A television station is a set of equipment managed by a business, organisation or other entity such as an amateur television (ATV) operator, that transmits video content and audio content via radio waves directly from a transmitter on the earth's surface to any number of tuned receivers simultaneously.
144-705: WTVJ (channel 6) is a television station in Miami, Florida , United States, serving as the market's NBC outlet. It is owned and operated by the network's NBC Owned Television Stations division alongside Fort Lauderdale –licensed WSCV (channel 51), a flagship station of Telemundo . The two stations share studios on Southwest 27th Street in Miramar ; WTVJ's transmitter is located in Andover, Florida . WTVJ began broadcasting March 21, 1949, on channel 4 as Florida's first television station. Owned by Wometco Enterprises ,
288-541: A barter in some cases. Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission ( FCC ) is an independent agency of the United States government that regulates communications by radio , television , wire, satellite , and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains jurisdiction over the areas of broadband access , fair competition , radio frequency use, media responsibility, public safety, and homeland security . The FCC
432-403: A markdown of $ 135 million from Lorimar's prior purchase agreement. Even though a GE holding company was credited as the buyer, it was universally accepted in the media and the industry that NBC was the pending owner. For the first time in the history of North American television, a broadcast network directly purchased an affiliate of a competing network. NBC chairman Bob Wright attributed
576-591: A natural monopoly . The FCC controlled telephone rates and imposed other restrictions under Title II to limit the profits of AT&T and ensure nondiscriminatory pricing. In the 1960s, the FCC began allowing other long-distance companies, namely MCI, to offer specialized services. In the 1970s, the FCC allowed other companies to expand offerings to the public. A lawsuit in 1982 led by the Justice Department after AT&T underpriced other companies, resulted in
720-517: A shareholders meeting designed to prevent a hostile takeover , the Wolfson family and Wometco board sold the company to merchant banker Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR) on September 21, 1983, in a $ 1 billion leveraged buyout . At the time, it was both the largest corporate transaction in Florida history and a record for a leveraged buyout. While Wometco still existed after the buyout
864-448: A "Trojan horse" that permitted non-news management to control the news department and rejected recommendations it had made to WTVJ, including instituting a co-anchor format for the early and late newscasts, replacing the weatherman, de-emphasizing Broward County news, and airing more, shorter stories. On one occasion, he refused to attend a meeting with a news consultant that management hired because he had passed over one of its employees for
1008-604: A "chief" that is appointed by the chair of the commission. Bureaus process applications for licenses and other filings, analyze complaints, conduct investigations, develop and implement regulations, and participate in hearings . The FCC has twelve staff offices. The FCC's offices provide support services to the bureaus. The FCC leases space in the Sentinel Square III building in northeast Washington, D.C. Prior to moving to its new headquarters in October 2020,
1152-470: A "horror story" where WTVJ was unable to compete amid the affiliation drama and CBS's faltering ratings. Perris was succeeded in the role by Dick Lobo, formerly of NBC-owned WMAQ-TV in Chicago; Lobo had begun his television career as a WTVJ reporter in 1958. CBS initially declined to invite Lobo to the network's upcoming 1988 affiliate convention, but he was invited after making three direct attempts to reach
1296-505: A "secret plan" so Wometco could never be taken over or sold off, no such succession plan was ever found or mentioned in his will , and no one was designated as a succeeding chairman. In fact, Wolfson was the largest stockholder in Wometco at the time of his death. Some believed Wolfson intended to have his family decide the company's future, while others felt his "secret plan" was simply never to leave. After approving several measures in
1440-470: A $ 350 million offer by CBS in the process, but it soon fielded inquiries about including some of the Storer stations in a potential sale. Television and film production and syndication company Lorimar-Telepictures emerged as the buyer of WTVJ—along with Storer stations WAGA-TV, WITI , WJBK , WJW-TV , WSBK-TV and KCST —in a $ 1.85 billion group deal announced on May 21, 1986. WTVJ, including
1584-538: A CBS contract at Black Rock when CBS affiliate relations director Tony Malara called off the meeting, citing that they were reaching out to other parties; Malara told Ansin the trip was pointless if he would not waver off of the January 1 date. WCIX owner TVX found itself under increasing pressure to sell assets by Salomon Brothers —who financed the purchase of the Taft independent stations and held 60 percent ownership in
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#17328016720141728-562: A CBS disaffiliation threat, internally referred to as "that Channel 6 card". ABC declined the offer, but rumors of interest in WTVJ by NBC quickly emerged. Negotiations were purposefully kept hidden over the next few weeks in an effort to prevent Laurence Tisch from knowing anything in advance. On January 16, 1987, KKR agreed to sell WTVJ to the General Electric Property Management Co. for $ 270 million,
1872-417: A Miami movie theater operator, the station nearly never launched over a disputed transfer of the construction permit . A primary affiliate of CBS , WTVJ was Miami's only television station for four years, establishing a head-start in local programming that endured for three decades. Anchorman Ralph Renick had Miami's highest-rated television newscast for 34 years; Chuck Zink 's children's show Skipper Chuck
2016-471: A September 10, 1995, channel switch with WCIX as part of an asset trade between NBC and CBS. On that date, WTVJ and its NBC and local programming moved to channel 6, while WCIX and its CBS and local programming moved to channel 4 as WFOR-TV . The switch was an upgrade for CBS and a downgrade for NBC, as the analog channel 6 facility in Miami faced location restrictions that reduced its population coverage. Despite
2160-466: A banker and title insurance company owner, and attorney E. J. Nelson. ... I saw [in World War II] that modern civilization depended on communication. The German army was really defeated when we destroyed their communications, and I made up my mind when I got back to the states and got back to private industry ... that I would engage our company in some form of communication. Having been in
2304-505: A comparative look at criminal justice in Europe and Florida—won the station the Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award for 1972. As WTVJ matured, it became Wometco's principal cash cow, per Louis Wolfson III. Skipper Chuck continued strong through most of the 1970s, though as CBS began to make a stronger push into mornings, the fact that WTVJ continued to air the children's show and not
2448-399: A contract had been leased to turn a Wometco theater on Third Street into studios for WTVJ and a transmitter had been shipped. The commission believed that the transfer of interests from Claughton to Wometco was a misrepresentation and concealment. Construction activity was halted after the revocation order was issued. It was the first time the FCC had revoked a television station permit. Under
2592-549: A discount. The effect was to scare off buyers that were not themselves television networks. NBC agreed to buy WTVJ in 1987, displacing its longtime Miami affiliate, WSVN (channel 7). WSVN's affiliation agreement with NBC expired at the end of 1988, leaving NBC to continue to run WTVJ as a CBS affiliate through the end of 1988. The purchase catalyzed a six-station, two-market affiliation switch on January 1, 1989, when WTVJ became an NBC affiliate; CBS moved to WCIX; and WSVN became an independent station affiliated with Fox. In spite of
2736-473: A drastically reduced valuation. CBS's interest in WCIX, even with that station's technical deficiencies that limited over-the-air coverage, centered around wanting to purchase a Sun Belt station for a fraction of WTVJ's asking price. The inquiry ended when Laurence Tisch , who took over as network chairman on September 10, 1986, expressed worry over a station switch depressing the already slumping national ratings of
2880-541: A hostile takeover by Comcast . Completed in December 1985, approval by the FCC was contingent on KKR divesting either Storer's cable systems in Miami and Wometco's cable systems in Atlanta, or WTVJ and Storer's WAGA-TV , within 18 months to satisfy cross-ownership rules. While Storer and Wometco remained nominally separate companies, the FCC recognized KKR as the primary owner of both. By April 25, 1986, KKR opted to retain
3024-427: A hundred years was just a function of, well, not doing it. Bob Wright , NBC chairman Following Lorimar's withdrawal, KKR still valued the station between $ 250 million and $ 300 million. Perris, who was also a WTVJ shareholder, later explained that the station needed to be sold for at least $ 270 million in order for everyone to break even and that any offer less than that would result in him and
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#17328016720143168-472: A job at WTVJ, and he refused to take advice from someone he had rejected hiring himself. In a 1977 interview with Larry King for The Miami News , he denounced consultant-driven newscasters who favored aesthetics over journalism. Wolfson died of a heart attack on January 28, 1983, which came after two heart attacks the previous February that fueled concern among financial circles about Wometco's financial health. Contrary to Wolfson's repeated prior insistence of
3312-558: A meager inventory of films available to television, hosted what he called "The P.U. Club". By December 1950, the station was on the air for 12 hours each day, with just under half of its output consisting of network shows. In the area of news, WTVJ's first effort consisted of a collaboration with The Miami Herald and co-owned WQAM radio, Televiews of the News , which debuted as a weekly program on December 11, 1949. The Herald 's photographers and WQAM announcers produced and presented
3456-580: A month later—March 21, 1949—WTVJ began airing regular programs as the first television station in Florida and the 58th in the United States. Its original schedule called for at least two hours of programming, six nights a week; the station was off the air on Tuesdays to give the part-time engineers time to repair equipment. National programming—from all four networks: ABC , CBS , NBC , and the DuMont Television Network —exclusively came on film and kinescopes flown from New York, as Miami
3600-402: A more southerly location. Its signal covered Palm Beach County for the first time, and the county's cable systems added WTVX to their lineups. WTVX general manager Lynwood Wright asserted no one from either network had been in contact with him, while Michals expressed puzzlement over CBS wanting to risk hurting WTVJ's ratings by having WPEC join the network, saying, "[T]he only question I have with
3744-415: A much shorter wavelength, and thus requires a shorter antenna, but also higher power. North American stations can go up to 5000 kW ERP for video and 500 kW audio, or 1000 kW digital. Low channels travel further than high ones at the same power, but UHF does not suffer from as much electromagnetic interference and background "noise" as VHF, making it much more desirable for TV. Despite this, in
3888-549: A multi-million-dollar publicity campaign critics considered grating and off-putting, significant investment by NBC in the news department, and industry acclaim for their coverage of Hurricane Andrew , WTVJ's local newscasts remained mired in third place, wracked by turnover of news anchors; an attempt to clone WSVN's flashy news presentation that left the station without its own news identity; and low ratings for NBC's daytime programming. Another round of television affiliation realignment , this time affecting markets nationwide, led to
4032-432: A network could demand any time it wanted from a Network affiliate . The second concerned artist bureaus. The networks served as both agents and employers of artists, which was a conflict of interest the report rectified. In assigning television stations to various cities after World War II , the FCC found that it placed many stations too close to each other, resulting in interference. At the same time, it became clear that
4176-705: A new Federal Communications Commission, including in it also the telecommunications jurisdiction previously handled by the Interstate Commerce Commission. Title II of the Communications Act focused on telecommunications using many concepts borrowed from railroad legislation and Title III contained provisions very similar to the Radio Act of 1927 . The initial organization of the FCC was effected July 17, 1934, in three divisions, Broadcasting, Telegraph, and Telephone. Each division
4320-671: A new weekly news review in Spanish, The Manolo Reyes Report ; Reyes remained with WTVJ until 1979. Jane Chastain joined WTVJ in 1967 as one of the nation's first female sportscasters and received more substantial assignments than at prior stops in Raleigh, North Carolina , and Atlanta ; she remained with the station for nearly a decade before leaving for a network job in 1976. After riots erupted in Miami's Black-majority Liberty City neighborhood, Renick hired WTVJ's first Black reporter, C. T. Taylor, in 1968. For much of this time, Ruth Sperling
4464-649: A possible affiliation swap between WPEC (channel 12), West Palm Beach 's ABC affiliate, and WTVX (channel 34), a UHF station and CBS affiliate based in Fort Pierce . WTVX had gone on the air in 1966 and initially primarily covered the Treasure Coast area. However, WTVJ continued to be the CBS affiliate of record for the Palm Beaches for more than a decade after channel 34 signed on; even though its signal
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4608-536: A price far below TVX's $ 90 million valuation of the station two years earlier. The move displaced Fox from WCIX, which signed WSVN up as a replacement affiliate. The WCIX sale was approved by the FCC on October 31, 1988, but CBS had to legally wait at least 40 days before assuming operations and did not fully take over until January 3, 1989, preventing them from making a significant on-air promotional campaign. The network did, however, invest in an outdoor billboard campaign; one billboard for Murder, She Wrote on
4752-522: A result, Venn held $ 193,500 in checks Claughton had put up to obtain a 32-percent stake in Southern Radio and Television Equipment. When Wometco agreed to buy Southern Radio, it advanced funds for station construction, and Wometco had become associated with Venn through its plan to build a new Miami radio station, WMIE (1140 AM). FCC vice chairman Paul A. Walker , who had led the hearings, issued an initial decision in January 1949 that recommended
4896-550: A revocation of the revocation and an approval of WTVJ's sale to Wometco. Even though he found that "neither Wometco nor Venn acted prudently in this matter", he found Wometco qualified to run the station and did not find that there was any deliberate concealment. Final FCC approval came on January 27, 1949, along with authority to put interim station facilities on the air. From an antenna atop the Everglades Hotel , WTVJ sent out its first test pattern on February 21, 1949, and
5040-408: A run for governor. During this time, one new WTVJ reporter never appeared as an anchor—a job for which she would eventually become famous. Katie Couric joined WTVJ as a general assignment reporter in 1984 after a temporary job at CNN failed to translate into a full-time opportunity. Couric saw Miami as a good news market and WTVJ as a station with a good reputation. In one instance, Couric slept on
5184-410: A situation he found "perplexing". These efforts later were documented in a 2015 Harvard Case Study. In 2017, Christine Calvosa replaced Bray as the acting CIO of FCC. On January 4, 2023, the FCC voted unanimously to create a newly formed Space Bureau and Office of International Affairs within the agency, replacing the existing International Bureau. FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel explained that
5328-478: A timeframe for the switch: Ansin insisted WSVN's NBC contract run as intended as the network was to carry the 1988 Summer Olympics , the 1988 World Series , and a majority of Miami Dolphins football games because of the network's AFC broadcast rights . Likewise, CBS was insistent on leaving WTVJ as soon as possible and claimed to be deeply distressed at having to affiliate with an NBC-owned station. Ansin made arrangements to fly to New York City on April 26 to sign
5472-529: A tragedy when a steeplejack fell 400 feet (120 m) to his death. In September, the station aired the NBC special Satins and Spurs , the first color television broadcast in the area. WTVJ discarded its remaining NBC shows that November to become an exclusive affiliate of CBS, leaving the network's programs to air on WFTL-TV and WJNO-TV in West Palm Beach . As Miami television competition stiffened and
5616-425: A variety of ways to generate revenue from television commercials . They may be an independent station or part of a broadcasting network , or some other structure. They can produce some or all of their programs or buy some broadcast syndication programming for or all of it from other stations or independent production companies. Many stations have some sort of television studio , which on major-network stations
5760-496: Is non-commercial educational (NCE) and considered public broadcasting . To avoid concentration of media ownership of television stations, government regulations in most countries generally limit the ownership of television stations by television networks or other media operators, but these regulations vary considerably. Some countries have set up nationwide television networks, in which individual television stations act as mere repeaters of nationwide programs . In those countries,
5904-470: Is broadcast via terrestrial radio waves. A group of television stations with common ownership or affiliation are known as a TV network and an individual station within the network is referred to as O&O or affiliate , respectively. Because television station signals use the electromagnetic spectrum, which in the past has been a common, scarce resource, governments often claim authority to regulate them. Broadcast television systems standards vary around
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6048-624: Is funded entirely by regulatory fees. It has an estimated fiscal-2022 budget of US $ 388 million. It has 1,482 federal employees as of July 2020. The FCC's mission, specified in Section One of the Communications Act of 1934 and amended by the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (amendment to 47 U.S.C. §151), is to "make available so far as possible, to all the people of the United States, without discrimination on
6192-792: Is often used for newscasts or other local programming . There is usually a news department , where journalists gather information. There is also a section where electronic news-gathering (ENG) operations are based, receiving remote broadcasts via remote pickup unit or satellite TV . Outside broadcasting vans, production trucks , or SUVs with electronic field production (EFP) equipment are sent out with reporters , who may also bring back news stories on video tape rather than sending them back live . To keep pace with technology United States television stations have been replacing operators with broadcast automation systems to increase profits in recent years. Some stations (known as repeaters or translators ) only simulcast another, usually
6336-583: The CBS Evening News . WTVJ general manager Alan Perris later claimed Tisch objected to Lorimar, who produced Dallas , Knots Landing and Falcon Crest for the network, wanting to purchase a significant portion of the affiliate base. According to Perris, Tisch threatened to disaffiliate all of the CBS stations in the Lorimar deal. Taft, which was itself undergoing a corporate restructuring , sold WCIX along with four other independent stations to
6480-696: The CBS Morning News became a source of tension with the network. CBS chairman William S. Paley , who wintered on Cat Cay in the Bahamas, was known to be displeased that he could not see his own network's morning show. At Paley's insistence, WTVJ aired the Morning News for one week, coinciding with the 1968 Republican National Convention held in Miami Beach . Later, Paley persuaded WCIX-TV (channel 6), Miami's independent station , to air
6624-452: The 79th Street Causeway , picking up the tab. After returning to the WSVN studios, Ansin pointed at a satellite dish used to receive NBC programming and deadpanned to Timothy and Mapes, "Why don't you take it home on the airplane?" Ansin later described his reaction as "bewilderment", telling Timothy and Mapes it was "bizarre and certainly unprecedented". Despite Ansin's informal objection to
6768-711: The Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2005 sponsored by then-Senator Sam Brownback , a former broadcaster himself, and endorsed by Congressman Fred Upton of Michigan who authored a similar bill in the United States House of Representatives . The new law stiffens the penalties for each violation of the Act. The Federal Communications Commission will be able to impose fines in the amount of $ 325,000 for each violation by each station that violates decency standards. The legislation raised
6912-634: The South Dixie Highway featured a dagger piercing a numeral "4". Due to the consummation process, the affiliation changes were now slated to take place on January 1, when WSVN's NBC contract was to end, the date Ansin preferred and which WSVN management argued made CBS's insistence on an earlier date irrelevant. Malara countered by telling the Herald , "... if I had to wait anyway, why should I affiliate with [Ansin]? If I had to wait, screw him. Why not buy an asset?" WTVJ, however, advertised
7056-565: The TVX Broadcast Group for a combined $ 240 million the following month; per a report in Electronic Media , CBS was still allowed to make an offer on WCIX while that transaction was taking place. We had a sign out on our front lawn saying 'We'd like to purchase a TV station in a top 20 market. Please call this number if you have such a station to sell.' The fact one network had never bought another's affiliate in
7200-504: The United States Senate for five-year terms, except when filling an unexpired term. The U.S. president designates one of the commissioners to serve as chairman. No more than three commissioners may be members of the same political party . None of them may have a financial interest in any FCC-related business. Commissioners may continue serving until the appointment of their replacements. However, they may not serve beyond
7344-494: The breakup of the Bell System from AT&T. Beginning in 1984, the FCC implemented a new goal that all long-distance companies had equal access to the local phone companies' customers. Effective January 1, 1984, the Bell System's many member-companies were variously merged into seven independent "Regional Holding Companies", also known as Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs), or "Baby Bells". This divestiture reduced
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#17328016720147488-405: The broadcast range , or geographic area, that the station is limited to, allocates the broadcast frequency of the radio spectrum for that station's transmissions, sets limits on what types of television programs can be programmed for broadcast and requires a station to broadcast a minimum amount of certain programs types, such as public affairs messages . Another form of television station
7632-534: The electricity bill and emergency backup generators . In North America , full-power stations on band I (channels 2 to 6) are generally limited to 100 kW analog video ( VSB ) and 10 kW analog audio ( FM ), or 45 kW digital ( 8VSB ) ERP. Stations on band III (channels 7 to 13) can go up by 5 dB to 316 kW video, 31.6 kW audio, or 160 kW digital. Low-VHF stations are often subject to long-distance reception just as with FM. There are no stations on Channel 1 . UHF , by comparison, has
7776-457: The 1960s All-Channel Receiver Act ), to make UHF viable against entrenched VHF stations. In markets where there were no VHF stations and UHF was the only TV service available, UHF survived. In other markets, which were too small to financially support a television station, too close to VHF outlets in nearby cities, or where UHF was forced to compete with more than one well-established VHF station, UHF had little chance for success. Denver had been
7920-762: The Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984, and made substantial modifications to Title VI in the Cable Television and Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992. Further modifications to promote cross-modal competition (telephone, video, etc.) were made in the Telecommunications Act of 1996, leading to the current regulatory structure. Broadcast television and radio stations are subject to FCC regulations including restrictions against indecency or obscenity. The Supreme Court has repeatedly held, beginning soon after
8064-572: The Everglades antenna and moved to a new facility in Hallandale on the Dade – Broward County county line. With the move came an upgrade to the maximum effective radiated power permitted on channel 4, 100,000 watts. The land was sold to Wolfson by Sidney Ansin, who co-founded Sunbeam Television with sons Ron and Edmund to pursue a license for channel 7. Construction of the tower was marred by
8208-522: The FCC a legal basis for imposing net neutrality rules (see below), after earlier attempts to impose such rules on an "information service" had been overturned in court. In 2005, the FCC formally established the following principles: To encourage broadband deployment and preserve and promote the open and interconnected nature of the public Internet, Consumers are entitled to access the lawful Internet content of their choice; Consumers are entitled to run applications and use services of their choice, subject to
8352-587: The FCC in the newly created post of associate general counsel/chief diversity officer. Numerous controversies have surrounded the city of license concept as the internet has made it possible to broadcast a single signal to every owned station in the nation at once, particularly when Clear Channel, now IHeartMedia , became the largest FM broadcasting corporation in the US after the Telecommunications Act of 1996 became law - owning over 1,200 stations at its peak. As part of its license to buy more radio stations, Clear Channel
8496-437: The FCC indicated that the public largely believed that the severe consolidation of media ownership had resulted in harm to diversity, localism, and competition in media, and was harmful to the public interest. David A. Bray joined the commission in 2013 as chief information officer and quickly announced goals of modernizing the FCC's legacy information technology (IT) systems, citing 200 different systems for only 1750 people
8640-563: The FCC leased space in the Portals building in southwest Washington, D.C. Construction of the Portals building was scheduled to begin on March 1, 1996. In January 1996, the General Services Administration signed a lease with the building's owners, agreeing to let the FCC lease 450,000 sq ft (42,000 m ) of space in Portals for 20 years, at a cost of $ 17.3 million per year in 1996 dollars. Prior to
8784-403: The FCC said that nearly 55 million Americans did not have access to broadband capable of delivering high-quality voice, data, graphics and video offerings. On February 26, 2015, the FCC reclassified broadband Internet access as a telecommunications service, thus subjecting it to Title II regulation, although several exemptions were also created. The reclassification was done in order to give
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#17328016720148928-487: The FCC started a years-long freeze on new television station permits, with WTVJ the only one it had awarded in Miami. Had WTVJ not gone on air, South Florida would have gone without television for years like Denver or Portland , neither of which had pre-freeze stations in operation. In a 1974 retrospective on early Miami TV, Jack E. Anderson of The Miami Herald noted that the head-start WTVJ had received on its competition "in many ways has persisted to this day". The freeze
9072-459: The FCC's re-allocation map of stations did not come until April 1952, with July 1, 1952, as the official beginning of licensing new stations. Other FCC actions hurt the fledgling DuMont and ABC networks. American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T) forced television coaxial cable users to rent additional radio long lines , discriminating against DuMont, which had no radio network operation. DuMont and ABC protested AT&T's television policies to
9216-514: The FCC, which regulated AT&T's long-line charges, but the commission took no action. The result was that financially marginal DuMont was spending as much in long-line charge as CBS or NBC while using only about 10 to 15 percent of the time and mileage of either larger network. The FCC's "Sixth Report & Order" ended the Freeze. It took five years for the US to grow from 108 stations to more than 550. New stations came on line slowly, only five by
9360-460: The Internet, cable services and wireless services has raised questions whether new legislative initiatives are needed as to competition in what has come to be called 'broadband' services. Congress has monitored developments but as of 2009 has not undertaken a major revision of applicable regulation. The Local Community Radio Act in the 111th Congress has gotten out of committee and will go before
9504-567: The Portals, the FCC had space in six buildings at and around 19th Street NW and M Street NW. The FCC first solicited bids for a new headquarters complex in 1989. In 1991 the GSA selected the Portals site. The FCC had wanted to move into a more expensive area along Pennsylvania Avenue . In 1934, Congress passed the Communications Act , which abolished the Federal Radio Commission and transferred jurisdiction over radio licensing to
9648-423: The Storer cable system and put WTVJ on the market with a deadline of May 1, 1987, to make a sale. Wometco's cable systems were also divested. I wonder if I have to wear cowboy boots to work now... I was totally surprised. I never heard the name Lorimar mentioned around the station. I heard network, and I heard other big broadcasting companies named, but not Lorimar. Alan Mendelson, WTVJ reporter, on news of
9792-529: The Sunday late news. Also preempted was a remake of I Saw What You Did written by Cuban exile and Miami native Cynthia Cidre in favor of a re-airing of the 1984 TV movie He's Not Your Son ; WTVJ's program director claimed that they were unaware of Cidre's local ties until after making the schedule change. Alan Perris resigned as WTVJ general manager in May 1988, referring to the last few years of his tenure as
9936-647: The U.S., the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is taking another large portion of this band (channels 52 to 69) away, in contrast to the rest of the world, which has been taking VHF instead. This means that some stations left on VHF are harder to receive after the analog shutdown . Since at least 1974, there are no stations on channel 37 in North America for radio astronomy purposes. Most television stations are commercial broadcasting enterprises which are structured in
10080-492: The United States accelerated an already ongoing shift in the FCC towards a decidedly more market-oriented stance. A number of regulations felt to be outdated were removed, most controversially the Fairness Doctrine in 1987. In terms of indecency fines, there was no action taken by the FCC on the case FCC v. Pacifica until 1987, about ten years after the landmark United States Supreme Court decision that defined
10224-631: The Weatherbird". In November 1952, WTVJ opened a three-story studio facility, connected to the existing facility, in what had been the Capitol Theatre. The conversion of the Capitol for television use included a 68-by-100-foot (21 by 30 m) main stage and was designed to allow the station to originate national television programs for wintering hosts. The ability for WTVJ to get on air and not be revoked proved invaluable. In October 1948,
10368-427: The air on December 1, 1953; it had a similar secondary arrangement with ABC and DuMont, though WTVJ retained first call rights to their programs. These stations started while Miami's two additional commercial VHF channels, 7 and 10, were tied up in comparative hearing processes with multiple applicants seeking them. Over the course of 1954, channel 4 upgraded its facilities. On May 17, 1954, it ceased broadcasting from
10512-530: The already popular Ralph Renick Reporting doubled. The WTVJ news department, led by Renick, was gaining local and international stature. In 1956, Renick mediated racial tensions in Delray Beach at the request of the mayor, who credited him as the sole reason the situation was resolved. The next year, he embarked on a 10-day, 17,500-mile (28,200 km) tour through Europe and North Africa, filming footage and securing interviews. In 1956, Chuck Zink joined
10656-422: The basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex, rapid, efficient, nationwide, and world-wide wire and radio communication services with adequate facilities at reasonable charges." The act furthermore provides that the FCC was created "for the purpose of the national defense" and "for the purpose of promoting safety of life and property through the use of wire and radio communications." Consistent with
10800-478: The beginning, Wometco was headed by co-founder Mitchell Wolfson ; Wolfson also served as mayor of Miami Beach, Florida , resigning to fight in World War II . On July 29, the FCC moved to revoke WTVJ's construction permit, having learned of Claughton's backing out. The commission's action came as WTVJ was nearly ready to begin broadcasting, just weeks before an announced August 15 date to start testing and after
10944-572: The book value of AT&T by approximately 70%. The FCC initially exempted "information services" such as broadband Internet access from regulation under Title II. The FCC held that information services were distinct from telecommunications services that are subject to common carrier regulation. However, Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 required the FCC to help accelerate deployment of "advanced telecommunications capability" which included high-quality voice, data, graphics, and video, and to regularly assess its availability. In August 2015,
11088-444: The commission in 1934 comprised the following seven members: The complete list of commissioners is available on the FCC website. Frieda B. Hennock (D-NY) was the first female commissioner of the FCC in 1948. The FCC regulates broadcast stations, repeater stations as well as commercial broadcasting operators who operate and repair certain radiotelephone , radio and television stations. Broadcast licenses are to be renewed if
11232-572: The company—after a bond payment to the banker in early 1988 was missed. Electronic Media reported in late July 1988 that CBS quietly re-entered talks with the banker over WCIX. The News reported on August 5 that CBS News president Howard Stringer , recently promoted to president of CBS's owned-stations division , expected a resolution to the Miami affiliation situation "very soon... probably by next week", while Ansin conceded CBS executives had not been in contact with him since April. CBS announced its purchase of WCIX three days later for $ 59 million,
11376-414: The conversion, Congress established a federally sponsored DTV Converter Box Coupon Program for two free converters per household. The FCC regulates telecommunications services under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934. Title II imposes common carrier regulation under which carriers offering their services to the general public must provide services to all customers and may not discriminate based on
11520-471: The cooking series Holiday House and the consumer program Shopper's Guide , as well as cartoons and country music. Sports telecasts included Miami Hurricanes football in the 1949 and 1950 seasons—before the university revoked permission, fearing telecasts would hurt attendance—as well as the Orange Bowl , roller derby, horse racing, golf, and jai alai . Old movies also featured; Alec Gibson, faced with
11664-427: The designated VHF channels, 2 through 13, were inadequate for nationwide television service. As a result, the FCC stopped giving out construction permits for new licenses in October 1948, under the direction of Chairman Rosel H. Hyde . Most expected this "Freeze" to last six months, but as the allocation of channels to the emerging UHF technology and the eagerly awaited possibilities of color television were debated,
11808-487: The early 2000s, complimenting overall market leader WSCV. The Southern Radio and Television Equipment Company applied to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on January 6, 1947, for permission to build a television station in Miami on channel 4. The permit was granted on March 12, 1947, and president Robert G. Venn announced that Miami would have television by August. In addition to Venn, principals in Southern Radio and Television Equipment included Edward N. Claughton,
11952-580: The early UHF stations were supplanted by VHF outlets—WCKT-TV on channel 7, now WSVN , started in July 1956, and WPST-TV debuted on channel 10 in August 1957—and ratings competition and increased network offerings told hook, the "friendly, disjointed" local programming on WTVJ waned. Several new programming concepts proved groundbreaking during this time. Renick instituted the nation's first regular TV editorials in 1957, focusing on local and state issues; ratings for
12096-421: The end of November 1952. The Sixth Report and Order required some existing television stations to change channels, but only a few existing VHF stations were required to move to UHF, and a handful of VHF channels were deleted altogether in smaller media markets like Peoria , Fresno , Bakersfield and Fort Wayne, Indiana to create markets which were UHF "islands." The report also set aside a number of channels for
12240-500: The end of an era for WTVJ and especially Renick, who eulogized him as "more than just an employer—he was the father I didn't have, the guiding light of my professional life as one as well as my personal one". In November 1984, for the first time since Renick became news anchor in July 1950, WTVJ failed to have the number-one evening newscast in total viewers; it had been surpassed by WPLG-TV 's Eyewitness News , which years ago had overtaken channel 4 among younger demographics. This prompted
12384-413: The end of the next session of Congress following term expiration. In practice, this means that commissioners may serve up to 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 years beyond the official term expiration listed above if no replacement is appointed. This would end on the date that Congress adjourns its annual session, generally no later than noon on January 3. The FCC is organized into seven bureaus, each headed by
12528-489: The end of the digital television transition. After delaying the original deadlines of 2006, 2008, and eventually February 17, 2009, on concerns about elderly and rural folk, on June 12, 2009, all full-power analog terrestrial TV licenses in the U.S. were terminated as part of the DTV transition , leaving terrestrial television available only from digital channels and a few low-power LPTV stations. To help U.S. consumers through
12672-423: The fine ten times over the previous maximum of $ 32,500 per violation. The FCC has established rules limiting the national share of media ownership of broadcast radio or television stations. It has also established cross-ownership rules limiting ownership of a newspaper and broadcast station in the same market, in order to ensure a diversity of viewpoints in each market and serve the needs of each local market. In
12816-598: The first post-Freeze construction permits. KFEL (now KWGN-TV )'s first regular telecast was on July 21, 1952. In 1996, Congress enacted the Telecommunications Act of 1996 , in the wake of the breakup of AT&T resulting from the U.S. Department of Justice's antitrust suit against AT&T. The legislation attempted to create more competition in local telephone service by requiring Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers to provide access to their facilities for Competitive Local Exchange Carriers . This policy has thus far had limited success and much criticism. The development of
12960-484: The first time ever. After Renick's departure, WTVJ fell to third place in news ratings. KKR acquired Storer Communications soon after purchasing WTVJ, creating a cross-ownership conflict between Storer's cable systems in South Florida and WTVJ. Lorimar-Telepictures initially agreed to purchase the station but backed out once it emerged that CBS was looking at buying another Miami station, WCIX (channel 6) , at
13104-420: The highest point available in the transmission area, such as on a summit , the top of a high skyscraper , or on a tall radio tower . To get a signal from the master control room to the transmitter, a studio/transmitter link (STL) is used. The link can be either by radio or T1 / E1 . A transmitter/studio link (TSL) may also send telemetry back to the station, but this may be embedded in subcarriers of
13248-435: The house floor with bi-partisan support, and unanimous support of the FCC. By passing the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Congress also eliminated the cap on the number of radio stations any one entity could own nationwide and also substantially loosened local radio station ownership restrictions. Substantial radio consolidation followed. Restrictions on ownership of television stations were also loosened. Public comments to
13392-446: The identity of the customer or the content of the communication. This is similar to and adapted from the regulation of transportation providers (railroad, airline, shipping, etc.) and some public utilities. Wireless carriers providing telecommunications services are also generally subject to Title II regulation except as exempted by the FCC. The FCC regulates interstate telephone services under Title II. The Telecommunications Act of 1996
13536-527: The largest U.S. city without a TV station by 1952. Senator Edwin Johnson (D-Colorado), chair of the Senate's Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee , had made it his personal mission to make Denver the first post-Freeze station. The senator had pressured the FCC, and proved ultimately successful as the first new station (a VHF station) came on-line a remarkable ten days after the commission formally announced
13680-519: The law, the revocation order was to be stayed if a hearing was requested; this followed in mid-August. A request to go on the air in the interim was denied, and on October 25, the FCC opened three days of hearings in Miami to determine the uncompleted station's fate. At the hearings, Venn explained that Claughton had withdrawn his participation in the firm in March 1947, the same month it won the permit. He made this decision after stocks he owned lost value. As
13824-400: The local television station has no station identification and, from a consumer's point of view, there is no practical distinction between a network and a station, with only small regional changes in programming, such as local television news . To broadcast its programs, a television station requires operators to operate equipment, a transmitter or radio antenna , which is often located at
13968-419: The main broadcast. Stations which retransmit or simulcast another may simply pick-up that station over-the-air , or via STL or satellite. The license usually specifies which other station it is allowed to carry. VHF stations often have very tall antennas due to their long wavelength , but require much less effective radiated power (ERP), and therefore use much less transmitter power output , also saving on
14112-442: The motion picture industry where we were well acquainted with both sight and sound, it seemed to me that television had the greatest opportunity in which we could serve and profit from communications. Mitchell Wolfson , founder of WTVJ In March 1948, Southern Radio and Television Equipment filed to transfer the construction permit for WTVJ to Wolfson-Meyer Theatre Enterprises, Inc.—better known as Wometco Enterprises. From
14256-492: The move was done to improve the FCC's "coordination across the federal government" and to "support the 21st-century satellite industry." The decision to establish the Space Bureau was reportedly done to improve the agency's capacity to regulate Satellite Internet access . The new bureau officially launched on April 11, 2023. The commissioners of the FCC are: The initial group of FCC commissioners after establishment of
14400-503: The negative effects of media concentration and consolidation on racial-ethnic diversity in staffing and programming. At these Latino town hall meetings, the issue of the FCC's lax monitoring of obscene and pornographic material in Spanish-language radio and the lack of racial and national-origin diversity among Latino staff in Spanish-language television were other major themes. President Barack Obama appointed Mark Lloyd to
14544-566: The network. WTVJ's sales department poked fun of the situation in a promotional tape made for prospective advertisers showing a master control employee drinking from an NBC-branded coffee mug while watching a CBS News broadcast and a zoom-in of the NBC peacock that revealed the CBS eye logo. Conventional wisdom from the beginning had WSVN taking over as the market's CBS affiliate once NBC programming moved to WTVJ. Negotiations between Ansin and CBS management, however, broke down by late April 1988 over
14688-482: The newly emerging field of educational television , which hindered struggling ABC and DuMont 's quest for affiliates in the more desirable markets where VHF channels were reserved for non-commercial use. The Sixth Report and Order also provided for the "intermixture" of VHF and UHF channels in most markets; UHF transmitters in the 1950s were not yet powerful enough, nor receivers sensitive enough (if they included UHF tuners at all - they were not formally required until
14832-473: The objectives of the act as well as the 1999 Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), the FCC has identified four goals in its 2018–22 Strategic Plan. They are: Closing the Digital Divide, Promoting Innovation, Protecting Consumers & Public Safety, and Reforming the FCC's Processes. The FCC is directed by five commissioners appointed by the president of the United States and confirmed by
14976-445: The other shareholders owing money to KKR. CBS's offer to buy WTVJ for $ 170 million was thus deemed unacceptable. The network claimed WTVJ was only worth half KKR's asking price at most, and most of its profits came from frequently preempting CBS programming . KKR then offered WTVJ to both Capital Cities/ABC Inc. and NBC parent company General Electric (GE), under the belief a competing network would not have their bids affected by
15120-584: The passage of the Communications Act of 1934, that the inherent scarcity of radio spectrum allows the government to impose some types of content restrictions on broadcast license holders notwithstanding the First Amendment. Cable and satellite providers are also subject to some content regulations under Title VI of the Communications Act such as the prohibition on obscenity, although the limitations are not as restrictive compared to broadcast stations. The 1981 inauguration of Ronald Reagan as President of
15264-473: The power of the FCC over indecent material as applied to broadcasting. After the 1990s had passed, the FCC began to increase its censorship and enforcement of indecency regulations in the early 2000s to include a response to the Janet Jackson " wardrobe malfunction " that occurred during the halftime show of Super Bowl XXXVIII . Then on June 15, 2006, President George W. Bush signed into law
15408-571: The program. The liaison between WTVJ and The Herald was Ralph Renick , then a recent graduate of the University of Miami. On July 16, 1950, amid the backdrop of the Korean War , WTVJ started producing its own local newscasts, with Renick as the anchor. With limited resources and day-old film, Renick slowly began to build up the operation as well as a library of magazine clippings to use to illustrate news stories. Another charter WTVJ employee
15552-531: The program. Viewership for Skipper Chuck declined over the latter half of the decade; the show stopped making a profit; and parents became more critical of children's television programming. In 1978, the studio audience was changed to one a week. In January 1979, Skipper Chuck changed to a weekly show on Saturday mornings, bringing the CBS Morning News to WTVJ for the first time. Too often stations with consultants end up trying to present news only as
15696-476: The programmes seen on its owner's flagship station, and have no television studio or production facilities of their own. This is common in developing countries . Low-power stations typically also fall into this category worldwide. Most stations which are not simulcast produce their own station identifications . TV stations may also advertise on or provide weather (or news) services to local radio stations , particularly co-owned sister stations . This may be
15840-650: The report was the breakup of the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), which ultimately led to the creation of the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), but there were two other important points. One was network option time, the culprit here being the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS). The report limited the amount of time during the day and at what times the networks may broadcast. Previously
15984-446: The research results suggest the people want. But lost in this concept is that a professional journalist should have the ability and news judgment to determine what is important and significant. Ralph Renick, on news consultants in a 1973 survey In spite of WTVJ's news ratings success, Renick shunned the consultant-driven, softer news formats that became popular in the 1970s and early 1980s. He called Frank Magid & Associates
16128-515: The sale and lobbying from area elected officials on his behalf, the FCC approved the sale in September 1987. WTVJ's existing CBS contract ran out in April 1988, which raised the possibility of WTVJ being an NBC-owned CBS affiliate for a prolonged period; due to WSVN's contract with NBC running until January 1, 1989, both networks agreed to extend WTVJ's CBS contract on a two-week basis for as long as
16272-960: The second half of 2006, groups such as the National Hispanic Media Coalition, the National Latino Media Council, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, the National Institute for Latino Policy , the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and others held town hall meetings in California, New York and Texas on media diversity as its effects Latinos and minority communities. They documented widespread and deeply felt community concerns about
16416-420: The sponsor, the hamburger restaurant Royal Castle , pulled out and was replaced with the then-little-known Burger King chain. In addition to Skipper Chuck , Zink was a movie host and pageant announcer for WTVJ. WTVJ responded in the 1960s to changing demographics and needs in Miami. In 1960, Manolo Reyes approached Wolfson and Renick with a suggestion to start a regular Spanish-language newscast. The concept
16560-499: The station from WCMB-TV in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania . The station had purchased a package of Popeye cartoons, which Zink began to host as Popeye's Playhouse . Later retitled The Skipper Chuck Show , the program enjoyed substantial popularity for years. A waiting list to be in its studio audience at its height swelled to two years long. Zink was the first local children's show host to integrate his program, with Wolfson's support;
16704-435: The station meets the "public interest, convenience, or necessity". The FCC's enforcement powers include fines and broadcast license revocation (see FCC MB Docket 04-232). Burden of proof would be on the complainant in a petition to deny. The FCC first promulgated rules for cable television in 1965, with cable and satellite television now regulated by the FCC under Title VI of the Communications Act. Congress added Title VI in
16848-471: The station to begin searching for new evening news anchors with the expectation that one of them would replace Renick as the station aimed to counter WPLG. That search ended at the start of April 1985 with the hiring of John Hambrick from WNBC-TV in New York City. On April 10, 1985, Renick announced his immediate resignation from WTVJ on air, ending a nearly-35-year run and sparking speculation about
16992-404: The station's News Weekend newscasts debuted a new staff member: interviewer Larry King , who also hosted a late-night talk show known as Nightcap . King remained on air at WTVJ until December 1971, after he was charged with grand larceny ; the charges were dropped, but WTVJ dismissed him in March 1972. Two WTVJ documentaries— A Seed of Hope , on drug addiction, and The Swift Justice of Europe ,
17136-541: The station's proposed sale to Lorimar-Telepictures (producers of the CBS soap opera Dallas ) One anonymous Wometco staffer told The Miami Herald that several broadcast networks showed an interest in WTVJ, with a CBS official identifying Miami as one of eight " Sun Belt " markets for future acquisitions. A revision to the Herald story revealed that NBC also made an inquiry about the station, but that network's executives were not available for comment. KKR had originally intended to sell off WTVJ by itself and had rejected
17280-490: The streets for a night for a story about homelessness. However, news director Al Buck refused to use her as an anchor, even in an emergency, feeling she was not good enough. Couric departed WTVJ for NBC-owned WRC-TV in Washington, D.C. , in 1986. In late April 1985, KKR acquired Storer Communications in another leveraged buyout engineered to thwart a liquidation of that company by dissatisfied shareholders and to prevent
17424-885: The studio building and surrounding land, was itself sold for $ 405 million. Also included were Storer's program production company, advertising sales division, and Washington news bureau . A KKR representative said the firm stood "to make a bundle" and that Lorimar-Telepictures, unlike KKR, had the resources to do more with the stations. Lorimar-Telepictures was not a stranger to broadcast station ownership, already owning five television stations inherited from predecessor Telepictures and having made concurrent offers to purchase WPGH-TV in Pittsburgh and WTTV in Bloomington, Indiana , serving Indianapolis . Lorimar founder Merv Adelson and associate Irwin Molasky found themselves
17568-769: The subject of scrutiny via a September 15, 1986, profile in The Wall Street Journal that detailed their past ties to several organized crime figures including Moe Dalitz , Allard Roen , and Allen Dorfman , even though Adelson and Molasky were never implicated in any unlawful behavior. The deal also faced opposition from both the Cleveland chapter of NABET and a group of minority Wometco shareholders, but Lorimar-Telepictures president Alan Bell expressed confidence those disputes would be resolved. The June 7, 1986, edition of The Palm Beach Post added another wrinkle: TV critic Bob Michals reported on rumors of
17712-424: The swap is why?" On October 22, 1986, Lorimar-Telepictures asked to exclude WTVJ from the deal, which KKR agreed to. This was initially attributed to Lorimar having issues financing the deal, a weak advertising climate in Miami, and reduced cash flow estimates for WTVJ that would have made it impossible to cover interest serviced on $ 2 billion in high-yield bonds raised by Adelson. The $ 405 million price
17856-555: The switch and signal downgrade, WTVJ found a news identity in "solid, old-fashioned journalism" under general manager Don Browne , who led the station to its best newscast ratings performance since the Renick years in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Browne oversaw WTVJ's move from downtown Miami to its present Miramar studios in 2000 and the integration of WSCV with WTVJ after NBC bought Telemundo in 2001. The station has run generally first or second among English-language local newscasts since
18000-478: The switch with a blaze of promotion, internally dubbed Operation Peacock, which cost between $ 2 and $ 3 million. This included outreach at local malls, a bilingual 24-hour hotline, Spanish-language print and radio advertising (to attract the Cuban yuppie market), and television ads featuring a custom version of the recent hit song " Don't Worry, Be Happy " by Bobby McFerrin . A life-sized cardboard cutout of Bill Cosby
18144-522: The uniqueness of the purchase to a relaxation in FCC regulations that increased the number of stations one company could own. CBS was conducting a meeting of its board of affiliates in the U.S. Virgin Islands when the news broke, resulting in none of the company's executives being available for comment. Wright called Tisch, who was playing tennis, to tell him the news, saying, "[H]e was very gracious ... we didn't get into it in any detail, but I think he
18288-399: The world. Television stations broadcasting over an analog system were typically limited to one television channel , but digital television enables broadcasting via subchannels as well. Television stations usually require a broadcast license from a government agency which sets the requirements and limitations on the station. In the United States, for example, a television license defines
18432-678: Was a local favorite for more than 20 years; and the station pioneered in sports coverage and local Spanish-language programming. WTVJ produced a series of reporters and anchors that went on to prominent network positions, including Jane Chastain , Katie Couric , Bernard Goldberg , and Martha Teichner . This era of stability and ratings success began to decay considerably after Wometco's owner, Mitchell Wolfson , died in 1983. The firm's television stations were sold to investment company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR), which instituted cost cuts and management changes that prompted Renick to exit in 1985, months after his evening newscast fell to second place for
18576-581: Was also placed in the main lobby of the WTVJ studios. The campaign was remembered years later as "grating", "annoying", and "over as soon as it started". The outreach to the Cuban community also alienated viewers, particularly older ones; one station promo asserted, "When Castro falls, Channel 4 will be there!" and was regarded by South Florida Sun-Sentinel critic Tom Jicha as "ticklish" and "feverish". Television station The Fernsehsender Paul Nipkow ( TV Station Paul Nipkow ) in Berlin , Germany ,
18720-429: Was completed on April 13, 1984, the company was taken private and split into two entities: one based around the television station licenses and Wometco Home Theater and the other centered around the theater chain, Miami Seaquarium , bottling , and cable television divisions. The majority of the latter's assets were sold to a Wometco executive, while the bottling operations were sold separately. Wolfson's death marked
18864-536: Was considered Renick's "right arm", overseeing the newsroom and responsible for spotting and hiring young talent that went on to local and national prominence. Starting in 1953 as a secretary, she was assistant news director when she exited WTVJ in 1983. The Ralph Renick Report , which had been a 15-minute program, was lengthened to 30 minutes in 1965. By that year, the station had 30 employees in news and bureaus in Fort Lauderdale and Tallahassee . That year,
19008-473: Was deemed necessary. WTVJ began liberally preempting CBS's primetime lineup for syndicated shows such as the Stacy Keach miniseries Hemingway , which displaced CBS programming over three consecutive nights in late April 1988. The airing of Hemingway in particular preempted the second half of a two-part Newhart episode and a Hallmark Hall of Fame installment, the latter of which instead aired after
19152-441: Was forced to divest all TV stations. To facilitate the adoption of digital television, the FCC issued a second digital TV (DTV) channel to each holder of an analog TV station license. All stations were required to buy and install all new equipment ( transmitters , TV antennas, and even entirely new broadcast towers ), and operate for years on both channels. Each licensee was required to return one of their two channels following
19296-649: Was formed by the Communications Act of 1934 to replace the radio regulation functions of the previous Federal Radio Commission . The FCC took over wire communication regulation from the Interstate Commerce Commission . The FCC's mandated jurisdiction covers the 50 states, the District of Columbia , and the territories of the United States . The FCC also provides varied degrees of cooperation, oversight, and leadership for similar communications bodies in other countries in North America. The FCC
19440-416: Was greenlit, and the station debuted News en Español on weekday mornings on August 28, 1960. While it met with strong negative reaction from some viewers, Wolfson defended Reyes, who was later named Latin news editor. The newscast proved a lifeline for the Cuban exiles fleeing the country after the 1959 Cuban Revolution . The daily Spanish-language newscasts continued until 1971, when Reyes shifted to hosting
19584-560: Was led by two of the seven commissioners, with the FCC chairman being a member of each division. The organizing meeting directed the divisions to meet on July 18, July 19, and July 20, respectively. In 1940, the Federal Communications Commission issued the "Report on Chain Broadcasting " which was led by new FCC chairman James Lawrence Fly (and Telford Taylor as general counsel). The major point in
19728-415: Was nearly 21 times WTVJ's cash flow while typical station purchase prices were 10 to 14 times cash flow, causing financial markets to believe Lorimar grossly overpaid. A few days later, The Miami Herald reported that Lorimar backed away from WTVJ after learning CBS inquired with Taft Broadcasting about purchasing WCIX for as much as $ 125 million, which risked forcing WTVJ to become an independent with
19872-516: Was not connected to the coaxial cable system used to transmit network television until June 30, 1952. The station aired an array of local programs to complement network shows. Students at the University of Miami trained on WTVJ's equipment and produced a weekly Saturday night show. On the quiz show Quick on the Draw , Air Force recruiting personnel faced off against models. Other local shows included
20016-440: Was not lifted until 1952. Television competition came to South Florida first on two stations in the ultra high frequency (UHF) band, originally licensed to Fort Lauderdale . WFTL-TV (channel 23), the first post-freeze TV outlet in the state, started on May 5, 1953, as an outlet for previously unseen NBC programs; some NBC output remained on WTVJ's schedule. The other Fort Lauderdale station, WITV on channel 17, joined WFTL-TV on
20160-422: Was surprised." NBC president Raymond Timothy and vice president Pierson Mapes were tasked by Wright to inform Edmund Ansin—president of WSVN parent Sunbeam Television—of the WTVJ purchase in what Mapes later regarded as one of the worst moments of his career. Notified shortly before noon, Timothy recounted Ansin saying "You Expletive Deleted" at the news but honored a prior invite to lunch at a seafood restaurant on
20304-471: Was the first major legislative reform since the 1934 act and took several steps to de-regulate the telephone market and promote competition in both the local and long-distance marketplace. The important relationship of the FCC and the American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T) Company evolved over the decades. For many years, the FCC and state officials agreed to regulate the telephone system as
20448-678: Was the first regular television service in the world. It was on the air from 22 March 1935, until it was shut down in 1944. The station was named after Paul Gottlieb Nipkow , the inventor of the Nipkow disk . Most often the term "television station" refers to a station which broadcasts structured content to an audience or it refers to the organization that operates the station. A terrestrial television transmission can occur via analog television signals or, more recently, via digital television signals. Television stations are differentiated from cable television or other video providers as their content
20592-477: Was weak in much of Palm Beach County , channel 4 could be seen clearly on area cable systems. When WTVJ opened a news bureau in Palm Beach County in 1970, 12.4 percent of its audience was said to come from there. At one time, it outrated WPEC before the station improved and lost the distinction of being an "embarrassing No. 3 in a two-station market". In 1980, WTVX built a new transmitting facility with
20736-682: Was weatherman Bob Weaver . He worked at the station for 20 years before leaving for a three-year stint at two stations in the Northeast, WCBS-TV in New York and WHDH-TV in Boston, returning to Miami and WTVJ in 1972. One of the first forecasters to be certified by the American Meteorological Society , Weaver was also a ventriloquist , often delivering light jokes alongside weather reports with puppet sidekick "Weavie
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