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WTTO (channel 21) is a television station licensed to Homewood, Alabama, United States, serving the Birmingham area as an affiliate of The CW. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group alongside MyNetworkTV affiliate WABM (channel 68) and ABC affiliate WBMA-LD (channel 58, branded as ABC 33/40). The stations share studios at the Riverchase office park on Concourse Parkway in Hoover (with a Birmingham mailing address); WTTO's transmitter is located atop Red Mountain, near the Goldencrest neighborhood of southwestern Birmingham.

Key Information

In Tuscaloosa, west Alabama, and the western portions of the Birmingham area, WTTO's CW channel and two subchannels of WBMA-LD are rebroadcast on WDBB (channel 17), which is licensed to Bessemer. It is owned by Cunningham Broadcasting and managed by Sinclair under a local marketing agreement (LMA); however, Sinclair effectively owns WDBB, as the majority of Cunningham's stock is owned by the family of deceased group founder Julian Smith.

WTTO had a tortuous history prior to starting operations. It took nearly two decades for the station to be approved and built. Once on air, the station was a successful independent for the Birmingham area. It served as the Fox affiliate for the market from 1990 to 1996, when an affiliation shuffle resulted in the loss of the affiliation.

History

[edit]

Early history of UHF channel 21 in central Alabama

[edit]

The UHF channel 21 allocation in Central Alabama was originally allocated to Gadsden. The first television station in the region to occupy the allocation was WTVS, which operated during the 1950s as an affiliate of the DuMont Television Network, and was one of the earliest UHF television stations in the United States.

However, it was never able to gain a viewership foothold against the region's other stations; its owners ceased the operations of WTVS in 1957, as it had suffered from severely limited viewership due to the lack of television sets in Central Alabama that were capable of receiving stations on the UHF band (electronics manufacturers were not required to incorporate built-in UHF tuners into television sets until the passage of the All-Channel Receiver Act by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 1961, although such tuners would not be included on all newer sets until 1964).[3]

A long way to air

[edit]

In December 1963, Chapman Radio and Television Company—then the owners of radio station WCRT (1260 AM, now WYDE and 96.5 FM, now WMJJ)—filed an application to build a new television station in Homewood, using Birmingham's channel 54 allocation.[4] This application was designated for hearing with one by Symphony Network Association, Inc., in 1964.[5] In 1965, the UHF table of allocations was overhauled, and channel 21 was substituted for 54 on Chapman's application. The FCC granted the permit to Chapman in August 1965; however, the FCC chose to resume hearings on the matter after other applicants protested the granting of Chapman's petition.[4] (In the meantime, the Chapmans built, and then sold, WCFT-TV in Tuscaloosa.)[6]

One of the new bidders was a startup station—WBMG (channel 42), the first commercial UHF station in Birmingham—which hoped it could replace channel 42 with 21.[7][6] When the contest resumed, there were five applicants. Besides Chapman and WBMG, there was Tele-Mac of Birmingham, owned by John McClendon, who also ran a chain of Black-oriented radio stations including WENN in Birmingham; Alabama Television Corporation, owned by John S. Jemison; and Birmingham Broadcasting Company, which was owned by Black businessman A. G. Gaston.[8] Tele-Mac bowed out in late November, leaving four parties seeking the channel.[9]

Hearing examiner James Kraushaar's initial decision, released in September 1968, gave the nod to Alabama Television,[10] based on its superior technical proposal.[11] However, Chapman and WBMG contested the award, and the FCC agreed, finding that Alabama Television had failed to contact Black people in the process of ascertainment of community needs required of prospective licensees. WBMG's petition also raised a 1969 incident in which a cemetery owned by Jemison refused to bury the body of a Black soldier killed in Vietnam.[12] In 1971, two other Alabama Television shareholders, George J. Mitnick and Joseph Engel, were sued by the United States Department of Justice for violations of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, and the FCC opened new hearings on the firm's qualifications in light of the lawsuit.[13]

Meanwhile, another applicant, Birmingham Broadcasting—which pledged the first integrated TV station in the country—was facing trouble in its ownership group. One of its stakeholders was Oscar Hyde, who was convicted on extortion charges in 1968 but still owned a third of the firm, putting it at a serious disadvantage in comparative hearing until Hyde sold his stake in 1973.[14] WBMG had dropped out by this point, leaving Chapman and Birmingham Broadcasting the lone contenders for the construction permit; the Hyde stake was still being contested, but the FCC found the programming proposals from Chapman inadequate.[15] Furthermore, the two financial institutions that had promised Birmingham Broadcasting funding in 1964 no longer existed in 1976.[16] Hearings were held by the FCC that fall, but one Birmingham Broadcasting stakeholder, Jesse L. Lewis, refused to come; he was serving as the State Highway and Traffic Safety Director, making him the only Black leader of a state agency, and he feared that if he left town, his department would be abolished by the state legislature.[17]

The question of financial backing turned out to be the deciding factor when an administrative law judge found in favor of Chapman's bid in 1977.[18] The decision was appealed to the full FCC, which upheld the ruling in March 1979.[19] An attempted appeal in federal court turned out to have been filed one day late,[20] while a petition for reconsideration made to the FCC was also dismissed.[21]

Early years

[edit]

With the permit in hand, construction—and new shareholders—entered the picture. The Chapman brothers sold half of the unbuilt station in 1980 to Byron Lasky, who owned Satellite Television & Associated Resources, a company providing microwave-based subscription television service in Birmingham.[22] The tower was erected alongside studios in the city's Goldencrest neighborhood in early 1982,[23] and on April 21, after more than 18 years, WTTO debuted as Birmingham's fourth commercial TV station, with the first program being Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.[24]

WTTO gave Birmingham its first independent station and Alabama its second, debuting a few weeks after WPMI-TV in Mobile. In 1983, Lasky acquired the remaining half of WTTO from the Chapmans.[25] During this time, the station extended its cable reach, appearing on the system in Anniston in 1985.[26]

Channel 21 was programmed as a typical UHF independent, maintaining a schedule reliant mainly on cartoons, sitcoms and movies. From its sign-on in 1982 until 1985, WTTO also carried programming from the Financial News Network. WTTO quickly became known in the market for airing a broad mix of cult films as part of its film lineup (the station also hosted film festivals at parks throughout central Alabama, featuring public screenings of the movies that it broadcast), as well as spoof promotional campaigns for its programs.[27] WTTO quickly became the strongest independent station in Alabama, and one of the highest-rated independents in the United States. WTTO remained the only independent station in central Alabama for its first two years of operation; however, it would eventually gain a competitor in the west-central part of the state. In 1984, WDBB began broadcasting from Tuscaloosa, and it activated a new transmission facility in 1986 that extended its signal to Birmingham.[28] It was WDBB (and WNAL-TV, a station in Gadsden that primarily rebroadcast it) that served as the market's first Fox affiliate.[29]

In September 1986, HR Broadcasting Company, a unit of HAR Communications, purchased the station along with WCGV-TV in Milwaukee from Byron Lasky's companies. HAR Communications was 20% owned by Hal Roach Studios.[30]

In June 1990, Qintex Entertainment sold its stake in HR Broadcasting Co., which owned WTTO and WCGV, to ABRY Communications for over $40 million.[31] ABRY was successful in winning the Fox affiliation from WDBB, which moved to WTTO on September 1, 1990.[32] As a result of their financial difficulties, WDBB and WNAL began simulcasting WTTO on January 30, 1991. Several stronger WDBB syndicated programs were added to WTTO's schedule as a result.[33] In addition to programming contracts, WTTO also purchased WDBB's Birmingham business offices and W62BG, a translator improving service in parts of the city.[34] The structure of WTTO's relationship with WDBB and WNAL changed to one of an affiliation; the stations also had the ability to air some of their own programming.[35] The three stations functioned as a regional network of their own, providing coverage comparable to WBRC and WVTM-TV.

By 1993, Abry had purchased WDBB and WNAL outright and converted both stations into full-time satellites of WTTO. WDBB then relocated its transmitter facilities to a tower in Moundville and reduced its transmitter power to reduce overlap with WTTO, but continued to maintain Bessemer as its city of license. That same year, WTTO entered into a local marketing agreement with WABM, which had been sold a few months earlier to a locally based group. By 1994, WTTO had become one of the highest-rated Fox affiliates in the country, and managed to overtake CBS affiliate WBMG as the third-highest-rated television station in central Alabama. Late that year, both WDBB and WNAL began airing separate programming during the daytime and late evening hours, consisting of syndicated sitcoms, drama and animated series that WTTO did not hold the rights to broadcast as well as local newscasts.

In 1994, Abry Communications merged with Sinclair Broadcast Group, which—in addition to acquiring WTTO and WDBB—also assumed the rights to the local marketing agreement with WABM. At that time, the station moved its operations into WABM's facilities on Beacon Parkway West. In 1995, WNAL was purchased by Fant Broadcasting, but it continued to simulcast WTTO's programming through a time brokerage agreement.

Disaffiliation from Fox and eventual switch to The WB

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On May 5, 1994, Great American Communications (which would be renamed Citicasters following the completion of its debt restructuring later that year) agreed to sell WBRC and three of its sister stations—fellow ABC affiliate WGHP in High Point, North Carolina, NBC affiliate WDAF-TV in Kansas City and CBS affiliate KSAZ-TV in Phoenix—to New World Communications for $350 million in cash and $10 million in share warrants. As part of a broader deal between New World and Fox signed on May 23 of that year, New World agreed to affiliate five of its eight existing television stations and the four it had acquired from Great American with Fox, in a series of affiliation transactions that would take two years to complete due to the varying conclusion dates of their ongoing contracts with either ABC, NBC or CBS.[36][37][38] WBRC was one of the stations involved in this agreement. Although WTTO had established itself as one of the network's strongest affiliates, Fox jumped at the chance to align with WBRC, which had been the dominant station in central Alabama for over three decades.

Three weeks later, New World agreed to buy WVTM-TV and three other stations—CBS affiliates KDFW in Dallas–Fort Worth and KTBC in Austin, and ABC affiliate KTVI in St. Louis—from Argyle Television Holdings, in a purchase option-structured deal worth $717 million.[37] The two purchases created a problem for New World due to conflicts caused by restrictions on television station ownership imposed by the FCC at the time; New World was not permitted to retain both WBRC and WVTM in any event as the ownership of two television stations in the same market by a single company was prohibited, and the concurrent acquisitions would give New World ownership of a combined fifteen stations, three more than the FCC allowed. The group's affiliation deal with Fox allowed New World to solve its ownership conflicts in Birmingham, as it chose to establish and transfer the license of WBRC into a trust company with the intent to sell the station to the network's broadcasting subsidiary, Fox Television Stations; the trust transfer was completed on July 24, 1995.

Although the transfer of WBRC to the trust was finalized on July 24, 1995, Fox could not switch WBRC's network affiliation in the short-term, as the station's contract with ABC would not expire until August 31, 1996. While this forced Fox Television Stations to operate WBRC as an ABC affiliate for 8½ months after its purchase of the station from the New World-established trust closed on January 17, 1996, creating the rare situation in which a station was run by the owned-and-operated station group of one network but maintained an affiliation with one of its competitors, it gave ABC enough time to find a new central Alabama affiliate. The network first approached WTTO for an affiliation agreement. However, Sinclair—which would not own any stations affiliated with either of the Big Three networks until it acquired River City Broadcasting in 1996—was only willing to carry ABC's prime time and news programming, as it was not interested in carrying the network's then-languishing daytime and Saturday morning programs. Even though WDBB operated a news department at the time negotiations with ABC began, Sinclair was also not willing to start a news department for WTTO; the group did not allocate a budget for news production for its non-Big Three stations at the time.

Unlike situations in St. Louis and the Piedmont Triad, where the network had little other choice but to align with a Sinclair-owned station (or one that the group would later acquire) due to a lack of another financially secure full-power station, other options were available in the Birmingham market. After turning down the WTTO offer in late 1995, ABC reached an agreement with Allbritton Communications to affiliate with WCFT in November of that year; Allbritton planned to acquire the non-license assets of WNAL-TV under a local marketing agreement and convert it into a satellite of WCFT-TV. Allbritton would later terminate the proposed LMA with WNAL and entered into an LMA with Osborne Communications Corporation to take over the operations of WJSU-TV; it also purchased low-power independent station W58CK (channel 58, now WBMA-LD) to serve as the official ABC affiliate for central Alabama for the purpose of being counted in the Birmingham station ratings reports (as Nielsen designated Tuscaloosa and Anniston as separate markets at the time), with WCFT and WJSU serving as its satellites; this prompted Allbritton to sign a groupwide affiliation deal with ABC which renewed the network's affiliations with its stations in Little Rock, Tulsa, Harrisburg, Roanoke, and Washington, D.C. and caused the company's stations in Charleston and Brunswick, Georgia to switch to the network.[39][40][41]

On September 1, 1996, when WBRC-TV officially became a Fox owned-and-operated station and W58CK/WCFT/WJSU became an ABC affiliate, WTTO and WDBB reverted to operating as independent stations. Simultaneously, WNAL formally terminated the WTTO simulcast, and became the CBS affiliate for Gadsden and northeastern Alabama. WBRC originally planned to carry the entire Fox network schedule, running the Fox Kids block on weekday afternoons to replace the displaced ABC soap opera lineup upon its move to the W58CK trimulcast (which would be collectively known as "ABC 33/40", a brand referencing the respective channel numbers of WCFT and WJSU, and will mostly be referred to hereafter in the article as "WBMA+"). However, in what would be the catalyst to a change in the carriage policies for Fox Kids that allowed stations the option of either airing the block or being granted the right to transfer the rights to another station in the market, Sinclair approached WBRC about allowing WTTO to retain Fox Kids, which the Fox network (on behalf of Fox Television Stations) allowed it to keep.

On January 27, 1997, WTTO and WDBB became affiliates of The WB Television Network, and changed its on-air branding to "WB 21".[42] It was one of the first Sinclair stations to affiliate with the network, occurring six months before the group struck an agreement to affiliate most of its UPN-affiliated and independent stations that it either owned or controlled to The WB on July 21.[43] Prior to that point, Birmingham had been one of the largest markets that was not served by a local WB affiliate; central Alabama residents were only able to receive WB programs on satellite and some cable providers through the national superstation feed of the network's Chicago affiliate, WGN-TV (now also a CW affiliate; its cable feed now operates as a standalone channel), which carried the network's programming nationwide from The WB's launch in January 1995 until October 1999.[44][45]

With the WB affiliation, WTTO added one of Fox Kids' competitors, Kids' WB, to its inventory of children's programming. The station carried Kids' WB's weekday morning and afternoon blocks together on Monday through Friday mornings (bookending Fox Kids' weekday morning block) on either a one-day delay or live-to-air depending on the time slot and accordant block; the Saturday morning edition of the block, meanwhile, aired on Sundays in a day-behind arrangement as WTTO aired the Fox Kids weekend block on Saturdays. During the late 1990s, WTTO reduced the number of movies, classic sitcoms and cartoons on its schedule, and began shifting its syndicated programming towards a lineup of talk, reality and court shows as well as more recent syndicated sitcoms, that would become the common variety of programming for netlet stations at that time.

In early 2000, WDBB relocated its transmitter facilities back to its original 609.6-meter (2,000 ft) guyed-mast transmission tower in Windham Springs (which was constructed and completed shortly before the station signed on in 1982). WTTO dropped the Fox Kids block back in September 1999, at which time, the station moved the Kids' WB blocks to weekday afternoons and Saturday mornings. Neither WBRC, nor any other central Alabama station, chose to acquire the local rights to Fox's children's programming lineup; as a result, Fox Kids, as well as the successor blocks that 4Kids Entertainment programmed for the network after 2002 (Fox Box and 4Kids TV), were not cleared in the Birmingham market for the 7+1⁄2 years that the network continued to carry children's programming; in addition, WTTO (as with WBRC) declined to air the paid programming block that replaced 4Kids TV in January 2009, Weekend Marketplace; it would air instead on WABM. WTTO has continued to air the Saturday morning program blocks carried by The WB, and later by The CW (Kids' WB, The CW4Kids/Toonzai, Vortexx and One Magnificent Morning), without interruption through the years. In 2001, Sinclair purchased WABM outright, creating the Birmingham–Tuscaloosa–Anniston market's first television duopoly with WTTO/WDBB.

CW affiliation

[edit]

On January 24, 2006, the Warner Bros. Entertainment unit of Time Warner (which operated The WB) and CBS Corporation (which acquired UPN through its split from Viacom in December 2005) announced that the two companies would respectively shut down UPN and The WB, and enter into a joint venture to form a new "fifth" broadcast television network, The CW, that would initially feature a mix of programming from both of its forerunner networks as well as new content developed specifically for The CW.[46][47] WTTO, however, continued to show The WB's programming until the network's closure on September 17, 2006. On May 2, 2006, Sinclair Broadcast Group announced that it had signed an affiliation agreement with the network, in which WTTO would become the Birmingham charter affiliate of The CW; when it officially joined the network upon its debut on September 18, WTTO/WDBB adopted "CW 21" as its official branding (although, the station sometimes identifies as "CW 21 Alabama" in some promotional imaging); sister station WABM affiliated with MyNetworkTV, a new secondary service started by Fox, on September 5, 2006.

In 2007, Sinclair sold WDBB to Cunningham Broadcasting, and entered into a time brokerage agreement to continue operating that station as its repeater. However, the sale itself was purely nominal, as 97% of Cunningham's stock is controlled by trusts owned by the family of now-deceased Sinclair founder Julian Sinclair Smith (including, among others, its current chief executive officer David Smith). Since the late 1990s, when it was known as Glencairn, Ltd., Cunningham has long faced allegations that it merely acts a shell corporation to circumvent FCC rules on television station ownership within a single market.[48][49][50]

Secondary ABC affiliation

[edit]

On July 29, 2013, Allbritton Communications announced that it would sell its seven television stations—including the trimulcast operation involving WBMA-LD and satellites WCFT-TV and WJSU-TV—to Sinclair Broadcast Group (which would purchase the stations for $985 million), in order to focus on running its co-owned political news website, Politico.[51][52] As part of the deal, Sinclair had intended to sell the license assets of WTTO and WABM to Deerfield Media, and retain operational responsibilities for those stations through shared services and joint sales agreements.[53]

On December 6, 2013, the FCC informed Sinclair that applications related to the deal need to be "amended or withdrawn", as Sinclair would retain the existing time brokerage agreement between WTTO and WDBB; this would, in effect, create a new LMA between WBMA+ and WDBB, even though the commission had ruled in 1999 that such agreements made after November 5, 1996, covering the programming of more than 15% of a station's broadcast day would count toward the ownership limits for the brokering station's owner.[54] On March 20, 2014, as part of a restructuring of the Sinclair-Allbritton deal in order to address these ownership conflicts as well as to expedite approval of the Allbritton acquisition that was delayed due to the FCC's increased scrutiny of outsourcing agreements (such as those maintained by Sinclair) used to circumvent in-market ownership caps, Sinclair announced that it would retain ownership of WTTO (under which WDBB would continue operating as its satellite under the existing LMA), and form a new duopoly between it and WBMA+ (which would mark the first known instance in which the senior partner in one duopoly became the junior partner in another, as well as the first instance involving a duopoly that was broken up legally terminating all operational ties with the junior partner); WABM was to be sold to a third-party buyer with which Sinclair would not enter into an operational outsourcing arrangement or maintain any contingent interest, other than a possible transitional shared facilities agreement until WTTO was able to move its operations from its Beacon Parkway studios to WBMA's facility in Hoover.[55][56]

On May 29, 2014, after informing the FCC that it had not found a buyer for WABM (even among the respective owners of WBRC, WVTM and WIAT that did not operate an existing duopoly in Birmingham, Raycom Media, Media General and LIN Media, the latter two of which were in the process of merging at the time), Sinclair stated that it would propose a surrendering of the WJSU and WCFT licenses, and migrate the WBMA simulcast to WABM's second digital subchannel on the basis that the latter's transmission facilities are superior to those of WCFT and WJSU (as a low-power station, WBMA-LD would not be affected as the FCC does not apply in-market ownership caps to low-power stations owned alongside any full-power station).[57][58] After nearly a year of delays, Sinclair's acquisition of Allbritton was approved by the FCC on July 24, 2014,[59] and completed one week later on August 1.[60]

On September 18, 2014, in preparation for the planned shutdown of WCFT and WJSU eleven days later on September 29 (the transaction would be suspended on Sinclair's asking by the FCC days prior to the shutdown after the group agreed to sell both stations to Howard Stirk Holdings, on the agreement that Sinclair would not enter into any operational arrangements with HSH for either station), WDBB added a simulcast feed of WBMA-LD on digital subchannel 17.2, replacing WCFT (which became a Heartland affiliate) as WBMA's Tuscaloosa repeater; WABM also added a simulcast of the WBMA on its 68.2 subchannel.[61]

Sports programming

[edit]

In August 2009, WTTO/WDBB acquired the broadcast rights to ESPN Regional Television's SEC Network syndication service, carrying most regular season college basketball and football games from the Southeastern Conference, as well as games from the first three rounds of the SEC men's basketball tournament; this agreement ended when ESPN discontinued the service in 2012, upon the launch of a conference-focused cable-only network of the same name.

In September 2015, WTTO/WDBB became the local broadcast rightsholder to the ACC Network syndication service, airing most regular season football and basketball games from selected teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference as well as games from the first three rounds of the ACC men's basketball tournament.

Newscasts

[edit]

WTTO launched its own in-house news operation on September 8, 2003, and began airing a nightly hour-long prime time newscast, titled WB21 News at 9:00. The program was developed and formatted around the News Central local/national hybrid news concept created by Sinclair that year; local news segments originated from the station's Beacon Parkway studios in Birmingham, while national news, weather and sports segments were based out of studios located at Sinclair's corporate headquarters on Beaver Dam Road in Hunt Valley, Maryland. In addition, WTTO also aired "The Point", a controversial one-minute conservative political commentary feature during its newscasts; the segment was required to air on all Sinclair-owned stations that aired local newscasts (regardless of whether it carried the News Central format or not).

Outsourcing to WIAT

[edit]
Further information: WIAT § News operation

The WB21 News at 9:00 was unable to make headway against WBRC's longer-established (and much higher-rated) 9 p.m. newscast, which debuted in September 1996 upon its switch to Fox; as a result, WTTO outsourced production of its evening newscast to CBS affiliate WIAT through a news share agreement in October 2005.[62] The WIAT-produced newscast was canceled on October 13, 2006, due to low ratings; the News Central format had earlier been phased out entirely in its other markets by March 2006.[63][64]

Technical information

[edit]

Subchannels

[edit]

The station's ATSC 1.0 channels are carried on the multiplexed signals of other Birmingham television stations:

Subchannels provided by WTTO (ATSC 1.0)[65]
Channel Res. Aspect Short name Programming ATSC 1.0 host
21.1 720p 16:9 CW The CW WIAT
21.2 480i 4:3 Antenna Antenna TV WABM
21.3 16:9 COMET Comet WVTM-TV
21.4 TBD Roar WBRC

Analog-to-digital conversion

[edit]

On February 2, 2009, Sinclair Broadcast Group announced in an e-mail release to all cable and satellite television providers carrying its television stations that, regardless of the exact date of the mandatory switchover to digital-only broadcasting for full-power stations (which Congress rescheduled days later to June 12), its stations (including WABM) would shut down their analog signals on the originally scheduled transition date of February 17.[66]

WTTO and WDBB ended regular programming on their analog signals, respectively over UHF channels 21 and 17, at 11:59 p.m. on that date. WTTO's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 28, using virtual channel 21. WDBB also continued to operate its digital signal on its pre-transition digital channel, UHF 18, using virtual channel 17.[67] As part of the SAFER Act,[68] WTTO and WDBB kept their analog signal on the air until March 19 to inform viewers of the digital television transition through a loop of public service announcements from the National Association of Broadcasters.

With the digital conversion, WTTO moved its transmitter facilities from its analog transmitter site 3 miles (4.8 km) east on Red Mountain to a digital transmitter overlooking the Goldencrest neighborhood, that it shares with radio stations WZZK (104.7 FM) and WBPT (106.9 FM). The move and the resulting expansion of its coverage area, resulted in the shutdown of W62BG as the main signal provided adequate coverage of the entire Birmingham area; the translator's license was canceled in late October 2011.

ATSC 3.0

[edit]
Subchannels of WTTO (ATSC 3.0)[69]
Channel Res. Short name Programming
6.1 720p WBRC Fox (WBRC) DRM
13.1 1080p WVTM NBC (WVTM-TV) DRM
21.1 720p CW The CW
21.10 1080p T2 T2
21.11 PBTV Pickleballtv
21.20 GMLOOP GameLoop
21.21 ROXi ROXi
42.1 1080p WIAT CBS (WIAT)
68.2 720p ABC3340 ABC (WBMA-LD)
  Subchannel broadcast with digital rights management
  Subchannel streamed via the Internet[70]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

WTTO

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
WTTO, virtual channel 21 (UHF digital channel 28), is a television station licensed to Homewood, Alabama, United States, serving the Birmingham metropolitan area as an affiliate of The CW network. The station is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group through its subsidiary WTTO Licensee, LLC, which operates it alongside sister stations in the market, including ABC affiliate WBMA-LD and MyNetworkTV affiliate WABM. WTTO signed on the air on April 21, 1982, originally operating as an independent station with a focus on syndicated programming and local content. Over its history, it affiliated with Fox starting in the early 1990s, achieving notable ratings success before losing the affiliation in 1996 amid a regional network shuffle; it then joined The WB in 1997 and transitioned to The CW upon that network's launch in 2006. The station broadcasts a mix of network entertainment, sports, and syndicated fare, with studios located in Birmingham and coverage extending to surrounding regions like Tuscaloosa and Anniston.

History

Channel allocation and early licensing efforts

The UHF channel 21 allocation for central was initially assigned to Gadsden. In December 1963, Chapman Radio and Television Company, owners of local radio station WCRT, petitioned the (FCC) to add a new UHF television channel to the Birmingham market, emphasizing service to minority audiences amid the city's limited VHF-dominated broadcasting landscape. The FCC approved the allocation of channel 21 to the Birmingham area in August 1965 as part of broader revisions to the UHF table of assignments, substituting it for channel 54 in pending applications. However, competing applicants—including Birmingham Broadcasting Company, Birmingham Television Corporation, and Alabama Television Corporation—protested the decision, prompting the FCC to reopen comparative hearings to evaluate qualifications such as technical feasibility, financial resources, and community integration plans. The licensing process extended over more than a decade due to protracted disputes. In the fall of , the FCC initially awarded the construction permit to Television Corporation, a group led by attorney John Jemison with ties to local business interests. Chapman challenged the ruling in federal court, alleging procedural irregularities and superior programming proposals tailored to underserved demographics, which stalled construction and escalated into appeals before the FCC and judiciary. Multiple rounds of hearings assessed applicants' engineering proposals for transmitter sites on Red Mountain, projected coverage extending to Tuscaloosa and Anniston, and capitalization requirements estimated at over $1 million for facilities compliant with FCC signal strength standards. Resolution came in the early 1980s when the FCC, after exhausting appeals, granted the construction permit to Chapman Broadcasting, a successor entity to the original petitioner. This followed Chapman's demonstration of adequate funding—secured through investors including & Associated Resources ()—and commitments to independent programming focused on local content, avoiding overreliance on network affiliations amid Birmingham's saturated VHF market. The permit authorized operations from a transmitter atop Red Mountain with an of approximately 2.5 million watts, enabling city-grade coverage over Jefferson County and beyond. These efforts culminated in WTTO's sign-on as Birmingham's first commercial UHF on April 21, 1982.

Path to sign-on and initial operations

Following the resolution of protracted licensing challenges in the early 1980s, Chapman Radio and Television Company proceeded with construction of transmission facilities on Red Mountain in , enabling WTTO to prepare for broadcast operations. The station's infrastructure, including studios initially located adjacent to the tower site, was completed in time for launch, marking the culmination of efforts dating back to initial channel allocation petitions in 1963. WTTO signed on the air at 6:00 p.m. Central Time on , 1982, as an independent UHF station on channel 21, licensed to . Its debut broadcast featured a rerun episode of the 1970s series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. Under Penny Haft, the station assembled a youthful and relatively inexperienced team, including 24-year-old Guy Chancey as promotion manager, who contributed to early marketing efforts alongside staff like Karen Cole for creative campaigns. Initial programming emphasized syndicated content tailored to a general audience, including cult films, classic sitcoms such as , cartoons, and movies, which helped the station quickly establish a niche in the Birmingham market previously dominated by network affiliates. From sign-on through 1985, WTTO supplemented its lineup with feeds from the during off-peak hours. Innovative promotions, such as public movie screenings in parks during warmer months pioneered by staffer Keri Lane-Hontzas, further engaged local viewers in the station's formative phase. Operations from the Red Mountain tower provided coverage to the broader Birmingham area, setting the stage for WTTO's growth as the market's first postwar .

Expansion and affiliation with Fox

In 1990, following its sale to Krypton Broadcasting, WTTO became the Fox Broadcasting Company's affiliate for the Birmingham market, airing the upstart network's programming after previously operating as an . This affiliation positioned WTTO as the primary outlet, supplanting WDBB in Tuscaloosa, which had carried the network prior. The switch aligned with Fox's growth strategy in mid-sized markets, providing WTTO access to national primetime lineup including shows like and NFL broadcasts starting in 1994. To extend its signal reach amid the affiliation, WTTO established semi-satellite operations with WDBB (channel 17, Tuscaloosa) and WNAL-TV (channel 44, Gadsden/Anniston), enabling of Fox content to western and eastern portions of central where WTTO's UHF signal from its 1,062-foot tower—erected in 1986—offered marginal coverage. These partnerships effectively expanded the duopoly's footprint, serving rural viewers in a pre-cable era when over-the-air reception dominated, and boosted WTTO's as gained traction with younger demographics. The Fox era marked WTTO's commercial peak as an independent-turned-affiliate, with the network's limited schedule (initially two nights weekly) supplemented by syndicated fare and local inserts, fostering audience growth before the 1994–1996 affiliation realignments prompted by 's acquisition of ABC stations like . Ownership under emphasized cost-efficient operations, leveraging the affiliation to compete against established VHF stations without major capital infusions beyond the existing infrastructure.

Disaffiliation from Fox and shift to The WB

On September 1, 1996, WTTO disaffiliated from following the network's decision to affiliate with , a VHF station acquired through purchase of Communications properties as part of the 1994–1996 affiliation realignment. This shift prioritized stronger, full-power outlets for expanding coverage and prime-time lineup, displacing UHF independents like WTTO in several markets. WTTO, which had served as Birmingham affiliate since 1991 alongside satellites WDBB in Tuscaloosa and WNAL in Gadsden, immediately reverted to independent operation, airing syndicated programming such as older sitcoms and movies. WNAL subsequently affiliated with , while WTTO and WDBB continued without a primary network. The loss of Fox programming, including its children's block, reduced WTTO's reach amid competition from WBRC's established news and sports emphasis. Station management, under owner Abry Broadcasting (with involvement via local marketing agreements), focused on bolstering syndication deals to maintain viability during the interim period. In February 1997, WTTO and WDBB affiliated with Television Network, addressing Birmingham's status as one of the largest U.S. markets without a WB outlet since the network's 1995 launch. The affiliation introduced WB's lineup of younger-skewing dramas and comedies, complemented by the Saturday morning block as a direct rival to remnants elsewhere. WTTO rebranded on-air as "WB 21," enhancing its appeal to advertisers targeting youth and family demographics while leveraging its UHF signal for broader syndicated content integration. This move stabilized operations ahead of Sinclair's full acquisition of the station later that year.

Adoption of The CW affiliation

Following the January 24, 2006, announcement of the merger between Television Network and to form , WTTO, as an existing affiliate, was selected to carry the new network's programming. Sinclair Broadcast Group, which operated WTTO at the time, confirmed on May 2, 2006, that the station would serve as affiliate for the Birmingham market. WTTO continued airing 's remaining schedule until the network's shutdown on September 17, 2006. launched nationally on September 18, 2006, with WTTO adopting the affiliation and rebranding from WB 21 to 21 to reflect the change. This transition integrated select programming from both predecessor networks, maintaining WTTO's role as a key outlet for youth-oriented series and syndicated content in central .

Secondary affiliations and operational partnerships

In 2001, acquired full of WABM (channel 68), establishing a duopoly with WTTO that enabled shared operational resources, including and certain programming decisions, while complying with FCC ownership limits at the time. The two stations have since co-located studios at 1811 Parkway West in Birmingham, facilitating joint production capabilities for non-network content such as syndicated programming and local promotions. WTTO also maintains operational control over WDBB (channel 33) in , a low-power semi-satellite that simulcasts nearly all of WTTO's programming to extend coverage into parts of the market. Although WDBB's license is held by Cunningham Broadcasting—a company majority-owned by trusts linked to Sinclair's founders—Sinclair provides all programming, , and advertising sales under a equivalent to a time brokerage arrangement, effectively giving Sinclair de facto ownership. This structure, in place since Sinclair's 2006 acquisition of WTTO's prior interests, allows WTTO to operate WDBB without direct license ownership, a common Sinclair practice to navigate FCC duopoly rules. No secondary network affiliations have been implemented on WTTO's primary channel since the 2006 launch of , with the station instead filling non-network daytime and fringe hours with syndicated fare like reruns of and . Plans explored in 2013–2014 to add secondary ABC programming—amid Sinclair's proposed divestiture of WTTO and WABM licenses to Deerfield Media while retaining operational control via agreements—did not materialize, as the FCC rejected the arrangements and Sinclair ultimately acquired Allbritton Communications' ABC affiliate WBMA-LD outright in 2014. Following this, WTTO integrated operations with WBMA-LD, sharing engineering and some back-office functions within Sinclair's Birmingham cluster, though each retains distinct network affiliations.

Ownership and Management

Founding ownership and early sales

WTTO was established by Chapman Broadcasting Company, which secured the construction permit for UHF channel 21 licensed to , following initial petitions dating back to 1963 and formal FCC approval in 1965, though construction was delayed by legal challenges until the early 1980s. The station signed on as an independent broadcaster on April 21, 1982, initially airing a mix of syndicated programming and local content from studios in Birmingham. In 1983, Chapman Broadcasting sold WTTO to Arlington Broadcasting Corporation for an undisclosed amount, marking the station's first ownership change shortly after its launch. Arlington, which focused on expanding its portfolio of independent stations, operated WTTO until , during which time the station solidified its position as Birmingham's primary non-network outlet. Arlington Broadcasting then transferred ownership of WTTO to HR Broadcasting Company in , continuing the station's independent format amid growing competition from emerging networks. This sale reflected the era's trend of consolidation among UHF independents seeking capital for programming investments. HR Broadcasting, backed by investors including elements tied to film producer , maintained operations without significant format shifts in the immediate aftermath.

Acquisition by Sinclair Broadcast Group

In 1994, completed its merger with Abry Communications LP, acquiring ownership of several television stations including WTTO in . This transaction integrated WTTO, an independent UHF station previously purchased by Abry in 1989 from HR Broadcasting, into Sinclair's growing portfolio of non-network affiliates outside major markets. The merger enhanced Sinclair's presence in mid-sized markets like Birmingham, where WTTO operated alongside its satellite station WDBB-TV (channel 19) in Bessemer, allowing for expanded programming distribution via simulcasting. Sinclair assumed full operational control, including the existing with affiliate , which Abry had managed prior to the deal. No specific for WTTO was publicly disclosed, as it formed part of Abry's broader asset transfer valued in the context of Sinclair's early expansion strategy. Sinclair retained WTTO through subsequent regulatory scrutiny, including a restructuring of its $985 million Allbritton Communications acquisition, where it divested other assets but kept the CW-affiliated WTTO to comply with FCC ownership limits in the Birmingham market. This decision preserved Sinclair's strategic foothold in the region, pairing WTTO with WABM under common ownership.

Shared services agreements and duopoly operations

Sinclair Broadcast Group owns WTTO alongside WABM, a MyNetworkTV affiliate, forming a duopoly in the Birmingham–Tuscaloosa–Anniston designated market area (DMA). This structure, permissible under the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) 1999 television duopoly rule revisions that allow common ownership of two commercial stations in larger markets provided they meet audience share thresholds, enables shared operational resources such as advertising sales, promotional efforts, and administrative functions between WTTO and WABM. The duopoly facilitates cost efficiencies and coordinated content strategies, including joint carriage of syndicated programming where applicable, while maintaining distinct primary network affiliations for each station. In addition to direct ownership, Sinclair operates WDBB, a low-power CW repeater serving Tuscaloosa, through a shared services agreement (SSA) with its licensee, Cunningham Broadcasting Corporation. Under this arrangement, documented as a local marketing agreement (LMA) managed via WTTO, Sinclair provides programming, sales, and operational services to WDBB, effectively integrating it into the group's market presence without full ownership. This SSA, which traces back to Sinclair's divestiture of WDBB to Cunningham amid ownership limit considerations, allows WTTO's CW programming to extend coverage across the DMA via WDBB's signal, enhancing redundancy and reach while sharing infrastructure costs. Such agreements have enabled Sinclair to maintain influence over multiple signals in the market, though they have faced regulatory review for potentially circumventing FCC ownership caps on attributable interests. These duopoly and SSA operations contribute to centralized management from Sinclair's facilities, including unified digital operations and multicast strategies, but WTTO retains primary responsibility for its CW affiliation compliance and local insertion capabilities. No formal SSAs extend directly to WTTO's core broadcast operations beyond these pairings, as confirmed in FCC filings related to Sinclair's market activities.

Programming

Primary network affiliations over time

WTTO signed on the air as an on April 21, 1982, initially supplementing its schedule with programming until 1985. It remained independent until securing the affiliation in January 1991, serving as the network's Birmingham market outlet with simulcasts on satellite stations WDBB and WNAL. The station lost its Fox affiliation on September 1, 1996, when the network shifted to amid a broader realignment driven by ownership changes and Fox's expansion strategy. WTTO operated independently for several months before affiliating with in February 1997, adopting the on-air branding "WB 21." Following the 2006 merger of and into , WTTO transitioned to the new network that September, rebranding as "CW 21" and retaining the affiliation to the present day.
PeriodPrimary AffiliationKey Details
April 21, 1982 – 1985IndependentSupplemented with .
1985 – January 1991IndependentGeneral entertainment focus on syndicated content.
January 1991 – September 1, 1996Primary Birmingham affiliate; high ratings by 1994.
September 1996 – February 1997IndependentBrief period post-Fox shuffle to .
February 1997 – September 2006Branded "WB 21"; filled prior market gap.
September 2006 – presentBranded "CW 21"; continued youth-targeted programming.

Syndicated content and local originals

As an independent station from its launch on April 21, 1982, until 1990, WTTO relied heavily on syndicated programming to fill its schedule, including off-network sitcom reruns such as , classic films, and cartoons, which helped build a local audience through targeted promotional campaigns like spoof advertisements. The station pioneered by hosting public screenings of cult movies in Birmingham parks, an initiative led by early personality Keri Lane-Hontzas to extend its syndicated content beyond broadcasts. During its affiliation from 1991 to 1996, syndicated content diminished in volume, limited to mornings, early evenings, and weekends to complement network primetime and sports, though the station retained popular off-network series and movies in off-peak slots. Following the shift to in 1997 and in 2006, WTTO expanded syndicated offerings toward younger demographics, incorporating first-run talk shows, reality series, and court programs in daytime and late-night blocks, such as series like Crime Beat and lifestyle shows. This programming supplemented CW network content, with syndication comprising approximately 20-30 hours weekly in recent schedules, focusing on acquired series rather than originals. Local original non-news programming has been minimal, reflecting the station's reliance on affiliations and syndication in a mid-sized market; beyond occasional special events tied to syndicated films, WTTO has not produced ongoing original series or talk formats, prioritizing cost-effective acquired content over in-house development. Ownership under since 2013 has standardized syndicated selections across its portfolio, emphasizing barter syndication deals for shows like court and talk formats to optimize without local production investment.

Sports broadcasting rights and coverage

WTTO has carried (SEC) college football and basketball games since 1997 through ESPN Regional Television's syndicated package, primarily featuring early Saturday kickoffs for football at approximately 11:21 a.m. CT following a pregame studio show. This coverage continued after the station's shift to The CW affiliation in 2006, with games broadcast in high definition on its main channel. In July 2009, WTTO renewed a three-year agreement with Regional Television for these SEC rights, encompassing most non-nationally televised regular-season football and contests, including studio analysis hosted by Rob Stone and , play-by-play by Dave Neal, analysis by , and sideline reporting by Cara Capuano. The deal built on WTTO's prior 15-year involvement in SEC syndication dating to 1997, during which the station captured strong local viewership; for instance, the Birmingham market averaged a 14.5 rating for the 2009 season's SEC football broadcasts, the highest among syndication outlets. Under Sinclair Broadcast Group's ownership since 2013, WTTO's programming has occasionally incorporated events from Sinclair's American Network (later rebranded as ), though such content more frequently airs on WABM or subchannels rather than WTTO's primary feed. The station's schedule continues to feature select games, such as non-conference and conference matchups, integrated with network obligations, reflecting the limited but regionally relevant role for a affiliate in a market dominated by major network carriers of and primary SEC games. Local coverage emphasizes Alabama-area teams, including occasional games via syndication, alongside weather-integrated updates.

News and public affairs production

WTTO initiated local news production on September 8, 2003, with the debut of WB 21 News at 9, an hour-long newscast airing weeknights. The program featured local anchors, including Craig Boswell as the primary evening anchor, who had prior experience covering international events such as the for a Nashville station. This marked the station's first in-house news effort, initially incorporating elements of Sinclair Broadcast Group's centralized "News Central" format, which blended local reporting with national segments produced from Hunt Valley, Maryland. In October 2005, production of the 9 p.m. newscast shifted to WIAT, the market's CBS affiliate, under a news share agreement; the program retained WTTO branding but utilized WIAT's anchors, reporters, and facilities while maintaining the WTTO-specific graphics and focus. This partnership continued as WTTO transitioned to The CW affiliation in 2006, rebranding the newscast accordingly. Following Sinclair's expanded control in the market—including ownership of ABC affiliate WBMA-LD (ABC 33/40)—news operations integrated further, with shared studios at the Riverchase office park in Birmingham facilitating resource pooling across Sinclair's properties, including WTTO, WABM, and WBMA-LD. By the 2010s, the prime time newscast evolved into a collaborative effort emphasizing local stories, weather, and sports relevant to Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Anniston, and Cullman. As of 2025, WTTO maintains an active news department led by a designated news director, producing digital and broadcast content focused on , updates, and sports coverage for central . The station's website aggregates local reporting, including investigative pieces and community events, often cross-promoted with ABC 33/40's more extensive newsroom output. Traditional on-air newscasts remain limited to the 9 p.m. slot, with production emphasizing cost-efficient typical of Sinclair's model, avoiding standalone full-day news cycles seen at Big Three affiliates. Public affairs programming at WTTO has historically been minimal, aligning with FCC requirements for interest content rather than dedicated shows. The station airs occasional political debates, coverage, and announcements, often sourced from Sinclair's national template or localized via partnerships. No standalone public affairs series, such as weekly panels or documentaries, is prominently featured, with emphasis instead on specials tied to elections or civic issues, produced in coordination with the shared team. This approach reflects broader trends in Sinclair-owned CW affiliates, prioritizing syndicated entertainment over expansive local public affairs amid resource constraints.

Technical Facilities

Broadcast signal and coverage area

WTTO transmits its primary over-the-air signal as a digital UHF station on physical channel 21 ( 21.1), operating under ATSC 1.0 standards with additional capabilities launched on December 5, 2022. The main transmitter is located atop Red Mountain in , at coordinates 33°29′4″N 86°48′25″W, utilizing a with an (ERP) of 1,000 kilowatts and a (HAAT) of 1,385 feet. This configuration supports a 41 dBu noise-limited contour that encompasses the core of the Birmingham–Anniston–Tuscaloosa designated market area (DMA #40), providing reliable reception across the Birmingham metropolitan statistical area and surrounding central counties, including Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, and parts of Blount and Walker. To extend coverage westward, WTTO operates WDBB (virtual channel 17), a full-power licensed to , which simulcasts WTTO's primary programming and select subchannels. WDBB transmits from a tower near Tuscaloosa at approximately 33°28′48″N 87°25′50″W, with an of 675 kilowatts and an HAAT exceeding 2,000 feet, targeting Tuscaloosa County and western fringes of the DMA where the Red Mountain signal experiences -related . Combined, the two facilities deliver the station's signal to over 1.6 million television households in the DMA, though actual reception varies by , antenna type, and interference. Prior to digital transition, a low-power translator (W62BG) filled urban gaps in downtown Birmingham but was discontinued in October 2011. The physical channel assignment to 21 was finalized in April 2021 following the FCC spectrum repack, restoring full-power operations after temporary low-power constraints.

Subchannels and multicast programming

WTTO's ATSC 1.0 digital signal transmits on 21, four subchannels to deliver primary CW affiliation alongside secondary multicast networks owned or distributed by . The main channel, 21.1, airs The CW's national primetime lineup, including dramas, comedies, and sports events like , alongside local insertions for commercials and occasional station-produced content. Subchannel 21.2 carries , a classic television diginet featuring sitcoms and dramas from the 1950s through 1990s, such as and ; Sinclair added this affiliation post-2015 after briefly displacing other programming. On 21.3, broadcasts and fantasy films and series, a Sinclair-launched network that debuted nationally on October 31, 2015, emphasizing genre content like cult classics and space operas. Subchannel 21.4 features Roar, an interactive entertainment service rebranded from Sinclair's TBD in late 2025, offering gaming, lifestyle shows, and viewer-engaged programming focused on adventure and action themes. These channels utilize standard-definition or high-definition formats as bandwidth allows, with bitrates optimized for multiple streams; and typically operate in , while Roar supports interactive elements in where feasible. WTTO's semi-satellite WDBB (channel 17) simulcasts on 17.1 but diverges on secondary slots, carrying ABC on 17.2 and weather programming on 17.3, reflecting localized strategies in the Tuscaloosa submarket. As of October 2025, no major changes to the lineup have been reported, though Sinclair periodically adjusts affiliations to maximize carriage.

Transition from analog to digital

WTTO discontinued its analog signal on UHF channel 21 at 11:59 p.m. Central Time on February 17, 2009, aligning with the originally planned national digital transition date before its postponement to June 12. This early switchover positioned WTTO among approximately 400 full-power U.S. television stations that ceased analog operations on that date, enabling the station to focus resources on its established digital signal. The decision facilitated a smoother integration of digital broadcasting capabilities, including high-definition programming for events such as Southeastern Conference football games, which WTTO had aired since 1997. Post-transition, WTTO's digital transmissions operated on physical UHF channel 28 while retaining 21.1 for continuity with legacy channel numbering, as assigned by the during the DTV channel election process. This configuration allowed over-the-air viewers equipped with digital tuners or converter boxes to access the station's (later ) affiliation without disruption, though households relying solely on analog sets required NTSC-to-ATSC adapters to restore service. The early analog shutdown complied with FCC guidelines permitting voluntary transitions for stations demonstrating adequate digital coverage, minimizing viewer impact in the Birmingham market. The shift enhanced WTTO's technical efficiency, freeing the analog spectrum for repurposing while enabling multicast subchannels on the digital stream, such as additional programming feeds that expanded viewer options beyond primary network content. No significant service outages were reported for WTTO during this phase, reflecting preparatory digital testing conducted in prior years as mandated by FCC rollout requirements.

Implementation of ATSC 3.0

WTTO converted its over-the-air transmission to , branded as NextGen TV, on December 5, 2022, as part of a collaborative market-wide launch involving seven Birmingham-area stations. In this implementation, WTTO serves as one of two designated host stations—alongside WSES—for the Birmingham Designated Market Area (DMA), transmitting signals that include its own programming alongside content from other participating stations such as (), WVTM-TV (), (), and WABM (ABC). This hosting arrangement enables broader coverage across the market without requiring every station to independently upgrade its physical transmission facilities, while complying with FCC voluntary deployment rules that mandate continued ATSC 1.0 simulcasting to protect legacy receiver compatibility. The station's signal supports advanced features including 4K ultra-high-definition video, (HDR) imaging, immersive audio with dialogue enhancement, and potential for IP-based interactivity and , though initial rollout focused on core broadcast improvements over WTTO's existing CW-affiliated content. Owned by , which has advocated for ATSC 3.0 adoption through investments in transmission equipment and partnerships, WTTO's conversion leverages Sinclair's broader strategy to deploy the standard in over 50 markets by 2023, emphasizing enhanced mobile reception and datacasting capabilities. As of 2025, the implementation remains active, with no reported interruptions, aligning with Sinclair's ongoing promotion of the for improved viewer experiences amid slow consumer device adoption.

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