WFGX
Encyclopedia
WFGX is a television station serving the Mobile, Alabama
and Pensacola, Florida
areas. The station is licensed to Fort Walton Beach, Florida
, and broadcasts on digital
channel 50 (virtual channel 35). WFGX is primarily affiliated with MyNetworkTV
, though it also carries programming from This TV
on a secondary basis and Jewelry Television
to fill their overnight schedule, as well as programming from all-music network TheCoolTV
on digital subchannel 35.2. WFGX is owned and operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group
and is jointly operated with Sinclair's ABC
affiliate WEAR-TV
from WEAR's Pensacola studios.
with WEAR.
From 1996 to 1998, WFGX produced a daily newscast called Emerald Coast News. It was a traditional newscast that was 30 minutes long, and ran at 6:30 pm and 9:00 pm, and featured news, weather, and sports. ECN's focus was on Okaloosa County, and helped provide coverage for its sister station in Pensacola, WEAR. On November 2, 1998, it was announced that the newscast would be terminated, and the final show aired on December 11. The building still houses a bureau news crew for WEAR.
WFGX's former analog signal was very weak (509,000 watts), resulting in marginal (at best) reception outside the immediate Fort Walton Beach area, even in Pensacola. However, it has long identified as "Pensacola/Fort Walton Beach"--unusual since the city of license is normally listed first when a station references another city in its legal ID. It had to rely on cable coverage to reach the entire market. As a result, the WB opted to affiliate with the much stronger WBPG (now WFNA) when it signed on in 2001. The station then reverted to independent status, airing home shopping programming from Jewelry Television
and other programming including syndicated shows and infomercials. In 2006, Sinclair opted to afflilate stations with the newly formed MyNetworkTV
network across the country, including WFGX. WFGX also increased its digital signal to one million watts, enough to provide a good signal to viewers in Pensacola. However, it was still practically unviewable on the Alabama side of the market.
In July 2010, WFGX's digital signal was moved from Gulf Breeze, Florida
to WEAR's transmitter site in Robertsdale, Alabama
. With the same power in this new location, WFGX is able to offer a signal similar to that of the other full-powered stations in the area and can now be viewed in the entire market. Within two months, the station began offering a high-definition signal over the air for the first time.
system didn't pick up channel 35 until October 2010, and only carries it for digital customers on Channel 19. It is still not carried on Mediacom
's systems in Baldwin
and Mobile counties, even though it has been carried on Mediacom's cable systems on the Florida side of the market (including Santa Rosa County
, and Pensacola Beach) for many years.
It is very likely, however, that WFGX will be available on cable market-wide in the near future. The Federal Communications Commission
's must-carry
rules give full-powered stations the option of "retransmission consent." This option gives full-powered stations the right to request compensation from cable systems as a condition of carrying them. In this case, Sinclair has the right to require cable systems to carry WFGX as a condition of carrying WEAR. Due to its new status as a full-powered station for most of the market, WFGX and WEAR are encouraging viewers to call their cable company if they are not carrying WFGX.
WFGX is also available on AT&T
's recently launched U-verse
system in the Mobile-Pensacola market. It can be seen in high definition on U-verse channel 1035 and in standard definition on channel 35.
Dish Network
and DirecTV
both recently picked up WFGX on channel 35, but only in standard definition.
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
and Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
areas. The station is licensed to Fort Walton Beach, Florida
Fort Walton Beach, Florida
Fort Walton Beach is a city in southern Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. As of 2005, the population estimate for Fort Walton Beach was 19,992, and as of 2010, the population estimate for Fort Walton Beach is 19,507 recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau...
, and broadcasts on digital
Digital television
Digital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...
channel 50 (virtual channel 35). WFGX is primarily affiliated with MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
, though it also carries programming from This TV
This TV
This TV is a United States general entertainment television network, with a large emphasis in its programming on movies....
on a secondary basis and Jewelry Television
Jewelry Television
Jewelry Television is an American television network, similar to the Home Shopping Network. It was formerly called "America's Collectibles Network" . The privately-held company was founded in 1993 and broadcasts high definition programming 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to over 80 million unique...
to fill their overnight schedule, as well as programming from all-music network TheCoolTV
TheCoolTV
THECOOLTV is a United States over-the-air digital subchannel launched in March 2009. The network's current program schedule consists of an all-music video lineup that can be customized to meet an affiliate's preference, along with the three hours per week of E/I programming as required by the...
on digital subchannel 35.2. WFGX is owned and operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group
Sinclair Broadcast Group
The Sinclair Broadcast Group is an American telecommunications company that operates the largest number of local television stations in the United States. Headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland, it owns a total of 57 stations across the country in 35 primarily small and medium markets, many of...
and is jointly operated with Sinclair's ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
affiliate WEAR-TV
WEAR-TV
WEAR is the ABC affiliated television station for the Mobile, Alabama/Pensacola, Florida viewing area. It is licensed to Pensacola and is one of two major commercial stations in the market that is licensed on the Florida side of the market, the other being sister station WFGX, a MyNetworkTV affiliate...
from WEAR's Pensacola studios.
History
WFGX signed on as an independent station in 1987. It became the area's WB affiliate on September 29, 1996, shortly after its previous owners signed a local marketing agreementLocal marketing agreement
In U.S. and Canadian broadcasting, a local marketing agreement is an agreement in which one company agrees to operate a radio or television station owned by another licensee...
with WEAR.
From 1996 to 1998, WFGX produced a daily newscast called Emerald Coast News. It was a traditional newscast that was 30 minutes long, and ran at 6:30 pm and 9:00 pm, and featured news, weather, and sports. ECN's focus was on Okaloosa County, and helped provide coverage for its sister station in Pensacola, WEAR. On November 2, 1998, it was announced that the newscast would be terminated, and the final show aired on December 11. The building still houses a bureau news crew for WEAR.
WFGX's former analog signal was very weak (509,000 watts), resulting in marginal (at best) reception outside the immediate Fort Walton Beach area, even in Pensacola. However, it has long identified as "Pensacola/Fort Walton Beach"--unusual since the city of license is normally listed first when a station references another city in its legal ID. It had to rely on cable coverage to reach the entire market. As a result, the WB opted to affiliate with the much stronger WBPG (now WFNA) when it signed on in 2001. The station then reverted to independent status, airing home shopping programming from Jewelry Television
Jewelry Television
Jewelry Television is an American television network, similar to the Home Shopping Network. It was formerly called "America's Collectibles Network" . The privately-held company was founded in 1993 and broadcasts high definition programming 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to over 80 million unique...
and other programming including syndicated shows and infomercials. In 2006, Sinclair opted to afflilate stations with the newly formed MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
network across the country, including WFGX. WFGX also increased its digital signal to one million watts, enough to provide a good signal to viewers in Pensacola. However, it was still practically unviewable on the Alabama side of the market.
In July 2010, WFGX's digital signal was moved from Gulf Breeze, Florida
Gulf Breeze, Florida
Gulf Breeze is a city located on the Fairpoint Peninsula in Santa Rosa County, Florida, United States and is a suburb of Pensacola which lies to the north, across Pensacola Bay. The population was 5,665 at the 2000 census. As of 2005, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 6,455. ...
to WEAR's transmitter site in Robertsdale, Alabama
Robertsdale, Alabama
Robertsdale is a city in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 3,782. It is part of the Daphne–Fairhope–Foley Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
. With the same power in this new location, WFGX is able to offer a signal similar to that of the other full-powered stations in the area and can now be viewed in the entire market. Within two months, the station began offering a high-definition signal over the air for the first time.
Cable & Satellite Coverage
For most of its history, WFGX was unavailable to cable customers on the Alabama side of the market, largely because its analog signal couldn't be seen at all in that area. Mobile's ComcastComcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
system didn't pick up channel 35 until October 2010, and only carries it for digital customers on Channel 19. It is still not carried on Mediacom
Mediacom
Mediacom is a cable television and communications provider in the United States. Founded in July 1995, it serves primarily smaller markets in the Midwest and Southern United States. Formerly a publicly traded firm, it went private in a $600.0 million transaction in March 2011 and is, as of 2011,...
's systems in Baldwin
Baldwin County, Alabama
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*85.7% White*9.4% Black*0.7% Native American*0.7% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.5% Two or more races*4.4% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
and Mobile counties, even though it has been carried on Mediacom's cable systems on the Florida side of the market (including Santa Rosa County
Santa Rosa County, Florida
Santa Rosa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population was 117,743, while a July 1, 2005, estimate placed the population at 143,105, an 18% increase making it the 84th fastest growing county in the United States between 2000 and 2005. ...
, and Pensacola Beach) for many years.
It is very likely, however, that WFGX will be available on cable market-wide in the near future. The Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
's must-carry
Must-carry
In cable television, governments apply a must-carry regulation stating that locally-licensed television stations must be carried on a cable provider's system.- Canada :...
rules give full-powered stations the option of "retransmission consent." This option gives full-powered stations the right to request compensation from cable systems as a condition of carrying them. In this case, Sinclair has the right to require cable systems to carry WFGX as a condition of carrying WEAR. Due to its new status as a full-powered station for most of the market, WFGX and WEAR are encouraging viewers to call their cable company if they are not carrying WFGX.
WFGX is also available on AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
's recently launched U-verse
U-Verse
AT&T U-verse is a registered service mark under which AT&T offers Internet access, television, and telephone services in various parts of the United States. It began in 2008 to serve mostly residences and small businesses in urban and suburban areas.-Services:...
system in the Mobile-Pensacola market. It can be seen in high definition on U-verse channel 1035 and in standard definition on channel 35.
Dish Network
Dish Network
Dish Network Corporation is the second largest pay TV provider in the United States, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to 14.337 million commercial and residential customers in the United States. Dish...
and DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
both recently picked up WFGX on channel 35, but only in standard definition.