WFLA-TV: Difference between revisions

{{shortShort description|NBCTV affiliatestation in Tampa, Florida}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=AugustMarch 20192024}}

| name = =

| callsign = WFLA-TV

| city = Tampa, Florida

| logo = WFLA-TV NBC 8 Tampa, Florida = WFLALogo2013logo.pngsvg

| logo_size = 220px250px

| branding = ''NewsChannel 8''

| digital = 9 ([[very high frequency|VHF]])<br, />''(shared with [[WTTA]])''

| virtual = 8

| subchannels =

| translators =

| affiliations = {{ubl|'''8.1:''' [[NBC]]|'''8.2:''' [[Charge! (TV network)|Charge!]] |'''8.3:''' [[Antenna TV]]<ref name=rei>{{cite web|title=Digital TV Market Listing for WFLA|url=http://www.rabbitears.info/market.php?request=station_search&callsign=WFLA#station|website=RabbitEars.Info|access-date=January 26, 2017|language=en}}</ref>}}

| owner = [[Nexstar Media Group]]

| licensee = Nexstar Media Inc.

| location = [[Tampa, Florida|Tampa]]/–[[St. Petersburg, Florida]]

| country = United States

| airdate = {{start date and age|1955|2|14|p=y}}

| last_airdate =

| callsign_meaning = [[Florida]]<br />''(Carryovercarryover from former sister radio station [[WFLA (AM)|WFLA]])''

| sister_stations = WTTA, [[WSNN-LD]]

| former_callsigns = WXFL (1983–1988)

| former_affiliations =

| erp = 41 kW

| haat = {{convert|465.3|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}

| facility_id = 64592

| coordinates = {{nowrap|{{coord|27|50|33|N|82|15|44|W|type:landmark_scale:2000_region:US-FL |display=inline,title}}}}

| licensing_authority = [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]]

| website = {{URL|https://www.wfla.com/}}

'''WFLA-TV''' (channel 8) is a [[television station]] licensed to [[Tampa, Florida]], United States, serving as the [[NBC]] affiliate for the [[Tampa Bay area]]. It is owned by [[Nexstar Media Group]] alongside [[St. Petersburg, Florida|St. Petersburg]]–licensed [[MyNetworkTVThe CW|CW]] affiliate[[owned-and-operated station]] [[WTTA]] (channel 38) and [[Sarasota, Florida|Sarasota]]-based [[low-power broadcasting#Television|low-power]] station[[MyNetworkTV]] affiliate [[WSNN-LD]] (channel 39). WFLA-TV and WTTA share studios on South Parker Street in downtown Tampa; through a [[frequency sharing|channel sharing agreement]], the two stations transmit using WFLA-TV's spectrum from a transmitter in [[Riverview, Florida]].

Channel 8 first signed on the air on February 14, 1955,<ref>[https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=86178 FCC History Cards for WFLA-TV]. [[Federal Communications Commission]].</ref> with a live broadcast of the [[Gasparilla Pirate Festival]]. It is the longest serving television outlet in the Tampa Bay region still in operation, as it signed on less than two years behind [[Ultra high frequency|UHF]] outlet [[WSUN-TV]] (channel 38), which ceased operations in 1970. It was originally owned by ''[[The Tampa Tribune]]'', along with WFLA radio ([[WFLA (AM)|970 AM]] and 93.3 FM, now [[WFLZ-FM|WFLZ]]). WFLA-TV has been an NBC affiliate since the station's inception. Largely because of its newspaper background, it was the early ratings leader in the Tampa [[media market|market]] until [[WTVT]] (channel 13) passed it for first place in 1962. In 1966, Richmond Newspapers, publishers of the ''[[Richmond Times-Dispatch]]'' and part-owner of the ''Tribune'', acquired full control of the paper and the WFLA radio and television stations. Three years later, Richmond Newspapers changed its name to [[Media General]], and WFLA-TV, the first television station owned and operated by the company, would be the flagship of its broadcasting group for the rest of its existence.

WFLA and ''[[The Tampa Tribune]]'' remained corporate siblings until Media General sold the newspaper to Tampa Media Group Inc. in October 2012 as part of Media General's selloff of its newspaper holdings in a reorganization to alleviate the company's substantial debt load. (With the exception of the ''Tribune'', the company's other newspapers went to [[Warren Buffett|World Media Enterprises]]). Despite the split, the two outlets continued a newsgathering partnership<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/tampa-tribune-sold-private-equity-firm-17422646|title=U.S. News – National News|author=ABC News|work=ABC News}}</ref> until the ''Tribune'' was merged with the ''Tampa Bay Times'' in 2016, with their operations adjacent to one another at the downtown Tampa facility. In January 2013, as a result of the sale, WFLA began outsourcing its digital operations and website to [[Worldnow]], as part of a group deal with the company.<ref name=wn-mg>{{cite web|title=Media General Taps WorldNow CMS|url=http://www.netnewscheck.com/article/23639/media-general-taps-worldnow-cms|work=NetNewsCheck|access-date=February 13, 2013}}</ref> Following the takeover of the company by the principal staff of [[LIN Media]], Media General's stations, including WFLA, have since migrated to the [[WordPress.com]]-based platform and site design previously introduced by LIN, which in turn is now being replaced by Nexstar's own Lakana CMS platform.

On January 27, 2016, it was announced that what was then known as the Nexstar Broadcasting Group would buy Media General for $4.6 &nbsp;billion. WFLA and WTTA became part of the newly- minted Nexstar Media Group on January 17, 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mediageneral.com/press/2016/jan27_2016nexs.html |title=Nexstar Broadcasting Group Enters into Definitive Agreement to Acquire Media General for $4.6 Billion in Accretive Cash and Stock Transaction |access-date=May 1, 2017-05-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160130083411/http://www.mediageneral.com/press/2016/jan27_2016nexs.html |archive-date=2016-01-January 30, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2017/01/nexstar-completes-media-general-acquisition-1201888406/|title=Nexstar Completes $4.6B Acquisition Of Media General|first1=David|last1=Lieberman|date=January 17, 2017}}</ref>

[[Broadcast syndication|Syndicated]] programming on WFLA-TV includes ''[[Rachael Ray (talk show)|Rachael Ray]]'', and ''[[Extra (American TV program)|Extra]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=TitanTV – WFLA|url=http://wfla.titantv.com/apg/ttv.aspx|website=TitanTV|access-date=October 5, 2014}}</ref> WFLA mostly clears the entire NBC programming lineup, but it airs the [[Today (American TV program)#Today with Hoda and Jenna|fourth hour]] of ''[[Today (American TV program)|Today]]'' at noon instead of the network's recommended 10:00&nbsp;a.m. time slot which is occupied by the local lifestyle program, ''Daytime'' (see below).

WFLA-TV produces ''Daytime'', a lifestyle and entertainment program which airs weekday mornings at 10 a.m.&nbsp;am; the program features regular correspondents and contributors for various topics. In 2003, WFLA and ''Daytime'' caused controversy after ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported of its "pay for play" practices. The article revealed that businesses were charged several thousand dollars to appear on the show, effectively making their segments "paid segments". Many people saw this as [[payola]], a practice that is illegal under an FCC ruling.<ref>{{cite web|last=O'Brien|first=Bobbie|title=TV's Version of Payola Draws FCC Interest|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1529647|work=All Things Considered|publisher=NPR|date=December 2, 2003}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Crabtree|first=Susan|title=McCain, FCC seek input on payola|url=https://www.variety.com/article2003/scene/markets-festivals/mccain-fcc-seek-input-on-payola-1117895168/VR1117895168|work=Variety|date=November 5, 2003}}</ref> After much dispute, WFLA agreed to identify each paid segment as such to avoid an intervention from Congress.<ref>{{cite web|last=Eggerton|first=John|title=WFLA-TV Will ID Paid Segments|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/151410-WFLA_TV_Will_ID_Paid_Segments.php|work=Broadcasting & Cable|access-date=April 10, 2011|date=November 9, 2003}}</ref>

Original hosts Debra Schrills and Brian Fasulo left the show in 2005.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/946519411.html?MAC=ee9e63bd69ab1334800316622dce5c7c&did=946519411&FMT=FT&FMTS=FT&date=Dec+22%2C+2005&author=CHASE+SQUIRES&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&printformat=&desc=Hosts+leaving+WFLA%27S+%27Daytime%27 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131182258/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/946519411.html?MAC=ee9e63bd69ab1334800316622dce5c7c&did=946519411&FMT=FT&FMTS=FT&date=Dec+22,+2005&author=CHASE+SQUIRES&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&printformat=&desc=Hosts+leaving+WFLA'S+'Daytime' | url-status=dead | archive-date=January 31, 2013 | title=Newspaper Archives – tampabay.com – St. Petersburg Times}}</ref> They were later replaced by Cyndi Edwards and Danny New. From 2008 to September 2011, the show aired nationally on the [[Retro Television Network]] as part of Media General's affiliation deal with the network, but was dropped by RTV when Media General switched most of its stations' subchannel affiliations to [[MeTV]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/2011/09/15/54029/metv-beefs-up-roster-with-10-new-stations|title=Me-TV Beefs Up Roster With 10 New Stations|author=Staff|work=tvnewscheck.com}}</ref> National broadcasts of the show currently air on [[The Family Channel (US TV network)|The Family Channel]] and [[Youtoo America]]. Edwards left ''Daytime'' in September 2020 and was replaced by former [[CBS News]] correspondent [[Maggie Rodriguez]] in February 2021.<ref>[https://www.wfla.com/daytime/14-years-of-cyndi-edwards-on-daytime/ 14 Years of Cyndi Edwards on ‘Daytime’'Daytime'] ''NewsChannel 8 (WFLA-TV)''. September 22, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2021.</ref><ref name="maggiewfla">[https://www.wfla.com/daytime/maggie-rodriguez-named-co-host-of-daytime/ Maggie Rodriguez named co-host of Daytime] ''NewsChannel 8 (WFLA-TV)''. February 16, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2021.</ref>

Since 2006, channel 8 airs any [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] games when they are featured on ''[[NBC Sunday Night Football]]''; the station also served as the default home station of the team in its first season as a member of the [[American Football Conference]] in [[1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|1976]]; with the team's move to the [[National Football Conference]] [[1977 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|the next year]], the station aired up to two games a season in which they played host to an AFC team at [[Tampa Stadium]] until the end of the [[1997 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|1997 season]]. WFLA provided local coverage of [[Super Bowl XLIII]], which was hosted at [[Raymond James Stadium]]. In addition, through [[NHL on NBC|NBC]]'s broadcast contract with the [[National Hockey League|NHL]] that ran through 2021, [[Tampa Bay Lightning]] games aired on the station; this included their [[Stanley Cup Finals]] appearance in [[2015 Stanley Cup Finals|2015]] and their victories in [[2020 Stanley Cup Finals|2020]] and [[2021 Stanley Cup Finals|2021]] (game 5 of the latter series was the last NHL game aired on NBC).

Bill Ratliff, who was brought in to anchor the evening newscasts in 1982 and had been morning and noon anchor since 1985, retired from WFLA on June 25, 2009;<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/apr/17/anchor-bill-ratliff-leave-wfla-channel-8-june/ |title=Anchor Bill Ratliff will leave WFLA-TV in June |access-date=April 28, 2009 |archive-date=April 20, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090420140411/http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/apr/17/anchor-bill-ratliff-leave-wfla-channel-8-june/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Ratliff (who was previously a political contributor at WTSP) died on May 8, 2012. WFLA began broadcasting its local newscasts in [[High-definition television|high definition]] in early September 2007. Following Bob Hite's November 2007 retirement after 30 years, [[Keith Cate]] assumed anchor duties of the 6:00 and 11:00&nbsp;p.m. newscasts along with veteran anchor [[Gayle Sierens]], who herself retired in May 2015.

In the February 2012 sweeps period, WFLA was the clear ratings winner for early morning, evening, and late news. It was also the only station in the market to gain an audience for its late newscast despite NBC's lackluster ratings performance at the time. On July 30, 2012, WFLA debuted a new weeknight 7:00&nbsp;p.m. newscast; the first such program in that timeslot in the Tampa market since WFLA produced a similar newscast for [[WXPX-TV]] (channel 66) from 2000 to 2002.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://networkedblogs.com/zYTZt|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217065210/http://networkedblogs.com/zYTZt|url-status=usurped|archive-date=December 17, 2013|title=After calls about an online job description, WFLA-Ch. 8 admits it plans a 7 p.m. newscast|work=Tampa Bay Times}}</ref> On August 26, 2013, WFLA launched an hour-long 4:00&nbsp;p.m. newscast. Concurrent with the addition, WFLA dropped its 11:30&nbsp;a.m. newscast on August 23 (the second time WFLA discontinued its midday newscast in its history, although it retains a noon newscast on Saturdays and Sundays), however, management stated that a midday newscast may return to the station's weekday schedule in September 2014.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130828194346/http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/media/wfla-ch-8-announces-4-pm-newscast-moving-dr-oz-to-3-pm-weekdays/2132957 WFLA – Ch. 8 announces 4 p.m. newscast, moving Dr. Oz to 3 p.m. weekdays] ''Tampa Bay Times'', July 24, 2013.</ref> However, it was less than 3 years later in May 2016, when WFLA reintroduced a new one-hour midday newscast at 11:00&nbsp;a.m.

At the start of 2015, WFLA assumed production of WTTA's news updates, ''Great 38 News Now''. Previously, the news updates, which debuted eleven days before Media General's acquisition of WTTA, were produced by that station's former sister in [[West Palm Beach, Florida|West Palm Beach]], [[WPEC]]. On January 4, 2016, WFLA once again began producing a local newscast for WTTA, this time, a nightly hour-long newscast at 8 p.m. under the title ''NewsChannel 8 at 8:00 on Great 38'', pushing WTTA's MyNetworkTV programming back one hour. On August 7, 2017, WFLA began producing another local newscast for WTTA, this time, a two-hour expansion of its morning newscast under the title ''NewsChannel 8 Today on Great 38'', airing from 7:00&nbsp;a.m. to 9:00&nbsp;a.mam. Until September 28, 2018, the second hour of that program, which was titled, ''Make Today Gr8 with Gayle and Leigh'', was co-hosted by Gayle Guyardo and morning meteorologist Leigh Spann.

* [[Rich Fields]] – meteorology intern (2000–2002; later with ''[[The Price Is Right (American game show)|The Price Is Right]]'' as announcer, then with [[KCBS-TV|KCBS]]/[[KCAL-TV|KCAL]] in [[Los Angeles]], and with [[WTSP]])

* [[Chris Hansen]] – reporter (1981–1983; later with NBC News; later host of the weekday syndicated program, ''[[Crime Watch Daily]]'')<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/3949042/ns/dateline_nbc#.UkOrN4akqHMwbna3949042|title=Chris Hansen Biography|date=July 11, 2012|publisher=[[NBC News]]|access-date=September 26, 2013}}</ref>

* [[John Muller]] – reporter (1989–2001; now with [[WPIX]] in [[New York City]])

* [[Byron Pitts]] – reporter (1988–1990; now with [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]])

* [[Victoria Price (journalist)|Victoria Price]] – anchor/reporter (2018-20202018–2020; now with [[WHDH-TV]])

On June 27, 2009, WFLA aired an hour-long documentary, ''Silencing Christians'', which dealt with the [[Christian fundamentalism|Fundamentalist Christian]] position of condemning [[homosexuality]] as a sin, and claims of the gay community's drive to make all criticism of homosexuality as [[hate speech]], in the name of [[political correctness]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.silencingchristians.com/about.aspx/|title=A brief introduction to Christianity – SilencingChristians.com|website=www.silencingchristians.com}}</ref> The documentary, presented as a [[infomercial|paid program]] from the [[American Family Association]], was televised at 7 p.m. that evening, on the same day that St. Petersburg held the city's [[pride parade]], ''St. Pete Pride'', on the weekend of the 40th anniversary of the [[Stonewall riots]].

[[General manager]] Mike Pumo refused to elaborate on the decision, other than the show's content did not "raise the red flag" during pre-screening. Stratton Pollitzer, deputy director of Equality Florida, considered the show hate speech, saying, "I think this program is a piece of [[homophobic propaganda]] and it has no place on a major network like NBC" despite the fact that NBC is merely the network that WFLA is affiliated with.<ref name="www2.tbo.com"/>

On July 15, 2009, 70 to 100 protesters gathered outside of WFLA's studios to protest against the special and the station's attitude towards the community. The station, however, remained firm on its decision to show the program.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/article1018808.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090719072036/http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/article1018808.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 19, 2009|title=Demonstrators protest anti-gay-rights program aired by WFLA-Ch. 8|work=Tampa Bay Times}}</ref><ref>[http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/jul/15/gay-rights-groups-protest-outside-news-channel-8/ Tampa Tribune: "Gay-/rights groups protest outside News Channel 8", 7/16/2009.]</ref>

| [[1080i]] || rowspan=2| [[16:9]] || WFLA HD || Main WFLA-TV programming / [[NBC]]

! scope = "row" | 8.2

| rowspan=2| [[480i]] || Charge! || [[Charge! (TV network)|Charge!]]

! scope = "row" | 8.3

WFLA-TV carried [[NBC Weather Plus]] on digital subchannel 8.2 until 2008. The station replaced the [[Retro TV|Retro Television Network]] with [[MeTV]] on digital subchannel 8.2 on September 26, 2011, as part of a groupwide affiliation agreement with Media General; the [[Weigel Broadcasting]]-owned MeTV network also replaced RTV on some Media General-owned stations in other markets.<ref>[http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/2011/09/15/54029/metv-beefs-up-roster-with-10-new-stations Me-TV Beefs Up Roster With 10 New Stations], ''TVNewsCheck'', September 15, 2011.</ref> On September 26, 2019, [[Court TV]] replaced MeTV as the primary subchannel affiliate of WFLA-TV, with MeTV moving to [[WMOR-TV]]. Nexstar announced in early June 2021 that WFLA-DT2 would take the company's [[Antenna TV]] network on September 1, 2021,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/AntennaTV/posts/4328600717160261 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/161315780555463/4328600717160261 |archive-date=2022-02-February 26, 2022 |url-access=limited|title=Antenna TV is temporarily leaving the Tampa area. On 9/1/21, you can find Antenna TV on WFLA 8.2.|work=Antenna TV page|publishervia=Facebook|access-date=4 June 4, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> after a three-month interregnum when WTSP replaced it with their own in-house network, [[Twist (TV network)|Twist]].

WFLA-TV shut down its analog signal, over [[Very high frequency|VHF]] channel 8, on June 12, 2009, as part of the [[Digital television transition in the United States|federally mandated transition from analog to digital television]].<ref name="Analog to Digital">{{Cite web|url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf|title=List of Digital Full-Power Stations}}</ref> The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition VHF channel 7,<ref>http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/feb/09/wfla-will-wait-until-june-shut-down-analog-tv-sign/ {{Dead link|date=March 2022}}</ref><ref name="FCCForm387">{{cite web|url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101232708&formid=387&fac_num=64592|title=CDBS Account Login|work=fcc.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-221A5.pdf|title=FCC document: "Appendix B: All full-power television stations by DMA, indicating those terminating analog service before on or February 17, 2009."}}</ref> using [[Program and System Information Protocol|PSIP]] to display WFLA-TV's [[virtual channel]] as 8 on digital television receivers.