Hubbry Logo
WTLVWTLVMain
Open search
WTLV
Community hub
WTLV
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
WTLV
WTLV
WTLV
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

WTLV (channel 12) is a television station in Jacksonville, Florida, United States, affiliated with NBC. It is owned by Tegna Inc. alongside Orange Park–licensed ABC affiliate WJXX (channel 25), a combination known as First Coast News. The two stations share studios on Adams Street in downtown Jacksonville; WTLV's transmitter is located on Anders Boulevard on the city's Southside.

Key Information

Channel 12 in Jacksonville began broadcasting on September 1, 1957, as WFGA-TV. It was an NBC affiliate owned by the Florida-Georgia Television Company and, beginning shortly after its launch, one of two stations in the city. WFGA-TV spent most of its first 15 years on air embroiled in legal conflict stemming from an influence scandal involving a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) commissioner. The case was ultimately resolved in 1969 by an operating consortium comprising Florida-Georgia and three groups also seeking channel 12, which was enshrined as its regular ownership in 1971. Shortly after, the station changed its call sign to WTLV.

Harte-Hanks Newspapers acquired WTLV in 1975. In 1980, the station switched affiliations from NBC to ABC at a time when ABC was number-one nationally and NBC was stuck in third. ABC's ratings lead did not last, and by the middle of the decade, being an ABC affiliate was weighing on WTLV. In 1988, Gannett bought WTLV from Harte-Hanks and nearly immediately switched its affiliation back to NBC. Over the course of the 1990s, the station became more competitive and posed the most serious challenge yet to the traditional news ratings leader in Jacksonville, WJXT (channel 4).

In 1999, as the FCC legalized duopolies, Gannett agreed to buy WJXX from Allbritton Communications. WJXX—which had been established as the city's new ABC affiliate in 1997—had been such a ratings underperformer that the combination of the two major network affiliates was permissible. Upon taking control in March 2000, WJXX's operation was combined with WTLV's, with mostly WTLV personnel and in WTLV's studios, as First Coast News. The combined news operation has remained the second-rated outlet in the market.

History

[edit]

Construction

[edit]

In April 1952, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) lifted a freeze on new TV station grants, opening the door to new TV stations in Jacksonville.[4] Days after the freeze was lifted, the Florida-Georgia Television Company announced its intention to seek the channel. One of its stockholders was Harold Cohn, who owned Jacksonville radio station WRHC. His interest in television began in 1951, when a man told him he stopped listening to Cohn's radio station because he was watching more TV. That man was Alexander Brest,[5] another stakeholder in the firm. Also represented was Miami movie theater operator Wometco Enterprises and its chairman, Mitchell Wolfson.[6]

Florida-Georgia and two other groups sought channel 12: the city of Jacksonville, a broadcaster by its ownership of radio station WJAX, and the Jacksonville Broadcasting Company, owner of WPDQ (600 AM). These groups had each obtained pre-freeze construction permits they had not acted on. WJAX had previously held a permit for channel 2, and the FCC's final 1950 deletion of the permit was upheld in court in May 1951;[7][8] WPDQ-TV's permit had been deleted in the same initial action.[9] The FCC designated the three applications for hearing in January 1954,[10] and FCC hearing examiner Charles J. Frederick delivered the initial decision in April 1955. It called for granting channel 12 to Jacksonville Broadcasting based on its superior integration of ownership and management—in other words, the participation of station owners in station operations.[11]

The losing parties to the initial decision—Florida-Georgia and the city of Jacksonville—appealed the initial decision to the commission,[12] which overturned it on August 31, 1956. In a 4–2 vote, the commission granted channel 12 to the Florida-Georgia Television Company. The two dissenters agreed with the original 1955 decision favoring WPDQ.[13] Construction on channel 12's studios, on Adams Street near the Gator Bowl,[13] began in January 1957, even as Jacksonville Broadcasting and the city of Jacksonville contested the award.[14] On May 29, 1957, the appeals court upheld the award to Florida-Georgia and rejected a plea for denial by WJHP-TV (channel 36), an ultra high frequency (UHF) station that feared being driven out of business. By this time, the Adams Street studios were nearly complete, and foundations had been poured for the station's tower.[15]

A station ID slide, mostly an off-white color but with tiled color accents, with the text "Color Day on" next to a 12 inside a superellipse shape recalling an old television tube. The text "W F G A – T V Jacksonville" is on two lines in an italic serif in the lower right.
Early color television ID for WFGA-TV

WFGA-TV broadcast its first test pattern on August 14, 1957,[16] with regular programming following on September 1.[17] It was affiliated from the start with NBC.[18] Management boasted that WFGA-TV was the first station designed and built with color telecasting in mind; the station had color as well as black and white studio cameras.[19] WJHP-TV ceased telecasting on October 25, 1957, its problems having been exacerbated by WFGA-TV's debut;[20] a country music program hosted by a young Johnny Tillotson, still attending the University of Florida at the time, moved from WJHP-TV to WFGA-TV after channel 36 folded.[21] After it closed, ABC programming was split by WFGA-TV and Jacksonville's other commercial station, WMBR-TV/WJXT (channel 4). ABC represented about 25 percent of the network programming aired on channel 12.[22] Jacksonville would not have a full-time ABC affiliate—or a third commercial station—again until WJKS-TV began on channel 17 in February 1966.[23][24]

A publicity photo of Skipper Ed, a man in a captain's outfit, and Bozo the Clown, a clown, with a WFGA-TV camera. The photo is signed: "To My Pal from Skipper Ed and Bozo".
"Skipper Ed" and Bozo the Clown were among children's shows on WFGA-TV

In addition to Tillotson, WFGA-TV brought a variety of local programs to Jacksonville screens in its early years. It produced the local version of children's television franchise Romper Room for 14 years from 1956 to 1970, with local schoolteacher Vivian Huff as "Miss Penny". For twelve years, from 1961 to 1973, "Skipper Ed" McCullers hosted cartoons; after the show ended, McCullers remained at channel 12 as public affairs director[25] until 1988.[26] Viewers across the country saw coverage of space launches at Cape Canaveral through WFGA-TV's cameras and facilities. Not only did WFGA-TV supply footage to NBC, but it often provided the press pool feed for other networks.[27]

Ex parte influence scandal and assignment to Channel 12 of Jacksonville

[edit]

As WFGA-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.[28] 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 12 in Jacksonville. In April 1962, an FCC hearing examiner recommended the grant be voided because of Mack's involvement in the vote and found the other two applicants unqualified; the FCC overturned the initial decision in September 1963 and reaffirmed its original 1956 grant to Florida-Georgia, finding no improprieties on its behalf. It disqualified Jacksonville Broadcasting for its own ex parte contacts, while the city of Jacksonville application was denied as inferior to Florida-Georgia and not—as earlier proposed—for contacts made by one city commissioner.[29]

In May 1965, a three-judge appeals court panel reversed most of the 1963 FCC ruling and concurred with the original April 1962 denial. It ordered the commission to open channel 12 to new applicants, as the city of Jacksonville had withdrawn from the proceeding and the judges upheld the disqualification of Jacksonville Broadcasting. Florida-Georgia survived the threat of disqualification on a 2–1 vote; in a partial dissent, Warren E. Burger said that both or neither of Jacksonville Broadcasting and Florida-Georgia should have been disqualified.[30] The court rejected the two applicants' requests for rehearing, affirming the decision.[31] In compliance with the court ruling, the FCC formally vacated the grants of WFGA-TV and WFTV in Orlando, which had a very similar ex parte–rooted case, in November 1965, though it allowed WFGA-TV to telecast in the interim.[32]

With the channel 12 proceeding opened to all comers, the FCC began receiving bids from new applicants. The Community First Corporation, a consortium of local businessmen, had been formed in June 1960 to seek a proposed channel 10 drop-in, but that never materialized; five years later, it filed for channel 12.[33][34] Florida Gateway Television was headed by former Florida governor C. Farris Bryant. New Horizons Telecasting was primarily owned by Frank Pellegrin, who had radio station interests in Tennessee and New Hampshire.[35] These three competitors and Florida-Georgia were placed into comparative hearing status on July 7, 1967.[36]

In September 1968, the Court of Appeals ordered the FCC to consider the interim operating authority requests from competing applicants for WFGA-TV and WFTV. These applications sought for groups to run the stations until a final decision was made on the underlying license.[37] For WFGA-TV, proposals were received from Jacksonville University,[38] St. John's Cathedral,[39] and educational TV station WJCT.[40] However, the appeals court rejected interim operators that were not seeking to run the stations on a full-time basis. With the shutdown of channel 12 the only other option, in January 1969, the FCC authorized all four pending applicants to join forces in an interim operator for WFGA-TV. Florida-Georgia agreed to lease the WFGA-TV facilities to the operator,[41] and the existing staff was maintained except for the station president.[42]

The hearing initially continued after the interim operation came into place. In 1970, the parties reached a settlement to assign the license to Channel 12 of Jacksonville, a permanent consortium of the four applicants and their stockholders. Channel 12 of Jacksonville consisted of 74 different stockholders, with the largest share being held by Wometco at 11 percent.[43] The FCC approved in June 1971,[44] and the new arrangement came into force on July 23.[45] As part of a campaign to create a new image for the station, WFGA-TV changed its call sign to WTLV (for "television") on December 13, 1971.[46] By 1974, Channel 12 of Jacksonville had received four offers for the station.[47] One of the four, Harte-Hanks Newspapers of San Antonio, Texas, presented a buyout offer to the firm's stockholders.[43] On September 30, Harte-Hanks announced it had secured a controlling 51-percent interest in Channel 12 of Jacksonville and would seek to purchase the remainder;[48] the $10.5 million deal received FCC approval in March 1975.[49]

1980 affiliation switch to ABC

[edit]

Beginning in 1977, speculation emerged that WTLV might switch its network affiliation from NBC to ABC. At the time, ABC had surpassed NBC in the national ratings and was seeking affiliate upgrades nationwide, but it was stuck in Jacksonville on WJKS-TV, a station that did not even air an early-evening newscast.[50] The comments were further bolstered by remarks made by ABC network president Jim Duffy stating that he had talked with other Jacksonville stations. WTLV signed a two-year renewal with NBC for 1978 through 1980, pinning its hopes on new NBC chairman Fred Silverman,[51] but less than a year after signing the renewal, on May 3, 1979, WTLV announced it would switch to ABC in 1980.[52] While NBC's affiliation agreement did not expire until September 1, the switch was moved forward to March 31, 1980.[53] This was done to allow NBC to air the 1980 Summer Olympics on channel 17, which was projected to benefit the new affiliate.[54] WTLV began broadcasting stereo sound in 1984 and was the first Jacksonville station to do so. The next year, WJXT and WTLV jointly constructed a 1,000-foot-tall (305 m) tower along Anders Boulevard on Jacksonville's Southside, with WTLV switching to the new tower that December.[55][56]

Not long after the 1980 switch, the ratings fortunes of NBC and ABC reversed. Harte-Hanks and NBC in 1981 began an open dialogue about WTLV switching back to NBC. In 1986, Bill Moll, the president of Harte-Hanks's broadcasting division, estimated that WTLV could improve its revenues by 12 percent if it returned to NBC. Moll admitted that switching to ABC "was a short-term help, and it's not helping us now".[57] Harte-Hanks attempted to improve the station by dispatching management from WFMY-TV in Greensboro, North Carolina, a top-rated CBS affiliate, to WTLV.[58] In 1985, NBC pitched an affiliation switch to WTLV, with station management and ownership opting to remain with ABC;[59] in 1986, NBC was also linked to talks with WJXT.[60] By May 1987, WTLV was a distant third in the local ratings.[61] That year, ABC moved to reduce the network compensation it paid WTLV and 15 other affiliates that it deemed were being overpaid for their performance, many of whom had been lured to the network by high rates; channel 12 saw a 20- to 25-percent cut.[62]

[I] marveled at how deep and wide the problems were. It has taken a year to get most of them fixed.

Linda Rios Brook, general manager, WTLV, on the situation she encountered upon becoming general manager in 1986[63]

In 1986, Harte-Hanks named Linda Rios Brook the general manager of WTLV. Rios Brook made aggressive syndicated program purchases to bolster a non-network inventory that was poorly performing in the ratings, especially in the afternoons;[64] these included purchasing the rights to Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune from WJXT at prices that reportedly set market records.[63] In October 1987, having been saddled with $700 million in debt from a 1984 leveraged buyout, Harte-Hanks sought to reduce its load by putting a number of its divisions up for sale, including three newspapers, seven cable systems, and WTLV and WFMY-TV.[65] That December, Gannett agreed to buy the two TV stations for $155 million.[61] The transaction was completed in February 1988.[66]

1988 return to NBC

[edit]

The Gannett purchase reignited speculation about an affiliate change.[67] On February 17, 1988, within two weeks of taking control, Gannett announced that WTLV would return to NBC, replacing WJKS-TV and undoing the 1980 swap.[68] Rios Brook told The Florida Times-Union that the market had "never accepted" the 1980 switch, which instead favored WJKS.[69] At the time, NBC was number-one and seeking to improve its affiliate lineup much as ABC had years prior.[70] The stations made the switch on April 3; the switch so soon was speculated to be a move by WJKS owner Media General to hinder NBC's position.[71][72] After the switch, WTLV's news and non-news ratings saw immediate improvements from the replacement of low-rated ABC with higher-rated NBC.[73]

WTLV was the first local television rights partner for the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars of the NFL and spent six seasons, from 1995 through 2000, airing the team's preseason games and coaches' shows. During this time, WTLV sports director Dan Hicken served as the play-by-play announcer for the preseason telecasts[74] and hosted a regular Monday night sports discussion show, Monday Night Live. The latter was co-hosted by several former players during its run on the air, including Tony Boselli,[75] John Jurkovic,[76] and Jeff Lageman.[77] WTLV lost the rights to WJXT before the 2001 season.[78]

Duopoly with WJXX

[edit]
Further information: WJXX

On November 15, 1999, the FCC legalized television station duopolies—the common ownership of two stations in one market. The next day, Gannett announced it would purchase WJXX, which had been Jacksonville's ABC affiliate since February 1997, from Allbritton Communications. The deal was initiated after Allbritton approached Gannett about a possible sale. The new duopoly rules barred cross-ownership of two of the top four television stations in the same market, a restriction that typically prevented Big Four network affiliates from coming under common ownership. However, WJXX's fifth-place finish in total-day ratings allowed the deal.[79] WJXX had struggled in two and a half years of existence and just under two years of news production,[80] owing to a rushed launch[81] that forced Allbritton to divert its attention to the installation of temporary facilities and impeded the delivery of a quality signal.[82][83] Furthermore, WJXX suffered from ABC's continued underperformance in the Jacksonville market; Charlie Patton, television editor for The Florida Times-Union, later noted that "Jacksonville never acquired the ABC habit".[84] Channel 25's news ratings, despite a product considered superior to that WJKS had produced as an ABC affiliate, lagged WJXT and WTLV;[83][85] one bright spot was the market's only local newscast at 7 p.m.[86] It became apparent that the combination of WTLV and WJXX would rely heavily on the former's facility and personnel, causing WJXX staffers to begin to depart.[83][87]

A multi-story building in front of an artificial lake with satellite dishes and communications equipment visible outside. A sign contains the First Coast News logo and logos for WTLV and WJXX.
The WTLV–WJXX studios on Adams Street in Jacksonville

The FCC approved the purchase on March 16, 2000. Gannett took control the next morning, and about 36 WJXX employees—including 13 in news—joined the new combined WTLV-based operation, which immediately began simulcasting newscasts on both stations before relaunching on April 27 under the umbrella brand of First Coast News.[88][89] Newscasts continued to be broadcast at the same time on each station, including the WJXX 7 p.m. newscast.[90] On June 29, 2015, the Gannett Company split in two, with one side specializing in print media and the other side specializing in broadcast and digital media. WTLV and WJXX were retained by the latter company, named Tegna.[91] WTLV was fined $55,000 by the FCC in 2017 for airing Jacksonville Jaguars promos that included the Emergency Alert System tones.[92]

News operation

[edit]
Main article: First Coast News
An orange, cream, and blue set in 1970s decor
The news set of WTLV as it looked in the 1970s

When WFGA-TV launched, the station's first news director was Harold Baker, who had served in the same position at WSM radio and television in Nashville, Tennessee. Baker would anchor the station's 6 p.m. news for 17 years and direct the nascent channel 12 newsroom for 19 years in total, winning the station major national journalism awards.[93] WTLV was Jacksonville's consistent second-place news station, finishing behind WJXT in the ratings, excluding a short period in the early 1960s under Baker when channel 12 surpassed WJXT and in 1975 when WTLV tied it in early evening news.[22] Efforts to close the gap intensified after its 1988 acquisition by Gannett.[94]

In 1973, the WTLV newscasts were retitled Action News.[95] The station spent most of the 1970s and early 1980s continually revamping its news product to compete with WJXT, with regular changes in staff and format.[96][97][98] WTLV launched the city's first morning newscast, Good Morning Jacksonville, in March 1982;[99][100] conceived to complement ABC's Good Morning America, it offered news, features, and weather reports.[101] Shortly before the program debuted, the station hired a second meteorologist, Tim Deegan. He stayed with the station and moved to evenings in 1986, where he spent 36 years appearing on the late news and continues to provide the weather in First Coast News's early-evening newscasts,[102] with his retirement set for May 30, 2025.[103]

After years of stagnating ratings and a short-lived ratings surge from WJKS,[104] WTLV relaunched its local newscasts in January 1986 with a new title, The News on 12, and new anchors, Lee Webb and Marcia Ladendorff. The changes were the latest for a station that already had a "revolving door" reputation with high turnover in anchors.[105][106] On June 2, 1986, WTLV and WAPE-FM began jointly leasing a helicopter for traffic reports.[107] Two weeks later, the helicopter was in the middle of a live report when it crashed near the downtown area, killing the pilot and reporter Julie Silvers and injuring a cameraman; the report reached an estimated tens of thousands of Good Morning Jacksonville viewers and radio listeners.[108] The National Transportation Safety Board determined that a fatigued drive shaft in the helicopter's tail rotor broke, causing it to spin out of control and crash.[109]

After Rios Brook became general manager, the station began a deeper reconstruction; with Gannett's acquisition, the situation of channel 12 was likened to KARE in Minneapolis, a longtime news underperformer that had become competitive after Gannett purchased the station and relaunched its news product.[63] In the years following the switch back to NBC, WTLV mounted a strong challenge to WJXT, even beating it in the July 1991 sweeps at 11 p.m. by one percentage point of television viewers. Though WJXT continued to hold a commanding lead at 6 p.m.,[110] WTLV had leads among younger viewers and those newer to the market.[111] The Webb–Ladendorff duo also provided WTLV with stability on its evening newscasts, which it had not typically enjoyed. However, after 1991, the station's late news ratings momentum plateaued. WJXT responded to WTLV by adding early evening newscasts and increasing its community involvement.[111] That station rebounded as WTLV cooled, with channel 4 holding a 10-percentage-point lead at 11 p.m. by November 1993. The newscasts were retooled again; Ladendorff had left earlier in the year to become a college instructor, and Webb was dismissed at year's end.[110] By February 2000, the last ratings survey before the launch of First Coast News, WTLV was within three percentage points of WJXT at 11 p.m. but much further behind in early evening news, where WJXT had double the viewers at 6 p.m.[89]

Refer to caption
News set used by First Coast News in the 2010s

After the merger, continuing a trend already set by WTLV, the gap in viewership between First Coast News and market leader WJXT slowly closed to create tough competition in the Jacksonville market.[112] The combination of WTLV and WJXX also surpassed WJXT in total revenue.[113]

In 2002, the news department of Fox affiliate WAWS (channel 30) expanded to accommodate the move of the CBS affiliation to WTEV-TV (channel 47).[114] The two stations rebranded as WFOX-TV and WJAX-TV and their news as Action News in 2014 as part of a wholesale change which included the firing of the previous main anchors. The Action News revamp improved ratings at the traditional third-place news operation in Jacksonville just as First Coast News remained without a news director for a year, causing a decline in viewership, and several key news personalities defected to Action News.[115] Rob Mennie, who assumed the post of news director in 2014, noted of the newsroom as he encountered it, "This was a station ... I'll just use the word confused. They didn't know who they were. ... They were trying to figure out what makes us tick."[116] In 2023, Action News edged out First Coast News at 11 p.m. in total households but not in viewers 25–54, with both newscasts behind WJXT, which has remained Jacksonville's news leader as an independent station.[117]

Notable staff

[edit]

Technical information

[edit]

Subchannels

[edit]

WTLV's transmitter is located on Anders Boulevard on the south side of Jacksonville.[3] Its signal is multiplexed:

Subchannels of WTLV[139]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming
12.1 1080i 16:9 WTLV-HD NBC
12.2 480i Antenna Antenna TV
12.3 Crime True Crime Network
12.4 Quest Quest → Roar (soon)
12.5 ShopLC Shop LC
12.6 HSN HSN
12.7 Comet Comet
12.8 Charge Charge!

Analog-to-digital conversion

[edit]

WTLV began broadcasting a digital signal on VHF channel 13 on April 17[140] or May 2, 2000, making it the first to do so in Jacksonville.[89] On June 12, 2009, WTLV ended regular programming on its analog signal, on VHF channel 12, as part of the federally mandated transition from analog to digital television;[141] for a short time thereafter, the analog signal broadcast a nightlight service to provide transition information.[142] The digital signal remained on channel 13.[143] In 2024, WTLV was approved to move its signal to the UHF band on channel 33.[1]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

WTLV

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
WTLV, virtual channel 12 (VHF digital channel 13), is a television station licensed to Jacksonville, Florida, United States, affiliated with the NBC television network. It is owned by TEGNA Inc. alongside Orange Park–licensed ABC affiliate WJXX (channel 25), with the stations maintaining a joint news operation branded as First Coast News. Originally signing on in 1957 as WFGA-TV under the ownership of Florida-Georgia Television Company, Inc., WTLV pioneered color broadcasting as the first U.S. station designed specifically for it. The station's facilities, shared with WJXX, are located in Jacksonville, serving the First Coast region with local news, weather, and programming. TEGNA's operations emphasize community-focused journalism, though the company faces a pending $6.2 billion acquisition by Nexstar Media Group, announced in August 2025 and expected to close in 2026 pending regulatory approval. WTLV has no major controversies documented in public records, maintaining a focus on regional coverage without significant disruptions.

History

Construction and launch as WFGA-TV

Channel 12 in Jacksonville signed on the air as WFGA-TV on September 1, 1957, under the ownership of the Florida-Georgia Television Company, Inc., with the call letters denoting "We're and GeorgiA." The station was licensed to serve the Jacksonville market, providing coverage to northeastern and southeastern Georgia. Construction of WFGA-TV's facilities commenced in early 1957, positioning it as the first in the United States engineered from inception for color broadcasting. Studios were established on Adams Street near the in downtown Jacksonville, facilitating local production capabilities. The station affiliated primarily with , while secondarily carrying ABC programming to supplement its schedule. From launch, WFGA-TV emphasized color transmission for both live local content and film, predating widespread network adoption of the format. Early operations included innovative live remote coverage, such as the station's pioneering "live camera" broadcasts of space launches from beginning in 1958, which served as a pool feed for national networks. Local programming featured shows like the program, incorporating community elements such as performances by high school students.

Ex parte influence scandal and channel 12 assignment

In 1952, the (FCC) received competing applications for a construction permit to operate on VHF channel 12, assigned to , including submissions from Florida-Georgia Television Company, Inc., Jacksonville Broadcasting Corporation (later Community First Corporation), and New Horizons Telecasting Company. Following comparative hearings evaluating factors such as applicant qualifications, program proposals, and local integration, the FCC granted the permit to Florida-Georgia Television Company on August 31, 1956, later issuing the license on September 20, 1957, and a renewal on February 12, 1958. The proceeding drew scrutiny amid broader 1950s FCC controversies over ex parte communications, where applicants or representatives contacted commissioners off the record to discuss case merits, violating procedural fairness rules. In September 1963, the FCC disqualified Jacksonville Broadcasting for engaging in such improper representations to decision-makers, citing statements intended to sway the outcome without record disclosure. Florida-Georgia, however, was cleared of similar allegations, with the Commission determining no disqualifying conduct tainted its application. Competitors challenged the grant through administrative appeals and federal court reviews, including remands by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit directing the FCC to reassess evidence of procedural irregularities. Despite these, the FCC reaffirmed the award to Florida-Georgia in subsequent decisions, readopting prior findings nunc pro tunc to validate the license amid ongoing litigation. Courts upheld this resolution, emphasizing deference to agency expertise in licensing absent clear abuse. The controversy persisted through multiple rehearings but did not halt construction or operations, as the FCC declined without evidence directly corrupting the specific grant. This outcome reinforced FCC precedents on handling claims in broadcast allocations, prioritizing continuity where applicant misconduct was isolated to losers rather than systemic favoritism toward the winner.

Affiliation changes in the 1980s

On March 31, 1980, WTLV swapped its network affiliation with WJKS (channel 17), shifting from to ABC while WJKS took ; this move reflected ABC's dominance as the top-rated U.S. broadcast network at the time, contrasting with 's position as the lowest-rated of the three major networks amid programming struggles. The switch aligned WTLV with ABC's stronger prime-time lineup, including hits like Happy Days and , potentially aiming to bolster local viewership against CBS affiliate WJXT's established strength in the Jacksonville market. Post-switch, WTLV's access to ABC's rising national audience share—peaking at around 30% in key demographics during the late 1970s—temporarily improved its competitive standing, though specific local Nielsen ratings data from the period indicate viewer migration patterns favored the incoming ABC slate over lingering loyalty. The 1980 decision was influenced by NBC's national ratings nadir, exacerbated by factors such as aging shows and internal network turmoil, which diminished affiliate compensation and programming appeal; in Jacksonville, this compounded competitive pressures from WJXT's higher-rated news and entertainment offerings. Harte-Hanks ownership prioritized the affiliation swap to capture ABC's momentum, but by the mid-1980s, ABC's edge waned as rebuilt under programming executive with successes like and , restoring NBC's prime-time leadership. In 1988, Gannett acquired WTLV from Harte-Hanks for an undisclosed sum, finalizing the deal in ; within weeks, on February 17, Gannett announced the station's return to effective April 3, reversing the 1980 swap and displacing WJKS as the network's outlet. This reversion capitalized on 's resurgent national ratings—reclaiming the top spot by 1985–1986 with over 15% household share in key slots—and aligned with Gannett's broader portfolio strategy favoring affiliations for their proven revenue potential through advertising and syndication synergies. Local factors included WJKS's weaker performance as NBC affiliate, prompting viewer realignment back to channel 12, though the switch underscored ownership-driven pragmatism over long-term ABC ties amid shifting network compensation terms that favored NBC's recovery.

Duopoly formation with WJXX

In August 1999, the revised its local television ownership rules to permit duopolies in markets with at least 18 independently owned television stations, allowing a single entity to own two stations in the same market under certain conditions. This change facilitated Gannett Company's pursuit of WJXX, the ABC-affiliated channel 25 station owned by Allbritton Communications, to pair with its existing NBC affiliate WTLV (channel 12). On November 16, 1999, Gannett announced an agreement to acquire and operate from Allbritton Jacksonville, Inc., pending regulatory approval; the stations would maintain separate network affiliations and programming during the interim. The FCC approved the transaction on March 16, 2000, with Gannett assuming control of the following day, March 17. This marked Jacksonville's inaugural duopoly under common ownership and operations, and the first involving two network-affiliated stations in the United States. Following the acquisition, Gannett integrated news operations between WTLV and , consolidating production under the "First Coast News" brand at shared studios located at 1070 East Adams Street in Jacksonville. The merger enabled pooled resources for news gathering and production, yielding cost savings through centralized staffing and facilities while preserving distinct evening newscasts tailored to each station's audience; approximately 36 personnel, including 13 in news, transitioned to the combined operation. Market effects included enhanced local coverage across and ABC audiences, contributing to improved ratings competitiveness against incumbent leader without reducing on-air local content hours.

Ownership evolution under Gannett and TEGNA

In 1999, Gannett Co., Inc. acquired , the ABC affiliate in Jacksonville, forming a duopoly with its existing NBC affiliate WTLV while maintaining separate operations under the First Coast News banner. This structure persisted through regulatory shifts, including the FCC's 2003 relaxation of local television ownership rules that permitted triopolies in larger markets but preserved duopoly allowances in markets like Jacksonville (DMA #41). Gannett retained the pair amid broader industry consolidations, avoiding divestitures as national ownership caps—capped at 39% of U.S. households post-UHF discount—faced ongoing scrutiny but did not disrupt local holdings. On June 29, 2015, Gannett completed a tax-free spinoff of its broadcasting and digital media assets into TEGNA Inc., transferring WTLV and WJXX intact to the new entity focused on local stations and OTT platforms. TEGNA emphasized operational continuity for the duopoly, investing in digital infrastructure amid cord-cutting pressures; by June 2025, it expanded local news streaming with over 100 additional hours of connected TV programming across its portfolio, including enhanced morning blocks to capture fragmented audiences. Staff retention efforts included appointing Tim Thomas as president and general manager of WTLV and WJXX in April 2023, prioritizing market-specific leadership during industry layoffs elsewhere. As of October 2025, the duopoly remains under TEGNA without divestitures, bucking national trends of station sales amid streaming erosion—evidenced by linear TV's share drop from 50%+ in 2020 to under 40% by 2024 per data—while Jacksonville's local broadcast universe held steady at 0.67% of national households. However, announced a $6.2 billion acquisition of TEGNA on August 19, 2025, at $22 per share (a 31% premium), pending FCC approval amid debates over exceeding the 39% national cap and potential local overlaps. Regulatory hurdles, including Democratic opposition in key states, have delayed closure into 2026 or beyond, preserving short-term stability.

News operation

First Coast News integration and expansion

In March 2000, Gannett completed its acquisition of from Allbritton Communications, enabling the integration of news operations with WTLV at the latter's studios on Emerson Street in Jacksonville. The First Coast News brand launched on April 27, 2000, as a co-branded of local newscasts across both stations, marking the first such network-affiliated duopoly in the United States. This structure pooled reporting, production, and technical resources, facilitating expanded coverage without duplicating full staffs. Key expansions included the April 2009 launch of First Coast News Weather Plus on WJXX's second digital subchannel, providing continuous weather programming and forecasts via a dedicated team accessible 24 hours through Weather-Tel at (904) 356-8812. In January 2010, the operation transitioned to high-definition newscasts, upgrading studio sets, cameras, and transmission for WTLV and WJXX. By the mid-2010s, multi-platform delivery grew through the firstcoastnews.com website and early mobile apps, enabling on-demand video, alerts, and streaming alongside traditional broadcasts. The duopoly model supports via a unified newsroom, concentrating efforts on local —such as the "On Your Side" series exposing consumer and government issues—and enhanced monitoring critical for Jacksonville's hurricane-prone coastal geography. This shared framework reduces redundant costs while prioritizing region-specific reporting on storms, flooding, and rip currents, with and alerts integrated across platforms.

Ratings performance and market competition

Since the launch of the First Coast News unified operation in 2000, WTLV and have maintained a consistent second-place position in Jacksonville's evening newscasts, trailing the independent station but often competitive with the CBS-Fox duopoly's Jax. In the November 2015 Nielsen ratings period, First Coast News captured a 32 percent audience share at 11 p.m., narrowly behind 's 37 percent and ahead of Jax's 31 percent, reflecting tight competition among the market's three major news producers. This positioning persisted into the , with surges during major regional events; for instance, hurricane coverage has historically boosted local viewership, as seen in elevated shares during storms like Irma in 2017, where First Coast News benefited from extended weather blocks drawing households seeking real-time updates over national programming. The duopoly structure provides First Coast News with operational scale advantages, including shared production facilities and staffing that enable broader coverage of local issues like and port economics without the full costs borne by single-station rivals. However, WJXT's independent status allows for expansive news wheels—often 15+ hours daily—fostering viewer habits tied to in-depth, non-network-constrained reporting, which causal factors such as familiarity and immediacy explain over primetime entertainment draws. Jax, another duopoly, intensified rivalry in the by emphasizing aggressive promotion and weather specialization, overtaking First Coast News in key demos by November 2023 and achieving a 42 percent in late 2024 sweeps, partly via hurricane-driven gains. Amid broader linear TV declines from cord-cutting—U.S. pay-TV households fell by over 25 million since 2012—First Coast News has shown resilience through localized factual emphasis on verifiable events like infrastructure projects and flood risks, offsetting erosion in traditional viewership. Nielsen data from June 2023 indicated WTLV's 1.3 household rating at 11 p.m., sustaining second-tier viability in a market of roughly 660,000 TV homes, while digital extensions via apps and streaming simulcasts captured younger demos wary of cable bundles. As of 2024, this hybrid approach mitigated losses, with duopoly efficiencies supporting investments in mobile alerts and on-demand clips that prioritize empirical regional data over sensationalism.

Notable on-air personnel

Jeannie Blaylock joined WTLV in 1985 as a reporter and has anchored evening newscasts while serving as the Healthwatch medical correspondent, contributing to initiatives through investigative reporting on local medical issues. She initiated Buddy Check 12 in 1992, a monthly self-exam reminder campaign that began with 200 participants and expanded to over 192,000 women by 1996, partnering with to promote early detection and credited with saving thousands of lives through documented success stories. The program earned a Peabody Award for its impact, emphasizing empirical outcomes over promotional claims. Tim Deegan served as chief from the early 1980s until his retirement on May 30, 2025, after 43 years, providing weather coverage that included hurricane tracking and daily forecasts integral to News' operations. His tenure overlapped with the station's duopoly expansion, maintaining viewer trust through consistent, data-driven predictions amid Florida's patterns. Lewis Turner succeeded Deegan as chief in April 2025, bringing prior experience in regional forecasting to ensure operational continuity. Katie Jeffries anchored morning newscasts from 2019 until her departure on May 15, 2025, following 13 years at First Coast News, where she advanced from reporter to traffic anchor and producer of segments like "Unresolved" on cold cases. These exits reflect broader industry trends of turnover among veteran staff, yet the station sustained its news delivery via internal promotions and hires, as evidenced by stable ratings during transitions. Heather Crawford has led investigative reporting efforts, earning Suncoast Emmy Awards in 2024 for pieces on accountability and military topics, bolstering the station's reputation for substantive probes based on and viewer-submitted leads. Viewer feedback, gathered through station metrics, has highlighted praise for such work's tangible outcomes, like policy changes from exposés, while occasional critiques note a focus on local over broader controversies, aligning with empirical engagement data rather than ideological balance claims.

Technical information

Subchannels and multicast programming

WTLV broadcasts a primary high-definition feed of programming on its main , 12.1, transmitted in resolution with 5.1 audio, serving as the station's core service for network news, primetime shows, and local insertions. This subchannel maintains focus on 's national content while integrating First Coast News segments, ensuring compatibility with over-the-air antennas and carriage on local cable and satellite providers through agreements under FCC regulations. Following the 2009 digital television transition, WTLV expanded its multicast capabilities to utilize available ATSC 1.0 bandwidth on physical channel 13, adding subchannels for syndicated niche programming to diversify viewer options and generate supplementary revenue via affiliation fees and targeted advertising. These subchannels, typically in standard-definition 480i with stereo audio, target specific demographics such as classic TV enthusiasts, true crime audiences, shoppers, and sci-fi fans, without impacting the main channel's bandwidth allocation or quality. As of October 2025, the station supports local ad insertion on eligible subchannels, enhancing monetization while providing free OTA access to cord-cutters within its coverage area. Carriage on multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) varies by agreement, often requiring retransmission consent negotiations to include subchannels alongside the primary feed.
Virtual ChannelAffiliation/NetworkResolution/AudioContent Focus
12.1 / DD 5.1Network programming, local news
12.2480i / DD Classic sitcoms and dramas
12.3480i / DD Crime documentaries and series (formerly Justice Network)
12.4Quest (transitioning to ROAR)480i / DD Adventure and factual programming
12.5Shop LC480i / DD Home shopping and lifestyle
12.6480i / DD Retail and product demonstrations
12.7480i / DD Science fiction and action
12.8Charge!480i / DD Action movies and series
This strategy aligns with TEGNA's broader portfolio approach, leveraging owned networks like Quest for while partnering with third-party providers for complementary content, thereby maximizing efficiency and audience retention in a fragmented media landscape.)

Analog-to-digital conversion and digital facilities

WTLV initiated full-power on VHF channel 13 in April 2000, in accordance with early FCC guidelines encouraging voluntary digital transitions to prepare for advanced television services. This predated the broader mandate under the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, which allocated for digital use and set initial deadlines for analog phase-out. The station's digital signal operated alongside its analog VHF channel 12 transmissions, allowing gradual viewer acclimation and enabling initial tests of high-definition content capabilities under the ATSC 1.0 standard. The nationwide analog shutdown occurred on June 12, 2009, following congressional delays from an original February 17 target due to public preparedness concerns; WTLV terminated its on that date, remapping its primary digital feed to 12.1 to preserve channel position familiarity for over-the-air viewers. Digital facilities at the time included upgraded transmission equipment supporting ATSC 1.0 modulation for high-definition NBC network programming and local news production, with studio conversions to and digital mastering systems completed in the mid-2000s to align with affiliate-wide standards. In the Jacksonville market, the transition encountered minimal operational disruptions, bolstered by local stations' pre-shutdown tests—such as signal interruptions for digital-only demonstrations—and federal converter subsidy programs that distributed over 34 million coupons nationally, aiding approximately 13% of U.S. households still using analog sets. Viewer adoption relied on set-top converter or integrated digital tuners, with empirical data indicating that by mid-2009, fewer than 3% of potentially affected households reported unresolved signal loss in prepared markets like Jacksonville, attributable to coordinated announcements and retailer partnerships. Subsequent digital facility enhancements focused on redundancy in encoding and to support reliable HD delivery amid growing demands.

Transmitter location and broadcast coverage

WTLV's transmitter is located on Anders Boulevard on the south side of , at coordinates 30°16′25″N 81°33′12″W, positioning it near the city's southern outskirts to optimize signal distribution across the metropolitan area. The station's current digital facilities operate on VHF channel 13 with an (ERP) of 53.3 kW from a at a (HAAT) of 923 feet, while a construction permit for the FCC authorizes transition to UHF channel 33 with 1,000 kW ERP to maintain or improve coverage post-relocation. This configuration supports broadcast coverage primarily over , and extends into adjacent counties in northeastern Florida and southeastern Georgia, with the licensed primary contour spanning about 59.5 miles and reaching an estimated 1.91 million people. The relatively flat regional terrain facilitates broad propagation with minimal obstructions, and the elevated site contributes to signal resilience in a hurricane-vulnerable zone, enabling reliable delivery of emergency alerts via the integrated public alert system.

References

  1. https://www.firstcoastnews.com/about-us
  2. https://www.newscaststudio.com/2025/08/22/nexstar-ceo-perry-sook-defends-6-2b-tegna-acquisition-as-regulatory-shift-creates-opening/
  3. https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=print_station&facility_id=65046
  4. https://vintagejacksonville.net/2011/03/15/wfga-color-television/
  5. https://rogersimmons.com/florida-television-history/
  6. https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/403/578/125277/
  7. https://case-law.vlex.com/vid/jacksonville-journal-co-v-888334005
  8. https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/348/75/254312/
  9. https://tvstations.fandom.com/wiki/WTLV
  10. https://logos.fandom.com/wiki/WTLV
  11. https://www.wikiwand.com/en/articles/WTLV
  12. https://www.facebook.com/groups/545087372355435/posts/2754416628089154/
  13. https://transition.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Mass_Media/News_Releases/1999/nrmm9019.html
  14. https://www.tegna.com/gannett-enters-agreement-with-allbritton-jacksonville-inc-to-acquire-and-operate-wjxx-tv/
  15. https://www.tegna.com/gannett-completes-acquisition-of-wjxx-tv-jacksonville-fla/
  16. https://www.firstcoastnews.com/contact-us
  17. https://www.tvrev.com/news/fcc-ownership-rules-loosen-divergent-futures-local-tv-stations
  18. https://neguse.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/neguse.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/10.23.25-nexstar_tegna-merger_fcc_.pdf
  19. https://www.tegna.com/separation-of-gannett-into-two-public-companies-completed/
  20. https://investors.tegna.com/news-releases/news-release-details/tegna-announces-major-local-news-expansion-adding-more-100-hours
  21. https://investors.tegna.com/news-releases/news-release-details/tegna-appoints-tim-thomas-president-and-general-manager-wtlv-and
  22. https://ustvdb.com/markets/jacksonville/
  23. https://www.nexstar.tv/nexstar-media-group-inc-enters-into-definitive-agreement-to-acquire-tegna-inc-for-6-2-billion-in-accretive-transaction/
  24. https://broadbandbreakfast.com/colorado-democrats-demand-fcc-block-nexstar-tegna-merger/
  25. https://www.jacksonville.com/story/entertainment/local/2010/01/27/jacksonville-newscasts-going-hd/15958094007/
  26. https://www.firstcoastnews.com/onyourside
  27. https://www.firstcoastnews.com/weather
  28. https://www.jacksonville.com/story/business/2015/03/30/ratings-generate-big-money-tv-stations-news-programs/15656695007/
  29. https://newsblues.com/2024/12/31/how-action-news-jax-became-the-1-rated-news-in-jacksonville/
  30. https://www.nexttv.com/news/local-news-close-up-jacksonville-is-hot-and-were-not-talking-weather
  31. https://www.broadbandsearch.net/blog/cord-cutting-statistics
  32. https://www.jacksonville.com/picture-gallery/news/local/2015/03/04/jacksonville-s-longest-tenured-tv-anchors/818414007/
  33. https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/about-us/team-bios/jeannieblaylock/77-852cc8c5-daca-4940-855c-e6b1ec31f04b
  34. https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/back-in-the-day-with-gmj-buddy-check-12/77-482492099
  35. https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/local/outreach/buddy-check-12/woman-living-in-neptune-beach-shares-buddy-check-saved-her-life/77-b377559c-ecd3-4218-8d24-fa15e8de69ee
  36. https://peabodyawards.com/award-profile/buddy-check-12/
  37. https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/columns/mark-woods/2025/05/28/tim-deegan-retires-after-43-years-as-first-coast-news-meteorologist/83734975007/
  38. https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/local/lewis-turner-chief-meteorologist-first-coast-news/77-c9960655-39b1-4d38-b3f7-6674eb50ab6e
  39. https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/local/2025/05/08/first-coast-news-anchor-katie-jeffries-leaving-jacksonville-tv-station/83512910007/
  40. https://www.adweek.com/tvspy/katie-jeffries-to-leave-first-coast-news-after-13-years/
  41. https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/features/first-coast-news-wins-3-emmy-48th-annual-suncoast-regional-emmy-awards-2024/77-92fe037a-4f73-401f-acd3-934d019fdb49
  42. https://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=65046
  43. https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/publicFacilityDetails.html?facilityId=65046
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.