pre-transition UHF channel 19 to VHF channel 13.[11]
References
[edit]- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WMBB". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ FCC History Cards for WMBB. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ Malone, Michael (March 14, 2008). "Media General Sells Two More Stations". Broadcasting & Cable. Archived from the original on December 1, 2008. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
- ^ Malone, Michael (July 16, 2008). "Hoak Closes Purchase of WMBB, KALB/NALB - 7/16/2008 10:59:00 AM - Broadcasting & Cable". Broadcasting & Cable. Archived from the original on May 20, 2011. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
- ^ "Gray Buying Hoak, Prime Stations For $342.5M". TVNewsCheck. November 20, 2013. Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
- ^ Jessell, Harry A. (December 19, 2013). "Gray Sell Grand Junction Duop To Nexstar". TVNewsCheck. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013.
- ^ "Nexstar Completes Purchase Of Gray Stations". TVNewsCheck. Archived from the original on July 3, 2018.
- ^ "Hurricane Michael live updates: Deadly Category 4 storm pummels Florida, moves north". Washington Post. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
- ^ "Digital TV Market Listing for WMBB". www.rabbitears.info. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
- ^ Calhoun, S. Brady (December 18, 2023). "WMBB to launch CW Panama City January 1". MyPanhandle.com. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
- ^ "DTV Tentative Channel Designations for the First and the Second Rounds" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 29, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2012.
External links
[edit]Includes English-language stations in out-of-state TV markets, but reaching a portion of Florida | ||
| ABC | ||
| CBS | ||
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| NBC | ||
| The CW | ||
| MyNetworkTV | ||
| Ion Television | ||
| PBS | ||
| Religious | ||
| Other | ||
| ATSC 3.0 | ||
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Includes English-language stations in out-of-state TV markets, but reaching a portion of Florida | ||
| ABC | ||
| CBS | ||
| Fox | ||
| NBC | ||
| The CW | ||
| MyNetworkTV | ||
| Ion Television | ||
| PBS | ||
| Religious | ||
| Other | ||
| ATSC 3.0 | ||
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History
Launch and early operations
WMBB signed on the air as WDTB-TV on October 4, 1973, as the NBC affiliate for the Panama City market under the ownership of Panhandle Broadcasting Corporation, led by attorney Denver T. Brannen. The station's initial studios were located on Harrison Avenue in downtown Panama City, Florida, with its transmitter sited in Frink. As the primary NBC affiliate serving the Florida Panhandle region, WDTB-TV broadcast a mix of network programming from NBC alongside local content, including newscasts under the title "Newscope 13" from 1973 to 1976 and coverage of community events to engage the local audience.[6][4][7] On February 28, 1977, the station was sold to Octagon Broadcasting of Atlanta, Georgia, prompting a call sign change to WMBB-TV while retaining its NBC affiliation and operational focus. Early operations emphasized building viewership in the growing market through consistent local programming and network fare.[4] On January 4, 1982, WMBB-TV switched its primary affiliation to ABC in a swap with crosstown rival WJHG-TV, which took over NBC duties; this move aligned the station with ABC's surging popularity and top ratings in prime-time programming during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The transition integrated ABC's network schedule, including popular shows like General Hospital and Dynasty, while maintaining WMBB's local news and community-oriented content to ensure continuity for Panhandle viewers.[4][8]Ownership changes and major events
WMBB's ownership underwent several transitions beginning in the late 1970s. In 1986, Buford Television purchased the station from Octagon.[9] Spartan Communications, based in Spartanburg, South Carolina, acquired WMBB from Buford; the deal, valued at more than $10 million, closed on April 12, 1990, coinciding with the completion of a new transmission tower.[10][4] In March 2000, Media General acquired WMBB as part of a $605 million merger with Spartan Communications, which included 13 stations and expanded Media General's portfolio to 27 outlets; the deal received FCC approval despite market overlap concerns in some areas.[4] On July 16, 2008, Media General sold WMBB (along with sister station KALB-TV in Alexandria, Louisiana) to Hoak Media Corporation for an undisclosed amount, a transaction approved by the FCC with a waiver for duopoly operations in the Panama City market.[11] In November 2013, Gray Television announced its acquisition of Hoak Media, temporarily placing WMBB under Gray's ownership.[12] However, to comply with FCC ownership limits, Gray divested WMBB to Nexstar Broadcasting Group (now Nexstar Media Group) in June 2014 for $33.5 million as part of a broader asset swap involving multiple Hoak stations; the FCC approved the transfer, enabling Nexstar to operate WMBB alongside its existing properties.[13] Nexstar has owned the station since, integrating it into its network of over 200 stations nationwide.[3] A major disruption occurred on May 18, 1989, when a U.S. Air Force F-15 fighter jet clipped a guy wire on WMBB's 1,000-foot tower in Frink, Florida, causing the structure, antenna, and transmitter building to collapse at 2:03 p.m. CT.[4] The incident, attributed to structural failure following the impact, left the station off-air for several months, disrupting ABC programming across the Florida Panhandle.[4] A temporary tower was erected in September 1989 to restore basic operations, while the permanent replacement—a 1,500-foot tower—was completed and activated on August 6, 1990, under the ongoing Buford ownership.[4] Hurricane Michael, a Category 5 storm, struck the Panama City area on October 10, 2018, severely impacting WMBB's operations. The station's studios on Harrison Avenue suffered approximately 70% structural damage, including a partially collapsed roof from debris and four other roofs striking the building, rendering it uninhabitable and causing a natural gas line rupture.[14] Staff evacuated to the adjacent First Baptist Church around 3:30 p.m. that day due to the gas leak and set up an outdoor temporary studio in the church parking lot, using damaged roof remnants as a backdrop for newscasts.[14] The station went off-air for 10 days, with over-the-air signal restoration on October 20, 2018, via a repaired microwave link and transmitter; during this period, sister station WFLA in Tampa produced WMBB's newscasts, supported by Nexstar's national resources for three weeks.[14] Full recovery involved relocating operations temporarily while Nexstar invested nearly $3 million in renovations, culminating in the reopening of a state-of-the-art broadcast facility on October 10, 2019, exactly one year after the hurricane.[5][15]Programming and affiliations
Network affiliations
WMBB has been the ABC affiliate for the Panama City market since January 4, 1982, serving as the exclusive full-power ABC station in the region.[12] Since the digital television transition, WMBB has carried secondary affiliations on its multicast channels. On January 1, 2024, it launched The CW Plus on subchannel 13.2, becoming a CW affiliate and offering primetime dramas, comedies, and sports previously unavailable on the main channel.[1] This replaced Antenna TV, which had followed Me-TV on that subchannel since 2013.[3] Subchannel 13.3 carries Laff, a multicast network launched in April 2015 featuring classic sitcoms and comedy films. Subchannel 13.4 airs Ion Mystery, focusing on true crime, courtroom dramas, and mystery series from procedural shows.[16] These subchannels broaden WMBB's appeal in the Panama City area.Local and syndicated programming
WMBB offers limited original local programming beyond ABC network content, emphasizing public service for the Florida Panhandle. A key example is Veteran's Voices, a public affairs series highlighting local veterans' stories on topics like PTSD, Honor Flights, and Vietnam War history, supporting community outreach in Bay County and nearby areas.[17] The station's syndicated programming fills daytime and fringe slots with talk shows, court programs, and entertainment news. As of November 2025, weekday mornings after ABC's Good Morning America feature reruns like Seinfeld (6:00–7:00 a.m.) and Bob Hearts Abishola (7:00–8:00 a.m.), followed by Live with Kelly and Mark (typically 9:00–10:00 a.m.) and The View (11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.).[18] Afternoons include Hot Bench (2:00–3:00 p.m.) and ABC soaps like General Hospital (1:00–2:00 p.m.). Evenings after ABC primetime feature Entertainment Tonight (11:00 p.m.) and Dr. Phil (4:00 p.m.), with additional talk shows like The Kelly Clarkson Show in morning slots.[19][18] Weekends rely on syndicated reruns, movies, and repeats to complement ABC programming, including late-night dramas like 9-1-1 and Grey's Anatomy from 1:00 a.m. and daytime game shows. The station fulfills FCC children's programming requirements with E/I blocks on Saturdays.[18][20] Since Nexstar's 2014 acquisition, WMBB has broadcast all non-network content in high definition, improving the schedule's quality while prioritizing regional public service over expanded local productions.[3]News operations
Development and expansions
WMBB's news department launched alongside the station in October 1973, initially providing basic local coverage focused on community events, weather updates, and regional stories for the Panama City area.[3] A key milestone came during Hurricane Dennis in July 2005, when WMBB pioneered live storm coverage by becoming the first station in Panama City to broadcast continuously over the internet, utilizing studio cameras, satellite uplinks, and mobile production units to deliver real-time reporting amid the storm's landfall.[3] The news operations expanded in September 2011 with the introduction of a midday newscast airing from 11 a.m. to noon, enhancing daily coverage for viewers during work hours. Further growth occurred in June 2020, when WMBB began producing an hour-long 9 p.m. newscast for sister station WPGX, offering primetime local news to a broader audience.[3] Staffing grew significantly following Nexstar's acquisition in 2014, allowing for more reporters and producers to support expanded field operations. Technological upgrades included the implementation of Doppler radar for advanced weather tracking and the deployment of mobile units equipped with live transmission capabilities, enabling on-scene reporting from remote locations across the Panhandle.[3] Post-2010, the integration of digital tools such as mobile apps, live streaming platforms, and social media revolutionized news gathering at WMBB, facilitating faster sourcing from citizen reports and real-time audience engagement during breaking events like severe weather.[3]Current newscasts and staff
WMBB News 13 produces a full slate of local newscasts seven days a week, focusing on breaking news, weather, and community stories in the Florida Panhandle. On weekdays, the schedule includes News 13 This Morning from 4:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m., anchored by Kelsey Peck and Erin Morgan, providing early updates alongside ABC's Good Morning America.[21][22] The midday program airs at 11:00 a.m., co-anchored by Erin Morgan, covering noon-hour headlines before transitioning to ABC's GMA3.[22] Evening newscasts feature News 13 Live at Five at 5:00 p.m., followed by News 13 at 6:00 after ABC World News Tonight, and the late News 13 at 11:00, all co-anchored by Tom Lewis and Shelby Pay.[23][24][25] Weekend editions include News 13 Weekend at 6:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, offering extended coverage of local events and sports.[26] Key personnel lead the newsroom operations. Tom Lewis serves as News Director and co-anchors the evening newscasts; an award-winning journalist, he has covered Northwest Florida stories throughout his career in the state.[24] Shelby Pay, who joined as evening anchor in February 2025 from sister station WUTR in New York, co-anchors the evening newscasts.[25] For mornings and midday, Erin Morgan co-anchors, having joined to deliver early and noon updates tailored to Panhandle viewers.[22] Kelsey Peck, Assistant News Director, anchors News 13 This Morning since 2012, after starting as a general assignment reporter post-graduation from the University of Florida.[21] Chris Marchand co-anchors select shows, contributing to daily broadcasts.[27] Sports coverage is directed by Delaney Vega, who handles game recaps, high school athletics, and regional events, supported by reporter Karli Koskovich.[27] Weather services are managed by Storm Team 13 under Chief Meteorologist Justin Kiefer, who returned to WMBB in September 2025 after prior experience in the market; the team includes weekend meteorologist Mae Harper (joined 2024) and others like Amelia Henderson and Caroline McKenzie for round-the-clock forecasts.[28][29][27] The StormTracker system employs interactive radar, severe weather alerts, and protocols for hurricane coverage, including live tracking and evacuations during tropical threats, enhanced by the StormTrack13 app for real-time notifications.[30][31] Digital extensions complement broadcasts via mypanhandle.com, offering live streaming of newscasts, 13NOW for breaking news, and on-demand replays available two hours after air.[26][32]Technical information
Subchannels
WMBB transmits four digital subchannels over its VHF channel 13 signal, providing a mix of network and syndicated programming to viewers in the Panama City market. The main subchannel, 13.1, carries ABC network content in high definition at 720p resolution with Dolby Digital 5.1 audio, including national news, primetime dramas, and sports events from the American Broadcasting Company.[33] Subchannel 13.2 features The CW Plus, the syndicated version of The CW network tailored for smaller markets, broadcasting in standard definition at 480i resolution with a widescreen aspect ratio and stereo audio. This subchannel launched on January 1, 2024, replacing the previous Antenna TV affiliation, and offers a primetime lineup of Warner Bros.-produced scripted series, such as professional wrestling from WWE and select sports broadcasts.[1][33] On 13.3, WMBB airs Laff, a multicast network dedicated to comedic programming, in 480i standard definition with widescreen formatting and stereo audio; the channel features classic sitcoms like The Three Stooges and Married... with Children, along with comedy films and stand-up specials running 24 hours.[33] Subchannel 13.4 broadcasts Ion Mystery, a network focused on crime dramas and mystery series, in 480i resolution with widescreen aspect ratio and stereo audio; its schedule includes reruns of shows like Criminal Minds and Bones, emphasizing true crime docuseries and procedural thrillers. The subchannel carries content from the network formerly known as Escape, which rebranded to Ion Mystery in April 2021.[33][16]| Subchannel | Virtual Channel | Programming | Resolution | Audio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13.1 | 13.1 | ABC | 720p | DD 5.1 | Primary HD feed with network schedule |
| 13.2 | 13.2 | The CW Plus | 480i (w) | DD 2.0 | Launched January 1, 2024; primetime series and sports |
| 13.3 | 13.3 | Laff | 480i (w) | DD 2.0 | Comedy classics and films |
| 13.4 | 13.4 | Ion Mystery | 480i (w) | DD 2.0 | Crime and mystery dramas |