WFLA-TV

WFLA-DT
Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida
Branding	NewsChannel 8
Slogan	On Your Side
Channels	Digital: 7 (VHF) Virtual: 8 (PSIP)
Subchannels	8.1 NBC 8.2 RTV
Affiliations	National Broadcasting Company
Owner	Media General, Inc. (Media General Communications Holdings, LLC)
First air date	February 14, 1955
Call letters’ meaning	Taken from former sister radio station WFLA
Former callsigns	WXFL (1983-1988)
Former channel number(s)	Analog: 8 (1955-2009)
Transmitter Power	19 kW (digital)
Height	465 m (digital)
Facility ID	64592
Transmitter Coordinates	27°50′32″N 82°15′45″W / 27.84222°N 82.2625°W / 27.84222; -82.2625Coordinates: 27°50′32″N 82°15′45″W / 27.84222°N 82.2625°W / 27.84222; -82.2625
Website	www.wfla.com

WFLA-DT is the NBC affiliated television station for the Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida market on the state's west coast. The station is the flagship station of its owner and operator, Media General. Its transmitter is located in Riverview, Florida. WFLA is the only station in the market to be affiliated with the same network (NBC) since signing on.

The station shares the "News Center" building in Tampa with co-owned The Tampa Tribune and TBO.com.

The station is the home of Tampa Bay Buccaneers preseason games. Their current broadcast team for the games is Chris Myers and John Lynch, the former Buccaneer All Pro Safety, with Sports Anchor Dan Lucas on the sidelines. In recent years Myers has also teamed with Ron Jaworski, Merrill Hodge, Doug Graber and Charles Davis.

History

WFLA-TV signed on Valentine's Day 1955 with a live broadcast of the Gasparilla Pirate Festival. The station was owned by the Tribune along with WFLA radio (AM 970 and FM 93.3, now WFLZ). Largely because of its newspaper background, it was the early ratings leader in Tampa until WTVT passed it in 1962.

Arch Deal and Bill Henry were the prominent faces of WFLA's newscasts in the 1960s. Arch Deal's tenure was abruptly cut short in 1975, when he suffered injuries during a parachute accident. Bob Koop served as the evening anchor from 1977–1979. Longtime anchorman Bob Hite came to the anchor desk in 1979.

In 1966, Richmond Newspapers, publishers of the Richmond Times-Dispatch and part-owner of the Tribune, acquired full control of the paper and WFLA-AM-FM-TV. Three years later, Richmond Newspapers renamed itself Media General, and WFLA-TV, the first television station owned and operated by Media General, has been its flagship television station since then. Reporters from the Tribune often appear on WFLA.

The station was renamed WXFL in 1983 after the WFLA radio stations were sold but regained its original call letters in 1989. (Both radio stations are currently owned by Clear Channel Communications.) That same year, it surged to first place in the Tampa Bay ratings and has stayed there for most of that time, led by one of the most popular anchor teams in the country.

In the midst of a market shake-up in 1994 which saw many of the Tampa area stations swapping network affiliations, WFLA was one of the few major stations in the market that did not change networks. As a result it became number 1 in the market, a position formerly held by WTVT, which saw its ratings drop after switching from CBS to Fox.

Bill Ratliff and Gayle Guyardo have hosted the station's coverage of the Gasparilla Pirate Festival in recent years.

Following Bob Hite's November 2007 retirement after 30 years, Keith Cate assumed anchor duties of the 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts along with veteran anchor Gayle Sierens.

Bill Ratliff, who was brought in to anchor the evening newscasts in 1982 and has been morning and noon anchor since 1985, retired from WFLA on June 25, 2009.^[1]

Digital Television

The station's digital channel is multiplexed:

WFLA-DT

WFLA-DT broadcasts on digital channel 7.

Digital channels

Analog-to-Digital Conversion

WFLA-TV shut down its analog signal on June 12, 2009 ^[2], as part of the DTV transition in the United States. WFLA-DT remained on its current pre-transition channel number, 7 ^[3] using PSIP to display the station's virtual channel as 8.

News/Station presentation

Newscast titles

• Channel 8 News (1950s–1960s)
• The Big News/TV 8 News (1960s)
• Channel 8 Reports (1960s–1970s)
• NewsWatch 8 (1970s–1993)
• NewsChannel 8 (1993–present)

Station slogans

• Part of Your Life (1975–1981)
• The Look. Alive. (1981–1983)
• The Spirit of Tampa Bay/Newswatching Out for You (1983–1985)
• Helping You Win! (1985–1989)
• Tampa Bay's Fastest Growing News (1987–1992)
• In Touch with Tampa Bay (1989–1992)
• On Your Side (1992-present)

News Music Packages

• Part of Your Life (1975-1981)
• Hello News (1981-1983)
• Spirit of Tampa (1983-1985)
• Power News (1985-1992)
• On Your Side (1992-1995)
• Bold Horizons (1995-2000)
• Metropolis (2000-2006)
• The Ticket (2003-present)
• Media General Station Group Package (2006-present)

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WFLA Newscast Lineup

Weekdays

• News Channel 8 Today — 5am–7am

Anchor: Gayle Guyardo

Weather: Jennifer Hill

Traffic: Alicia Roberts

• News Channel 8 @ 5 PM — 5pm–5:30pm

Anchors: Keith Cate, Gayle Sierens

Weather: Steve Jerve

Sports: Dan Lucas

• News Channel 8 @ 5:30 PM — 5:30pm–6om

Anchors: Keith Cate, Stacie Schaible

Weather: Steve Jerve

• News Channel 8 @ 6 PM — 6pm–6:30pm

Anchors: Keith Cate, Gayle Sierens

Weather: Steve Jerve

Sports: Dan Lucas

• News Channel 8 @ 11 PM — 11pm–11:35pm

Anchors: Keith Cate, Gayle Sierens

Weather: Steve Jerve

Sports: Dan Lucas

Weekends

• News Channel 8 Today — 9am–10am

Anchor: Yolanda Fernandez

Weather: Megan Hatton

• News Channel 8 The Midday Report — 12pm–1pm

Anchor: Yolanda Fernandez

Weather: Megan Hatton

• NewsChannel 8 @ 6 PM — 6pm–6:30pm

Anchors: Josh Thomas

Weather: Leigh Spann

• News Channel 8 @ 11 PM — 11pm–11:35pm

Anchors: Josh Thomas

Weather: Leigh Spann

Current WFLA news personalities

News Anchors

• Gayle Sierens, weekday evenings (sports 1977–1985, news since 1985)
• Keith Cate, weekday evenings and investigative reporter (since 2000)
• Stacie Schaible, weekday evenings investigative reporter (since 2000)
• Gayle Guyardo, weekday mornings (since 1993)
• Yolanda Fernandez, weekend mornings (since 1989)
• Josh Thomas, weekend evenings (since 2003)
• Jennifer Leigh, weekend evenings (since 2006)

Meteorologists

• Steve Jerve (AMS Certified), weekday evening chief meteorologist (since 1999)
• Jennifer Hill (AMS Seal of Approval), weekday morning meteorologist (since 2002)
• Leigh Spann (AMS Certified & NWA Seal of Approval), weekend evening meteorologist (since 2007)
• Megan Hatton, weekend morning meteorologist (since 2008)

Sports Anchors

• Dan Lucas, sports anchor (since ?)
• Joline Roberts sports producer (since ?)

Reporters

• Jackie Barron, Sarasota/Manatee counties reporter / fill-in anchor
• Jennifer Leigh, Polk County reporter
• Steve Andrews, investigative reporter / fill-in anchor (since 1985)
• Samara Sodos, general assignment reporter / fill-in anchor (since 2000)
• Judd Chapin, Eagle 8 pilot/reporter (since 1985)
• Mark Douglas, investigative reporter
• Chip Osowski, general assignment reporter (since 1999)
• Jeff Patterson, general assignment reporter (since 1988)
• Alicia Roberts, weekday mornings TBO Traffic (since 2006)
• Krista Klaus, general assignment reporter (since 2007)
• Natalie Shepherd, general assignment reporter (since 2007)
• Peter Bernard, general assignment reporter (since 2002)
• Katie Coronado, general assignment reporter (since 2007)

Former WFLA personalities

• Sam Latimer (1955–1972) (Deceased)
• Walt Swihart (1955–1974) (Deceased)
• Roger Early, weatherman (1955–1966) (Deceased)
• Capt. Marty Foster, fishing correspondent (1955–1970) (Deceased)
• Bobby Hicks, fishing and hunting studio anchor (1956–1966) Deceased)
• Jack Stir, relief weatherman (1959–1963) (Deceased)
• Jerry Harper, anchor, News Director (1960–1961)
• Guy Bagli, sports director (1960–1970) (Deceased)
• Bill Henry, 6 p.m. anchor, (1961–64), News Director (1961-1975), (Deceased)
• Burt Livingston, Horticulture reporter (1962–1968) (Deceased)
• Don Starr, Pinellas County anchor (1962–1967)
• Ray Blush, Pinellas County correspondent (1964–1967)
• Arch Deal, 6 p.m & 11 p.m. anchor (1964–1975)
• Bud Parmer, weekend anchor (1964-1967) (Retired)
• Al Duckworth, chief meteorologist (1964–1968)
• Gordon Barnes, meteorologist (1964–1967) (Retired)
• Pat Moore, meteorologist (Today Show cut ins and 1 pm 1973–1975, 11 pm 1976)
• Tony Zappone, news correspondent (1965–1977)
• Tom McEwen, weekend sports analyst (1965–1968)
• Merril Stebbins (1965–1970) (Weekend anchor 1968–1970)
• Dr. Stephen L. Speronis, UT Professor, News Analyst (1965–1968)
• Joe Mannion (1966–1983) (producer and news director, 1975–1983)
• Karol Kelly, weather person (1967–68)
• Paul Catoe, chief meteorologist (1967–1979)
• Archie Blunt, weekend outdoors reporter (1967–69)
• Milt Spencer, sports director (1970–1979)
• Gordon Alderman, Today Show cut-ins, 1 p.m. anchor (1974–1979) (Deceased)
• George Wooten, meteorologist (1973–1978)
• Phil Dean, weekend anchor (1974–1977)
• Paul Fischer, weekend anchor (1976–78)
• John Mainelli, 11 p.m. anchor (1976)
• Mike Randall and Jan Morris, 6 p.m. co-anchors (1976–77), 11 p.m. anchor (1977–78)
• Bob Koop, anchor (1977–78) (Deceased)
• Don Paul, meteorologist (1978–1979)
• Jerry Fiore (1977–1989, Morning Edition and Noon Report)
• Suzanne Bates, anchor (1981–1984)
• Randy Scott, sports director (1979–1981)
• Dick Crippen, sports director (1981–2001)
• David Grant, chief meteorologist (1986–1999)
• Dennis Roper, weekend/fill-in anchor (1984–1989)
• Wendy Ross, weathercaster (1983–1989) (Now at WWSB)
• Barbara Callahan, anchor (1986–1992)
• Wes Sarginson, "Live at 5" (1988–1997)
• Marissa Morris, "Live at 5" (1988–1993)
• Tom Korun, sports anchor (1987–1997)
• Ren Scott, reporter/anchor (1989–1990)
• Bob Baron, chief meteorologist (1984–1986)
• Lance Williams, reporter (1987–2005)
• Chris Thomas, sports director (1988–2002) (Deceased)
• George Michelle, noon sports anchor (Deceased)
• Rick Mellum, weather (1980s)
• Frank Migliore, reporter (1980s)
• Greg Fields, weather (1992–1995)
• Jim Smith, chief meteorologist/morning weather (1979–1984/1984–1993) (Deceased)
• Mark Strassmann, reporter (1987–1995)
• Steve Udelson, meteorologist (1992–1999)
• Laura York, weekend weather (1988–1995)
• Steve Overton, morning/weekend anchor/consumer reporter (1983–2000)
• Mike Walter, morning anchor (1998–2000), audio (2000–2003)
• Nerissa Prest, weekend anchor (2000–2006) (Now at WTVT)
• Frank Fraboni, weekend anchor (1989–1993)
• Jack Harris, noon host (1989-1992); "Harris and Company Live" (1992–2000)
• Mary Kay Kleist, meteorologist (1995–1999)
• Anne Dwyer, reporter/anchor (1980s)
• John Winter, morning meteorologist (1994–2007) (Deceased)
• John Muller, reporter (1989–2001)
• Rod Carter, reporter (2000–2007) (now morning/midday anchor at NBC 13 WVTM, Birmingham, AL)
• Victoria Lim, consumer reporter (1997–2007)
• Bob Hite, weekday 6 PM and 11 PM anchor (1977-2007) (Retired)
• Alan Archer, meteorologist (1976–1979) (currently w/Continental Weather Corp.)
• JP Peterson, sports director (1999–2008)
• Irene Maher, medical reporter (1985–2008)
• Claudia DoCampo, Citrus/Hernando/Pasco counties reporter (2005–2008)
• Mace Michaels, weekend meteorologist (2000–2008) (Now at KGAN CBS 2 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
• Dave Reynolds, sports anchor (2003–2009) (Now at Bright House Sports Network)
• Rod Challenger, Pinellas County reporter (1979–2009)
• Lynn Carson,general assignment reporter / fill-in anchor (2004–2009)
• John McQuiston, sports reporter (late 1990s) (Now at WFTS as fill-in traffic anchor)
• Scott Sobel, reporter/anchor (1977-1981)

Controversy and criticism

Daytime

In 2003, WFLA and its morning show "Daytime" caused a 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 FCC ruling.^[4][5] After much dispute, WFLA agreed to ID each paid segment as such to avoid an intervention from Congress.^[6]

Host Debra Schrills and original host Brian Fasulo left the show after 2005.^[7]

The current hosts are Cyndi Edwards and former Extra host Dave Nemeth. It has been added to the Retro Television Network (a.k.a. RTV) schedule and now broadcasts nationally.

Silencing Christians

On June 27, 2009, WFLA aired a one-hour documentary, Silencing Christians, which dealt with the 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.^[8] The documentary, presented as a paid program from the American Family Association, was televised at 7PM, on the same day St. Petersburg held their pride parade, St. Pete Pride, on the weekend of the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots. Prior to the telecast, the station was swamped with numerous phone calls and e-mails against the station showing the program;^[9] however, the station decided to present the documentary anyway. After the program ended, the station logged hundreds of phone calls and over 1000 e-mails, all in protest against the show. 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 as hate speech, saying, "I think this program is a piece of homophobic propaganda and it has no place on a major network like NBC."^[10]

On Wednesday, 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.^[11][12]

References

External links

• WFLA Web site
• Photos of WFLA's news set
• Daytime web site
• Query the FCC's TV station database for WFLA
• BIAfn's Media Web Database -- Information on WFLA-TV