WPFO
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| WPFO | |
|---|---|
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| Waterville / Portland, Maine | |
| Branding | FOX 23 News 13 |
| Channels | |
| Subchannels | 23.1 FOX |
| Owner | Corporate Media Consultants Group (operated by Max Media, LLC) (CMCG Portland License, LLC) |
| First air date | August 27, 1999 |
| Call letters’ meaning | Portland's FOX |
| Former callsigns | WMPX-TV (1999-2003) |
| Former affiliations | PAX (1999-2003) |
| Transmitter Power | 390 kW |
| Height | 331 m |
| Facility ID | 84088 |
| Transmitter Coordinates | 44°9′15.3″N 70°0′35.2″W / 44.15425°N 70.009778°W |
| Website | myfoxmaine.com |
WPFO is the FOX-affiliated television station for southern Maine and northern New Hampshire that is licensed to Waterville, Maine. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 23 from a transmitter on Oak Hill in Litchfield near the Androscoogin and Kennebec County line. Owned by Max Media, the station has studios on Oxford Street in downtown Portland. Syndicated programming on WPFO includes: Two and a Half Men, Seinfeld, According to Jim, and Family Guy.
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[edit] History
The station began broadcasting on August 27, 1999. It had the call sign WMPX-TV and was owned by Paxson Communications. The station originally aired programming from the PAX (now Ion) Network. Paxson sold channel 23 in December 2002 to Max Media, LLC who changed the call sign to the current WPFO. The station changed its affiliation to FOX in April 2003. That filled a gap created in Fall 2001 when WPXT switched to The WB.
In July 2007, WPFO debuted a new logo and launched an updated website. The website's design is outsourced to FOX Interactive Media which also develops websites for FOX's owned-and-operated stations. Because it was granted an original construction permit after the FCC finalized the DTV allotment plan on April 21, 1997, the station did not receive a companion channel for a digital television station. Instead, at 11:59 P.M. on February 17, 2009, WPFO ceased analog broadcasting and turned on its digital signal (an action called a "flash-cut").
[edit] Programming
From its sign-on until April 12, 2003, Winstar Communications ran the station and branded it on-air as "WMPX-TV PAX 23". As such at that time, the station carried programming from the PAX Network with a small amount of local programming. During the 2000 election season, it aired a presidential debate from NBC News (that aired on the same night as a MLB playoff game). Some rallies of evangelist Luis Palau were also seen on the station. As WPFO, in addition to FOX primetime and sports programming, the station airs local programming made by outside producers. In 2003, the station aired a morning talk show, with a three hour call-in format, called So Goes The Nation. It was hosted by Alan Silberberg and former WVOM host Charlie Horne from the studios of Bangor's FOX affiliate WFVX-LP. The show started on WFVX and then was simulcast on WPFO and via the radio on WLOB-AM 1310. So Goes The Nation was canceled in September 2004.
[edit] Newscasts
From November 9, 2005 to March 27, 2009, WPFO simulcasted WLOB-AM's weekday morning show known as The FOX Morning News hosted by Ray Richardson and Ted Talbot. There were short features and news stories from FOX News and weather forecasts with former WGME meteorologist Paul Cousins during breaks in the show. The program was more of a talk show than newscast and featured live call-ins from viewers and listeners. It was replaced by two hours of the nationally syndicated morning show, The Daily Buzz. On February 5, 2007, CBS affiliate WGME began producing a nightly 10 o'clock newscast on WPFO known as News 13 on FOX. This is possible because of a news share agreement between the two stations. It is broadcasted from a secondary set at WGME's studios on the corner of Washington Avenue and Northport Drive in the North Deering section of Portland. WPFO's website has video from News 13 on FOX.
The Daily Buzz
(Weekday Mornings 6 to 8)
- Anchors:
- Andy Campbell
- Andrea Jackson
- News Updates:
- Kia Malone
- Weather:
News 13 on FOX (10 to 10:35 P.M.)
Weeknights
- Anchor:
- Kiley Bennett
- Weather:
- Charlie Lopresti
- Sports:
- Dave Eid
Weekends
- Anchor:
- Erin Ovalle
- Weather:
- Craig Miller
- Sports:
- Evans Boston
WPFO uses additional news personnel from WGME. See that article for a complete listing.
[edit] External links
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