WPLG

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WPLG
Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Branding Local 10 (general)
Local 10 News (newscasts)
Channels

Digital: 10 (VHF)
Subchannels (see article)
Translators W47AC Big Pine Key
Affiliations ABC
LATV (DT2)
Owner Post-Newsweek Stations, Inc.
(Post-Newsweek Stations, Florida, Inc.)
First air date November 20, 1961
Call letters’ meaning Phillip L. Graham
(in memory of the late Washington Post president)
Former callsigns WLBW-TV (1961–1970)
Former channel number(s) Analog:
10 (1961-2009)
Digital:
9 (1999-2009)
Transmitter Power 156 kW
Height 309 m
Facility ID 53113
Transmitter Coordinates 25°58′0″N 80°12′43″W / 25.96667°N 80.21194°W / 25.96667; -80.21194
Website www.JustNews.com

WPLG is an ABC network affiliate serving the entire Miami, Florida area. WPLG is owned and operated by Post-Newsweek Stations, a subsidiary of the Washington Post Company.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] WPST-TV

The station first took to the air on August 2, 1957 as WPST-TV, as the second ABC affiliate in the Miami market, under the ownership of Public Service Television, Inc., the broadcasting subsidiary of National Airlines. (Hence the call letters.) Prior to this time ABC had been carried by WITV, channel 17. With the loss of the ABC affiliation, channel 17 quickly went out of business. (Channel 17 is now occupied by a PBS member station, WLRN-TV.)

A Congressional investigation of former FCC Commissioner Richard A. Mack in 1958 revealed that a Miami attorney named Thurman A. Whiteside, working on behalf National Airlines, bribed the former commissioner to obtain the WPST license.[1] As a result, WPST-TV was stripped of its broadcast license.

[edit] A New Channel 10

A group headed by L.B. Wilson won the right to start a new station on channel 10. As part of an FCC-supervised deal, National sold WPST's assets to Wilson's group. WPST signed off for the last time on November 13, 1961. A week later, on November 20, channel 10 returned to the air as WLBW-TV (after the owner's initials). Although it operates under a separate license, it claims WPST's history as its own.[2]

The new station called itself "Colorvision 10", indicating that it was broadcasting in color. In 1967, WLBW moved to a studio facility location on Biscayne Boulevard. In 1969, WLBW was purchased by Katharine Graham. On March 16, 1970, WLBW was renamed WPLG, named for Katharine Graham's late husband Philip L. Graham.

[edit] Life Under Post-Newsweek

WPLG logo from 1998

The station became well-known in the 1970s for its popular anchor team. From 1976 to 1982 Glenn Rinker, Ann Bishop, Chuck Dowdle and Walter Cronise anchored "Newswatch 10". In 1982, Rinker left for another position in Orlando and was replaced by Mike Schneider. Schneider and Bishop anchored until 1986, when Dwight Lauderdale joined the anchor desk with Bishop on "Channel 10 Eyewitness News," becoming South Florida's first African-American nightly news anchor. By 1985, WPLG had surpassed rival WTVJ in the ratings and would dominate the ratings for over ten years. Ann Bishop would continue to anchor the news until 1995. She worked part-time at the station until she succumbed to colon cancer in 1997. Don Noe joined WPLG in 1979 and was one of Miami's most popular chief meteorologists up until his retirement in 2007.

WPLG deployed "Sky 10", Miami's first news helicopter in 1979.

WPLG is branded "Local10" under the station standardization adopted by Post-Newsweek, which means that all stations use the "Local Mandate."

When WTVJ, WCIX (now WFOR-TV), and WSVN all swapped affiliations on New Years Day 1989, WPLG had remained an ABC affiliate. And, when WTVJ and WFOR swapped channel numbers, WPLG remained on channel 10, and remained an ABC affiliate. It is the only Miami television station that has never changed its affiliation. Because of this consistency, WPLG dominates the South Florida market.

As a Post-Newsweek station WPLG continues to run nearly the entire ABC television schedule; only the ABC Kids airings of Power Rangers: Jungle Fury do not air, due to the station's news commitment and the program's lack of E/I content. From April 2007 until February 2009, WPLG was South Florida's most-watched English-language television station which can partially be attributed to its availability in the West Palm Beach market via Comcast which in turn is damaging to ratings for WPBF, West Palm Beach's ABC affiliate. In February, WPLG fell behind WFOR which now holds the title of being South Florida's most watched english-language station.

WPLG offers LATV on its DT2 digital subchannel.

On March 28, 2009 WPLG relocated its studio facilities from 3900 Biscayne Boulevard to a location on 3401 Hallandale Beach Boulevard in Pembroke Park. As a result of this relocation none of South Florida's "Big Three" stations are based within the Miami city limits. Along with the move, on Saturday, March 28, 2009, during their 6:30 newscast, WPLG became the third Miami station to launch news in high definition. [3][4]

On July 18, 2008, it was announced that Post-Newsweek Stations, the owners of WPLG, would purchase competing station WTVJ from NBC Universal, pending FCC approval. The purchase would have created a duopoly between the two major-network affiliates. If the sale was approved, WTVJ would have moved to WPLG's new studios in Pembroke Park. It is unknown what the future held for WTVJ's news department if the two stations combined operations. [5] However, the sale was canceled on December 23, 2008, with NBC and The Washington Post Company citing poor economic conditions and the lack of FCC approval as the reasons for the cancellation.[6]

[edit] Digital television

The station's digital channel is multiplexed:

Digital channels

Virtual
Channel		 Physical
RF Channel		 Video Aspect Programming
10.1 10.1 720p 16:9 Main WPLG programming / ABC HD
10.2 10.2 480i 4:3 LATV

At 9am on June 12, 2009, WPLG shut off its analog signal and remained on channel 10 through their digital signal, in addition to switching broadcast towers. [7]

[edit] News Team

[edit] Anchors

  • Charles Perez - Weeknights at 6pm and 11pm
  • Laurie Jennings - Weeknights at 6pm and 11pm
  • Jacey Birch - Weekdays at Noon
  • Calvin Hughes - Weekday Mornings (5am-7am) and Noon
  • Kristi Kreuger - Weekday Mornings (5am-7am)
  • Rob Schmitt - Weekends at 6pm and 11pm
  • Neki Mohan - Weekends at 6pm and 11pm
  • Todd Tongen - Weekend Mornings
  • Jen Herrera - Weekend Mornings

[edit] Meteorologists

  • Trent Aric, Chief Meteorologist, weeknights at 6pm & 11pm (AMS Seal)
  • Scott Padgett, morning and noon (AMS Seal)
  • John Guaraldi, weekend evenings (AMS Seal)
  • Michael Smith, weekend mornings (AMS Seal)

[edit] Sports

  • Will Manso, sports director seen weeknights at 6pm and 11pm
  • John Henry Smith, weekends and sports reporter

[edit] Notable Personalities

[edit] Current

[edit] Alumni

Former WPLG Chief Meteorologist Don Noe

[edit] News/Station Presentation

[edit] Newscast Titles

  • Colorvision 10 News (1960's-1970)
  • The Scene Tonight (1970–1977)
  • NewsWatch 10 (1977–1982)
  • Channel 10 Eyewitness News (1982–2001)
  • Channel 10 News (2001–2004)
  • Local 10 News (2004-present)

[edit] Trivia

 Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (January 2009)

[edit] References

  1. ^ "You Are to Be Pitied". Time. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,863055-1,00.html. Retrieved on 02-14-2009. 
  2. ^ "Local 10 News' Beginnings". http://www.local10.com/station/269339/detail.html. Retrieved on 2009-02-14. 
  3. ^ Inside Local 10's New Home
  4. ^ Local 10's New Home: 3401 Hallandale Beach Blvd
  5. ^ "WPLG-ABC 10 owner may buy WTVJ-NBC 6". Miami Herald, July 15, 2008.
  6. ^ "Sale Of WTVJ To The Washington Post Company Terminated". NBC6.net. December 23, 2008. http://www.nbc6.net/news/18348386/detail.html. Retrieved on December 24, 2008. 
  7. ^ http://www.justnews.com/technology/19732752/detail.html

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Broadcast television in South Florida and the Keys
English stations
WPBT (2.1 PBS, 2.2 Create, 2.3 V-me) • WFOR (4.1 CBS) • WTVJ (6.1 NBC, 6.2 Weather, 6.3 Universal Sports) • WSVN (7.1 Fox, 7.2 Estrella TV) • WPLG (10.1 ABC, 10.2 LATV) • WLRN (17.1 PBS) • WIMP-CA 25 (HSN) • WBFS (33.1 MNTV) • WPXM (35.1 ION) • WSFL (39.1 The CW) • WHFT (45.1 TBN) • WBEC (63.1 IND / EDU)
Spanish stations
WLTV (23.1 UNI) • WPMF-LP 38 (AZA) • WJAN-CA 41 (IND) • WFUN-LP 48 (CV) • WSBS-CA 50 (IND) •
WSCV (51.1 TEL) • WGEN-LP 55 (IND) • WEYS-LP 56 (ALMA) • WAMI (69.1 TFU)
Ethnic stations
Key West stations
WGEN (8.1 IND) • WEYW-LP 19 (RTV) • WSBS (22.1 IND) • WCAY 34 (tourist) • WGAY-LP 41 (IND)
Distant stations

West Palm Beach: WPTV (5.1 NBC, 5.2 Weather) • WPEC (12.1 CBS, 12.2 Mi Pueblo TV) • WFLX (29.1 Fox) • WXEL (42.1 PBS)
Local cable channels
See also: Fort Myers TV, Bahamas TV, Television in Cuba
v • d • e
ABC Network Affiliates in the state of Florida
See also: ABC, CBS, CW, Fox, ION, MyNetworkTV, NBC, PBS and Other stations in Florida
Also see: Religious and Spanish TV stations
v • d • e
Spanish-Language Television Stations in the state of Florida

Miami - Fort Lauderdale: WPBT-DT 2.3 (V-me, Miami) - WGEN 8 (Spanish Independent, Key West) - WPLG-DT 10.2 (LATV, Miami) - WSBS 22 (Spanish Independent, Key West) - WLTV 23 (Univision, Miami) - WPMF 38 (Azteca America, Miami) - WJAN-CA 41 (Spanish Independent / CNN Español, Miami) - WFUN-LP 48 (Caribevision, Miami) - WSCV 51 (Telemundo, Fort Lauderdale) - WEYS-LP 56 (ALMA, Miami) - WAMI 69 (TeleFutura, Hollywood)
Tampa - St. Petersburg: WEDU-DT 3.2 (V-me, Tampa) - WXAX-LP 26 (Azteca América, Tampa) - WTAM-LP 30 (Multimedios, Tampa) - WRMD-CA 49 (Telemundo, Tampa) - WFTT 50 (TeleFutura, Tampa) - WVEA 62 (Univision/LATV, Venice)
Orlando - Daytona Beach - Melbourne: WKMG-DT 6.2 (LATV, Orlando) - W21AU 21 (Azteca América, Orlando) - WMFE-DT 24.2 (V-me, Orlando) - WVEN 26 (Univision, Daytona Beach) - WTMO-CA 31 (Telemundo, Orlando) - WZXZ-CA 36 (Caribevision, Orlando) - WOTF 43 (TeleFutura, Melbourne)
West Palm Beach - Fort Pierce: WWHB-CA 48 (Azteca América, Stuart) - WBWP-LP 57 (Mega TV, West Palm Beach)
Fort Myers - Naples: WUVF-CA 2/WLZE-LP 51 / WEVU-CA 4/WBSP-CA 7 (Univision, Ft. Myers/Naples) - WTPH-LP 14 (Azteca América, Ft. Myers) - WTLE-LP 18 (TeleFutura, Ft. Myers) - WWDT-CA 43 (Telemundo, Naples)
Pensacola: WSRE-DT 23.4 (V-me, Pensacola)
See also: ABC, CBS, CW, Fox, ION, MyNetworkTV, NBC, PBS and Other stations in Florida
Also see: Religious and Spanish TV stations
v • d • e
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Annual Revenue: $4.2 billion USD · Employees: 19,000 · Stock Symbol: NYSE: WPO  · Website: www.washpostco.com
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