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===Former on-air staff===
===Former on-air staff===
* Chris Bradley ([[American Meteorological Society|AMS]] Seal of Approval) - chief meteorologist; (1998–2005; now with [[WBNS-TV]])
* Charlene Brown - anchor
* Charlene Brown - anchor
* Larry Cosgrove - cheif meteorologist (now owns the website http://www.weatheramerica.net)
* Larry Cosgrove - cheif meteorologist (now owns the website http://www.weatheramerica.net)

Revision as of 18:09, 5 June 2013

{{Infobox broadcast}} may refer to:

{{Template disambiguation}} should never be transcluded in the main namespace.

WSYX, channel 6, is an ABC-affiliated television station located in Columbus, Ohio, USA. WSYX is owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group, which also operates Fox affiliate WTTE (owned by Cunningham Broadcasting) through a local marketing agreement. The two stations share studios in Grandview Heights, a suburb of Columbus, along with a transmitter on Columbus' west side.

WSYX also operates The CW affiliate WWHO (owned by Manhan Media) through a shared services agreement although that station currently has separate studios several blocks east of the WSYX/WTTE studios.

History

Former WTVN-TV studios at 753 Harmon Avenue, Columbus, Ohio (1952 to 1977)

The station began operations on September 30, 1949, as WTVN, Columbus' second television station.[1] It was owned by Picture Waves Inc., a company controlled by Toledo-based attorney and investor Edward Lamb, who also owned WICU-TV in Erie, Pennsylvania, which went on the air six months earlier. WTVN was an affiliate of the DuMont Television Network at its inception, and was one of only three primary affiliates of that network. In 1953, it took on a secondary affiliation with ABC. Channel 6 became a full-time ABC affiliate in 1955, after DuMont closed down its operations. During the late 1950s, the station was also briefly affiliated with the NTA Film Network.[2] The station was first housed within the Lincoln-LeVeque Tower in downtown Columbus until 1952, when it moved into a new facility on Harmon Avenue on Columbus' west side. Channel 6's present home, on Dublin Road in Grandview Heights, has been in operation since 1977.

In March 1953, Picture Waves sold WTVN to Radio Cincinnati, Inc., the broadcasting interests of the Taft family of Cincinnati. Radio Cincinnati would later become the Taft Broadcasting Company.[3][4] The following year, Radio Cincinnati purchased WHKC radio (610 AM) from the publishers of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, renaming that station WTVN (AM) and subsequently adding a -TV suffix to channel 6's call sign.[5] Taft would launch a second radio station in Columbus, WTVN-FM (96.3 FM, now WLVQ), in April 1960.

In the early 1970s, Taft's common ownership of WTVN-TV and WKRC-TV (channel 12) in Cincinnati was given protection under a "grandfather clause" by the Federal Communications Commission from its newly enacted "one-to-a-market" rule. The ordinance prohibited television stations with overlapping signals from sharing common ownership while protecting existing instances. One of channel 6's competitors, Crosley/Avco-owned WLWC (channel 4, now WCMH-TV), was given grandfathered protection through a similar situation with sister stations in Dayton and Cincinnati.

File:Wtvntv-1978.png
WTVN-TV identification logo from 1978

In 1987, Cincinnati financier Carl Lindner acquired a majority of Taft's shares in a hostile takeover, renaming the company Great American Broadcasting, as a subsidiary of his Great American Insurance Company. However, as the FCC considered the restructuring as an ownership change, WTVN-TV lost its grandfathered protection and could not be retained by Great American. A group of former Taft Broadcasting shareholders, led by Texas millionaire Robert Bass (who also participated in the hostile takeover), purchased WTVN-TV for their new company, called Anchor Media. The sale closed on August 31, 1987, and the new owners renamed the station WSYX. WTVN and WLVQ-FM remained owned by Great American for several years.

Anchor Media, who also purchased ABC affiliates WLOS in Asheville, North Carolina (in April 1987) and KOVR in Stockton, California (in January 1989), was purchased by River City Broadcasting in 1993. River City was merged into the Sinclair Broadcast Group in 1996. Sinclair owned Columbus' Fox affiliate, WTTE, but could not keep both stations since the FCC did not allow common ownership of two stations in a single market. Sinclair kept the longer-established WSYX and sold WTTE to Glencairn, Ltd., owned by former Sinclair executive Edwin Edwards. However, the Smith family (Sinclair's founding owners) controlled nearly all of Glencairn's stock. In effect, Sinclair now had a duopoly in Columbus in violation of FCC rules. Sinclair and Glenciarn further circumvented the rules by merging WTTE's operations with those of WSYX under a local marketing agreement, with WSYX as the senior partner.

In 2001, after the FCC allowed duopolies, Sinclair tried to acquire Glencairn outright. However, the FCC would not allow Sinclair to repurchase WTTE for two major reasons. First, the FCC does not allow duopolies between two of the four highest-rated stations in a single market. Also, the Columbus market, despite its relatively large size, has only seven full-power stations—too few to legally permit a duopoly. Glencairn was renamed Cunningham Broadcasting but is still effectively owned by Sinclair because nearly all of its stock is owned by trusts controlled by the Smith family. This situation is one of many that has led to allegations that Cunningham is simply a shell corporation used by Sinclair to circumvent FCC ownership rules.[citation needed]

At one point, WTVN/WSYX was one of five ABC affiliates owned by Taft. WSYX is the only one of these stations still affiliated with ABC.

Digital television

The station's digital signal is multiplexed:

Channel Video Aspect PSIP Short Name Programming
6.1 720p 16:9 WSYX DT Main WSYX programming / ABC
6.2 480i 4:3 MY TV MyNetworkTV / This TV

In August 2006, WSYX launched a new second digital subchannel to carry programming from MyNetworkTV. This channel added programming from This TV in the daytime and overnight hours on November 1, 2008. It is currently the largest subchannel-only MyNetworkTV affiliate.

Analog-to-digital conversion

WSYX shut down its analog signal on June 12, 2009 as part of the DTV transition.[6] It remained on channel 13 [7] using PSIP to display its virtual channel as 6 on digital television receivers. On December 11, 2009 the FCC issued a Report & Order granting WSYX's petition to move from VHF channel 13 to UHF channel 48 to improve signal strength and to be consistent with other Columbus stations on the UHF dial.[8] On Monday, August 30, 2010, WSYX began broadcasting on UHF channel 48.[9]

News operation

File:Wsyx news.png
Weekday morning news open.

Historically WSYX-TV has been #3 in the local news ratings race. However, in the past several years WSYX has been competitive in the fight with WCMH for the runner-up position behind WBNS. During the 1977-83 era, channel 6 often passed WCMH for second place behind long-dominant WBNS-TV, and during 1987-1992, channel 6 and WBNS traded second place ratings. Over the years, the station has featured high-profile Columbus anchors including Tom Ryan (who moved from WBNS to WTVN in 1979), Pat Lalama, I.J. Hudson, Michelle Gailiun, Lou Forrest (known as Louis de la Foret on CNN Headline News), Deborah Countiss, Bob Hetherington, and Charlene Brown. Liz Claman (now an anchor on Fox Business Network) and Carol Costello (now an anchor on CNN) were also one time anchor/reporter on WSYX.

WTTE began a 10 P.M. newscast in 1995 and was the second in Central Ohio after an attempt by WWHO that was produced by WCMH. Former Fox 28 Kids Club host Yolanda Harris was one of the original anchors and now serves as weeknight co-anchor on the two stations. By August 1999, WTTE's broadcast was absorbed into WSYX's news department which then began producing that channel's news programs under the NewsCenter branding that was used at the time. This title was eventually dropped.

Most Taft Broadcasting Co. stations ran daily editorials at the end of certain newscasts.

Currently, WSYX's news programs are called "ABC 6 News" while programming on WTTE is branded "FOX 28 News at 10" and "Good Day Columbus". The news operation produces five hours of news each weekday on this channel and three hours of news on WTTE. On the weekends, the stations do not have a weekend morning show similar to WBNS and WCMH.

WSYX and WTTE did not participate in the wider implementation of Sinclair's now-defunct, controversial News Central format for its newscasts but did air "The Point", a one-minute conservative political commentary, that was also controversial and a requirement of all Sinclair-owned stations with newscasts until the series was discontinued in December 2006. WSYX launched their newscasts in high definition on May 10, 2008, making them the last Columbus station to make the upgrade. The WTTE newscasts were included in the switch. In addition, this was the second Sinclair-owned station to launch local newscasts in HD.

In recent months WSYX has been leading the market in the use of technology as they have adopted the use of cellular video encoders for live shots. New cell phone technology makes it possible for news crews to have live shots from moving cars and locations where you could not have live shots before. On March 10, 2012 WSYX-TV became the first news operation in central Ohio to broadcast HD from the field and studio. Prior to March 10th WSYX shot field video in 16x9 anamorphic widescreen SD and upconverted the video for widescreen playback.

Newscast Titles

  • Front-Page News (1950s-1960s)
  • 6-Star News (1960s-1970s)
  • News Service (1970s-1977)
  • Action 6 News (1977–1987)
  • Channel 6 News (1987–1992)
  • 6 On Your Side News (1992–1995)
  • 6 News (1995–1999)
  • NewsCenter on ABC 6 (1999-2006)
  • ABC 6 News (2006–present)

Station Slogans

  • Channel 6 Calls It Home (early 1970s)
  • We're Ohio's Very Own, TV-6 (mid 1970s)
  • Bringing It Home To You (1979-81)
  • Where News Comes First! (early 1980s)
  • Spirit of Ohio (mid '80s)
  • Still The Team to Watch (mid-late 1980s)
  • 6 On Your Side (1992-95)
  • News You Can Use (1995-1997)
  • The Power of Television times Two (1999-2001)

Live programming

Former bowling lanes at WTVN-TV's Harmon Ave. studios. Bowling for Dollars originated from this studio.

Like most local stations during the "Golden Era" of television, WTVN-TV produced a wide range of live local news and entertainment programs. Earl Green, better known as Channel 6's news anchor and director in the 1970s, began his career at the station as a movie host. Gene Fullen and Sally Flowers also hosted shows during their careers. WTVN-TV also hosted various live bowling shows including Bowling for Dollars and 'Spare Time' hosted by Gene Fullen & Sandy Hare from its in-studio bowling lanes at the Harmon Avenue studios. The bowling lanes were not relocated when WTVN-TV moved to its current studio facility at 1261 Dublin Road in 1977.

News team

Anchors

  • Pete Scalia - weekday mornings (4:25-7:00 on WSYX and 7:00-9:00 a.m. on WTTE)
  • Carolyn Bruck - weekday mornings (4:25-7:00 on WSYX and 7:00-9:00 a.m. on WTTE)
  • Yolanda Harris - weeknights at 5:00, 6:00, 10:00 (WTTE) and 11:00 p.m.
  • Bob Kendrick - weeknights at 5:00, 6:00, 10:00 (WTTE) and 11:00 p.m.
  • Terri Sullivan - weekdays at noon
  • Adam Aaro - weekends at 6:00, 10:00 (WTTE) and 11:00 p.m.

ABC 6 First Warning Meteorologists

  • Bill Kelly - Chief meteorologist, seen weeknights at 5:00, 6:00, 10:00 (WTTE) and 11:00 p.m.
  • Lisa Colbert - weekday mornings (4:25-7:00 on WSYX and 7:00-10:00 a.m. on WTTE) and weekdays at noon
  • Dana Turtle - weekday mornings (4:25-7:00 a.m.)
    • weather and science reporter
  • Andrew Michael - weekends at 6:00, 10:00 (WTTE) and 11:00 p.m.

Sports

  • Clay Hall - Director seen weeknights at 6:00, 10:00 (WTTE) and 11:00 p.m.
    • The Football Fever on ABC 6 host and "Beyond the Game" segment producer
  • Matt Finkes - The Football Fever on ABC 6 host
  • Doug Lessells -The Football Fever on ABC 6 host
  • Obie Stillwell - The Football Fever on ABC 6 reporter
  • TBD - weekends at 6:00, 10:00 (WTTE) and 11:00 p.m.

Reporters

  • Tom Bosco
  • Susan Burton - Health and Medical
  • Dave Detling
  • Shawn Ireland - morning feature anchor (4:25-7:00 a.m. on WSYX and 7:00-10:00 a.m. on WTTE)
  • Maria Durant
  • Jen French
  • Dana Jay
  • Mike Kallmeyer
  • Mike Kilburn - traffic reporter (4:25-7:00 a.m. on WSYX and 7:00-9:00 a.m. on WTTE)
  • Shawn Kline
  • Steve Levine - Fighting Back Crime Reporter
  • Carol Luper
  • Mike McCarthy - Multimedia Journalist
  • Tara Morgan
  • Lisa Rantala
  • Lu Ann Stoia
  • Joe Stoll
  • Tom Sussi - Consumer Investigative Reporter
  • Ashley Yore

Former on-air staff

  • Chris Bradley (AMS Seal of Approval) - chief meteorologist; (1998–2005; now with WBNS-TV)
  • Charlene Brown - anchor
  • Larry Cosgrove - cheif meteorologist (now owns the website http://www.weatheramerica.net)
  • Deborah Countiss - anchor
  • Stephen Dean - reporter (2012; now at WRTV in Indianapolis)
  • Andy Dominianni - morning anchor (2009–2011); now evening anchor at WWMT-TV in Grand Rapids)
  • Michelle Gailiun - anchor (1980's and early 1990's)
  • Bob Hetherington - anchor (now does Real Estate with wife and former co-anchor Lorene Wagner)
  • Jake Whittenberg – reporter (2007–2010; now at KING-TV in Seattle)
  • Adam Slinger - reporter (2007–2011; now with KNXV-TV in Phoenix [10]
  • Meghan McCorkell - reporter (2008–2011; now with WJZ-TV in Baltimore)
  • Steve Minich - sports anchor (1979-1991; now with WMTW in Portland, Maine)
  • Natalie Taylor - sports anchor/reporter (2010–2011; now sideline reporter for Fox Sports Ohio)
  • Jerry Martz (AMS and NWA Seal of Approval) - Chief seen weeknights and "Jerry's Garden" segment producer (2007-2012, now working for Weather Central)
  • Tom Ryan - anchor (1979-87; now deceased)
  • Lorene Wagner - anchor (now does Real Estate with husband and former co-anchor Bob Hetherington)

References

  1. ^ "WTVN (TV) start; Lamb station bows September 30." Broadcasting, October 3, 1949, pg. 61. [1]
  2. ^ "Require Prime Evening Time for NTA Films", Boxoffice: 13, November 10, 1956 [dead link]
  3. ^ "Taft buys WTVN for $1.5 million." Broadcasting, January 19, 1953, pg. 56. [2]
  4. ^ "FCC approves WTVN (TV) sale from Lamb to Taft family." Broadcasting, March 2, 1953, pg. 54. [3]
  5. ^ "WHKC bought by WTVN (TV), WKRC interests for $158,000." Broadcasting, April 19, 1954, pg. 7. [4]
  6. ^ http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf
  7. ^ CDBS Print
  8. ^ Report & Order from the FCC for WSYX, December 11, 2009
  9. ^ ABC6 Switching to DTV on Aug. 30
  10. ^ "Adam Slinger". ABC15. 3 August 2011. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
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