From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

WFTS
Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida
Branding	ABC Action News
Slogan	Taking Action For You First in HD Start Here
Channels	Analog: 28 (UHF) Digital: 29 (UHF)
Affiliations	ABC The AccuWeather Channel (DT2)
Owner	The E.W. Scripps Company
Founded	December 14, 1981
Call letters meaning	W Family Television Station (referring to original owner, Family Group Broadcasting)
Former affiliations	independent (1981-1988) Fox (1988-1994)
Transmitter Power	2630 kW (analog) 500 kW (digital)
Height	471 m (analog) 476 m (digital)
Facility ID	64588
Transmitter Coordinates	27°50′33″N, 82°15′45.1″W
Website	www.abcactionnews.com

WFTS ("ABC Action News") is the ABC affiliate for the Tampa-St. Petersburg, Florida market, owned by The E.W. Scripps Company. It broadcasts its analog signal on UHF channel 28 and its digital signal on UHF channel 29. Its transmitter is located in Riverview, Florida.

WFTS-TV first went on the air on December 14, 1981 as an independent station. Being a flagship of the locally-based Family Group Broadcasting, the station programmed a family-oriented general entertainment format with cartoons, off-network dramas, old movies and religious shows. Its call letters originally stood for Family Television Station. An era of local ownership ended on April 22, 1984, when it was acquired by Capital Cities Communications. It was Capital Cities' first station in Florida, the group's first -- and only -- independent station, and was also the last station acquired by the group prior to its merger with ABC.

Under Capital Cities, the station added more off-network sitcoms and reduced the number of religious shows and dramas on its schedule. In 1986, Capital Cities stunned the world with its purchase of ABC -- the network was ten times bigger than CapCities was at the time. CapCities owned several ABC affiliates, and two CBS affiliates: KFSN-TV in Fresno, California and WTVD in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. The company's combined assets exceeded FCC ownership limits at the time, so CapCities decided to keep its CBS affiliates and change their affiliations to ABC, along with WPVI-TV in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and KTRK-TV in Houston, Texas, and sold WFTS and ABC's O&O in Detroit, Michigan, WXYZ-TV, to the E. W. Scripps Company, while selling several other stations to minority-owned firms.

Scripps continued the format on WFTS, running cartoons, sitcoms, movies, and dramas. A 10pm newscast was planned for the station, but did not come to fruition. WFTS picked up the Fox affiliation in 1988 after WTOG dropped it and the station began to identify on air as "FOX28".

On May 22, 1994, New World Communications came to an agreement with Fox, and most of New World's stations, including WTVT, Tampa Bay's longtime CBS affiliate, were to affiliate with Fox. CBS would also lose longtime affiliates in Atlanta, Detroit, Cleveland, and Dallas-Ft. Worth, and as a result, wooed WXYZ and Cleveland's ABC affiliate that was also owned by Scripps, WEWS-TV (which incidentally was a CBS affiliate in the past), for affiliation. Scripps informed ABC that in order not to lose 2 of its longest standing and strongest affiliates, that ABC would have to affiliate with 4 other stations owned by Scripps: WFTS, KNXV-TV in Phoenix, Arizona (which was also due to lose its Fox affiliation to a New World station), WMAR-TV in Baltimore, Maryland and WCPO-TV in Cincinnati, Ohio -- the latter had to wait for ABC's affiliation contract with WKRC-TV to expire in June 1996 to switch.

As a result, in 1994, WFTS assumed the ABC affiliation from longtime affiliate WTSP, which became the new CBS affiliate, sent the Fox affiliation to WTVT, and sent most of its syndicated programming to WTTA, WTOG and/or WTMV, which would also air Fox Kids. A decade later, WFTS became one of three Florida television stations, and one of the many Scripps-owned ABC affiliates that preempted Saving Private Ryan.

The station is not available on Comcast cable in Venice (Southern Sarasota County) due to the presence of WWSB, an ABC station formed after WTSP's coverage of the Sarasota area was insufficient when WTSP was an ABC affiliate. This means WFTS is not available to over 91,000 cable subscribers. [1] In September 2007, both WFTS and WWSB began to carry Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!; previously WTSP had aired the two game shows from 7-8 p.m.

Tampa-St. Petersburg is the the fourth largest market with a major network on the UHF dial, while the larger markets with a major network on the UHF dial are Phoenix, Arizona (KNXV-TV, channel 15), Atlanta, Georgia (WGCL-TV, channel 46) and Detroit, Michigan (WWJ-TV, channel 62). KNXV is an ABC affiliate while WGCL and WWJ are CBS affiliates.

During its days as an independent station and Fox affiliate, WFTS presented hourly newsbreaks and weatherbreaks, featuring a person reading the day's headlines or the current forecast. During the station's first few months on the air, the newsbreaks were provided by WNSI-AM 1380 (now WWMI) in audio only, over a slide that said News Check. Later on, News Checks began to feature newsreaders on camera at WFTS's studios. By the late-1980s, the newsbreaks became 28 Newsbreak or 28 Weatherbreak. These newsbreaks were discontinued in December 1994 after the station became an ABC affiliate and launched a full-scale news operation.

WFTS began airing full-scale newscasts in 1994, under the "28 Tampa Bay News" handle. The newscasts initially originated from Telemation studios in Clearwater, since WFTS's studios on Tampa's east side (at the corner of I-4 and Columbus Drive) didn't have enough room for a full-sized newsroom or set. The station's news operation then moved to its new studios on Himes Avenue across from Raymond James Stadium in 1996. The station gradually added newscasts at 5-7am, 12noon-12:30pm, 5-6:30pm, and 11-11:35pm. Given the fact that many former Fox stations have switched to ABC, NBC or CBS at the time, WFTS did not falter with many stations of such that launched newscasts with no success at competing with long-standing (mostly VHF) news stations (some stations cancelled their newscasts as a result), but rather it competes somewhat well with long standing stations WTVT, WFLA and WTSP, though the newscasts continually place last, with the exception of 5-6 am hour and 6-7 am hour of the morning newscast [March 2007], which placed ahead of WTSP's morning news. WFTS's 11pm newscast [March 2007] was in a statistical tie for last place with WTVT's year-old 11pm newscast. Also, WFTS's noon newscast placed second, ahead of WTVT and WFLA, but behind WTSP [March 2007]. [2].

The newscast title was changed to "28 News" briefly in 2002, before being changed again to "ABC Action News" later that year due to viewer confusion with the ABC28 branding. The "Action News" all day branding is also shared with sister station KSHB-TV in Kansas City, which is an NBC affiliate.

In fall 2005, the station extended its midday newscast to a full hour, from 12noon-1pm, following the cancellation of ABC's soap Port Charles.

Newscast introduction introduced on July 28, 2007 when WFTS went HD. WFTS has since slightly updated the opening logo.

WFTS currently has newscasts at 5AM-7AM, 12PM-1PM, and 5PM-6PM weekdays, with newscasts at 6PM-6:30PM and 11PM-11:35PM all week.

On July 28, 2007 at 6:00pm, WFTS-TV became the first broadcast station newscast in the Tampa DMA to broadcast in high definition.^[1] WFTS surprisingly beat out rivals WTVT and WTSP who were both rumored to be competing for the first HD newscast in Tampa Bay.

News Anchors

• Dan Shaffer, morning and noon anchor (since 1996)
• Deiah Riley, morning and noon anchor (since 2003)
• Walt Maciborski, weekday 5:00PM anchor and weekday 11:00PM reporter (since 2005)
• Linda Hurtado, weekday 5:00PM anchor and health reporter (since 1994)
• Brendan McLaughlin, weekday 6:00PM and 11:00PM anchor and host of Flashpoint (since 1994)
• Wendy Ryan, weekday 6:00PM and 11:00PM anchor (since 2003)
• John Thomas, weekend anchor and weekday general assignment reporter
• Sarina Fazan, weekend anchor and weekday general assignment reporter

Meteorologists

• Wayne Shattuck, (AMS Seal of Approval) morning and noon meteorologist (since 1994)
• Denis Phillips, (AMS Seal of Approval) chief meteorologist (since 1994)
• Linda Gialanella, (AMS Seal of Approval) weekend meteorologist (also fills in for meteorologists)
• Stephanie Roberts, (NWA Seal of Approval) freelance fill-in meteorologist (since 2006)

Sports Anchors

• Al Keck, weekday sports anchor and sports director (since 2001)
• Tom Korun, weekend sports anchor
• Dan Eassa, sports producer (also fills in for sports anchors) (since 2007)

News Reporters

• Jackie Callaway, chief Taking Action For You reporter (since 2002)
• Matthew Schwartz, chief ABC Action News Investigators reporter (since 2005)
• Kellie Lightbourn, Call For Action Attorney reporter
• Alan "Captain Al" Taylor, Action Air 1 pilot/reporter
• Don Germaise, general assignment reporter (since 1994)
• Bill Logan, general assignment reporter (also fills in for anchors and meteorologists) (since 2004)
• Chris Martinez, general assignment reporter (since 2003)
• Lisa Remillard, general assignment reporter (since 2005)
• Dawn Pellas, freelance reporter (since 2006)
• Susan Casper, general assignment reporter (also fills in for anchors) (since 2006)
• Jack Harris, Action News at 5 Commentary (since 2005)
• Barron Johnson, freelance reporter (returned in 2006)
• James Zambroski, general assignment reporter (since 2007)
• Kerry Kavanaugh, consumer reporter (since 2007)
• Mary Ann Razzuk, general assignment reporter (since 2007)
• Elizabeth Herrera, general assignment reporter (since 2007)
• Tracy Jacim, general assignment reporter (since 2007)
• Carson Chambers, general assignment reporter (since 2007)
• Samantha Knapp, general assignment reporter (since 2007)

• Drew Soicher, sports director (1994-1998) Now at KUSA in Denver.
• Jay Crawford, sports director (1998-2001) Now at ESPN and WCBS-TV in New York City.
• Paul Konrad, meteorologist (1994-1996) Now at WGN in Chicago.
• Bob Kendrick, evening anchor (1994?-2003) Now at KUSA in Denver.
• Angie Moreschi, anchor (1995-2001) Now freelance journalist and media consultant in Lutz, Florida.
• Patrick Emory, morning anchor (2001-2003)
• Robin Guess, investigative reporter (?-2005)
• Martie Tucker (Salt), evening anchor (1994-2003) Now at WFTV in Orlando.
• Lissette Campos, morning anchor (?-2003?)
• Kelly Swoope, weekend anchor (1994-2002) Now at WMAR in Baltimore.
• Trina Robinson, anchor/reporter (1994-?) Now at WTVJ in Miami.
• Barron Johnson, reporter (?-?) (Has returned as a freelance reporter as of December, 2006.)
• Laura McElroy, reporter (1994-2004) Now working for the Tampa Police, serving as Public Information Officer.
• Nannette Miranda, reporter (?-2003) Now at KGO in San Francisco.
• Tracy Sievertson, reporter (2001-?)
• Mike Mason, investigative reporter (?-?)
• Peter Bernard, substitute weather forecaster (?-2002) Now at rival WFLA in Tampa as an anchor/reporter.
• Doug Smith, weekend anchor (?-2003) Now at rival WTVT in Tampa as an investigative reporter and substitute anchor.
• Sage Steele, sports anchor and reporter (?-2001) Later moved to Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, now at ESPN
• Scott Hanson, weekend sports anchor (1997-?)
• Dave Mikes, morning anchor (1997-2001) Now at Salem Law Groupand Enable America as Communications Manager.
• Heidi Kemp, freelance reporter (2005-2006)
• Stacey Phillips, reporter (1998?-?)
• Ren Scott, 5pm anchor (2002-2004)
• Susan Scarborough, reporter (1994-?)
• Dawn Witt, reporter (1994-?)
• Dean Staley, reporter (1994-?) Now at Northwest Cable News in Seattle.
• Mark Joyella, reporter (1994-?) Joining WPLG in Miami in December [3].
• Kyle Kraska, sports (1994-1997) Now at KFMB in San Diego.
• Brennan Lothery, sports reporter (1994-1997)
• Joy Petit, Bayview host (retired, ?-2007)
• Mark Olesh, sports anchor (?-?) Now in real estate.
• Josh Talkington, reporter (?-2007) Now in Nashville, at an advertisement firm.
• Rob Spicker, reporter (1997-2007) Now at WINK in Ft. Myers as an anchor.

Screencap of "StormWatch in High Definition".

WFTS currently uses WSI's Titan HD weather system. WFTS was the first to broadcast a true high definition weathercast in the Tampa Bay area in October of 2007, rival WFLA soon followed. In early September 2007, WFTS introduced its 24-hour ABC Accu-Weather channel on Bright House digital channel 629. It is also available over the air on channel 28.2.

• 1981: founded by Ian Wheeler
• 1984: sold to Capital Cities/ABC
• 1986: sold to The E.W. Scripps Company

WFTS can be seen mainly in Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Hardee, and Polk Counties. WFTS can also be viewed in portions of Citrus, Sumter, Sarasota, De Soto, Highlands and Lake Counties.

Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Hardee, Polk, Sumter, Sarasota, De Soto and Highlands Counties are displayed on the bottom left corner of the screen along with a ticker during programming and newscasts if severe warnings and watches are issued by the National Weather Service.

• "Catch Familyvision on Channel 28" (1981-1984)
• "Tampa Bay's Independent" (1984-1988)
• "Your Fox Television Station" (early-1990s). Coincidentally, this term was trademarked by the actual Fox Television Stations Group which never owned WFTS in the first place (though they now own WTVT).
• "Working Hard To Be Your Favorite" (1994-1995)
• "Real People, Real News" (1996-1999)
• "You Need to Know" (2002)
• "Taking Action for You" (2002-present)
• "First in HD" (2007-present)
• "Start Here" (2007-present, same as ABC's slogan)

• The first incarnation of channel 28 was to have been WTSS-TV, an affiliate of the DuMont Television Network in the 1950s. [4] It is very likely that that station never made it to air.
• Extreme Makeover: Home Edition has been to the Tampa Bay area twice. During the first visit, host Ty Pennington came to WFTS's studios during a commercial break and took sports director Al Keck in Stormchaser to do a play-by-play version of the family's house for the blind head of the family when it was being destroyed to make way for the new one.
• A clip from a WFTS newscast was shown on Jimmy Kimmel Live in early November 2006. In the clip, was reporter Susan Casper.
• WFTS produces 27 hours of newscasts weekly.
• WFTS has produced two local versions of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition which asked viewers to nominate someone.

1. ^ WFTS-TV First in Tampa to broadcast news in High Definition.

• Official site of WFTS ABC Action News
• Official ABC Action News Blogs
• Official ABC Action News Forums
• Query the FCC's TV station database for WFTS-TV
• mcsittel.com: 1990s DX screengrabs from Tallahassee -- includes WFTS "Fox 28" screengrabs from 1992 and 1993
• "Tampa Bay Live" website used from 1999-2000. Still works a bit.
• 28 News Documentary.