WFTC
Encyclopedia
WFTC, channel 29, is a MyNetworkTV
owned and operated television station licensed to Minneapolis, Minnesota
, and serving the Minneapolis–Saint Paul
metropolitan area. WFTC is owned by Fox Television Stations, a division of the News Corporation
, which also owns MyNetworkTV and co-located Fox network
station KMSP-TV
(channel 9).
The two stations share studio facilities in Eden Prairie
, and a transmission tower
in Shoreview
. WFTC is also rebroadcast on several low-power stations across Minnesota, and on one full-power station: KFTC (channel 26) in Bemidji, Minnesota
, which as of February 5, 2009, is operating as a digital-only station.
Prior to joining MyNetworkTV, WFTC was affiliated with the United Paramount Network (UPN)
, from September 8, 2002 to August 31, 2006.
station offering a family-oriented lineup consisting of classic reruns and religious programming. In 1984, the station was sold to the Beverly Hills Hotel
Corporation, headed by prominent arbitrageur Ivan Boesky
, who changed its call letters to KITN-TV (which stood for Independent Twenty-Nine, known colloquially as Kitten as in, "The KITN That Roars!"). The station became a mainstream independent station, airing syndicated programing such as The Beverly Hillbillies
, the 1960s Batman
television show, and the original Star Trek
series. It also acquired broadcast rights to the NHL
's Minnesota North Stars
, and also aired University of Minnesota
college football games. BHHC sold it a year later to Nationwide Communications
, the broadcasting subsidiary of Columbus, Ohio
-based Nationwide Insurance.
Channel 29 picked up the Fox
affiliation from KMSP-TV
in 1988 and became known as Fox 29. The station again changed its call sign
to WFTC in 1994 (for "Fox Twin Cities"), with the additional change using the W first-letter identifier over the K, allowed for by its transmitter
location on the eastern side of the Mississippi River
. Until 1998, it was the de facto Fox affiliate for almost all of Minnesota; the state's other two markets, Duluth
and Rochester
, didn't have Fox affiliates of their own. In 1998, however, KXLT-TV
became Rochester's Fox station, and a year later KQDS-TV
became the Fox affiliate for Duluth.
As part of its liquidation of its broadcasting interests, Nationwide Communications sold WFTC to Clear Channel Communications
in 1994. (It was the last remaining television station under Nationwide's ownership, the company having sold its other three stations—which were all affiliated with ABC
—to Young Broadcasting the year before.) In 2001, Clear Channel spun off the station to Fox Television Stations in exchange for KMOL-TV (now WOAI-TV
) in San Antonio
and KTVX in Salt Lake City. Both stations were acquired by Fox through its purchase of Chris-Craft Industries
' broadcast properties, which included then-UPN
affiliate KMSP-TV. As soon as its newest duopoly
was in place, Fox then switched the affiliations of the stations on September 8, 2002: Fox programming returned to KMSP, and UPN
shows moved from KMSP to WFTC. Channel 9 had a stronger signal and higher ratings than channel 29.
networks announced that they would merge into a new network called the CW
. As part of the deal, the new network signed a 10-year affiliation deal with most of Tribune's WB stations and CBS Corporation
's UPN stations.
Fox was perturbed that none of its stations were included in the deal. The next day (January 25), Fox scrubbed all UPN references from its UPN affiliates' logos and promotions, and also announced that its stations would no longer promote any UPN programming. Accordingly, WFTC changed its branding from "UPN 29" to "WFTC 29," and revamped its logo to just feature the boxed "29". On February 22--less than a month after the formation of the CW--Fox announced the formation of MyNetworkTV
, with WFTC and the other Fox-owned UPN stations as the nuclei. But it wasn't until May 2, 2006 that the CW announced outgoing WB affiliate KMWB-TV (now WUCW
) as its Twin Cities station.
On June 2, 2006, with the impending switch to MyNetworkTV, WFTC's on-air branding was changed to My 29, using the new slogan on its newscasts and other non-UPN programming elements. On June 30, 2006, WFTC aired its final 10 p.m. newscast, and moved that program to sister station KMSP-TV.
Despite the announced launch date of MyNetworkTV (September 5), UPN continued to broadcast on stations across the country until September 15, 2006. While some UPN affiliates who switched to MyNetworkTV aired the final two weeks of UPN programming outside its regular primetime period, the Fox-owned stations, including WFTC, dropped UPN entirely on August 31, 2006.
On September 9, 2006, WFTC began carrying the 4Kids TV
lineup for the first time since 2002, when the station was a Fox affiliate airing what was then Fox Kids
. In addition, WFTC may carry Fox network programming should it be preempted by KMSP in the event of a local special or an emergency such as a breaking news
story. A sample situation was used on August 1, 2007, during the I-35W Bridge Collapse.
, KSTP-TV
, and WCCO-TV
. Channel 29's effort lasted five years, ending on June 30, 2006, and has been replaced with syndicated programming. The 10:00 news program was then moved to KMSP as part of an expanded late news programming block.
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
owned and operated television station licensed to Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, and serving the Minneapolis–Saint Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
metropolitan area. WFTC is owned by Fox Television Stations, a division of the News Corporation
News Corporation
News Corporation or News Corp. is an American multinational media conglomerate. It is the world's second-largest media conglomerate as of 2011 in terms of revenue, and the world's third largest in entertainment as of 2009, although the BBC remains the world's largest broadcaster...
, which also owns MyNetworkTV and co-located Fox network
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
station KMSP-TV
KMSP-TV
KMSP-TV, channel 9, is the Fox-owned-and-operated television station serving the Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota designated market area, owned in a duopoly with MyNetworkTV affiliate WFTC...
(channel 9).
The two stations share studio facilities in Eden Prairie
Eden Prairie, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 54,901 people, 20,457 households, and 14,579 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 21,026 housing units at an average density of 649.2 per square mile...
, and a transmission tower
KMSP Tower
KMSP TV Tower is a 446.8 metre high guy-wired aerial mast for the transmission of FM radio and television programs in Shoreview, Minnesota at...
in Shoreview
Shoreview, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there are 25,377 people, Males: 12,303 , Females: 13,074 , 9,965 households, and 7,021 families residing in the city. The population density is 2,315.9 people per square mile . There are 10,127 housing units at an average density of 919.2 per square mile...
. WFTC is also rebroadcast on several low-power stations across Minnesota, and on one full-power station: KFTC (channel 26) in Bemidji, Minnesota
Bemidji, Minnesota
Bemidji is a city in Beltrami County, Minnesota, United States. Its population was at 13,431 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Beltrami County. Bemidji is the most major city in North Central Minnesota and the largest commercial center between Grand Forks, North Dakota and Duluth,...
, which as of February 5, 2009, is operating as a digital-only station.
Prior to joining MyNetworkTV, WFTC was affiliated with the United Paramount Network (UPN)
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
, from September 8, 2002 to August 31, 2006.
Early history
The station signed on air on September 13, 1982 as WFBT (for "Family Bible Television"). It was a ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
station offering a family-oriented lineup consisting of classic reruns and religious programming. In 1984, the station was sold to the Beverly Hills Hotel
Beverly Hills Hotel
The Beverly Hills Hotel is a hotel on Sunset Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California. It was opened on May 12, 1912 by Margaret J. Anderson and her son, Stanley S. Anderson, who had been managing the Hollywood Hotel. The original main building of The Beverly Hills Hotel was designed by Pasadena...
Corporation, headed by prominent arbitrageur Ivan Boesky
Ivan Boesky
Ivan Frederick Boesky is an American stock trader who is notable for his prominent role in a Wall Street insider trading scandal that occurred in the United States in the mid-1980s.-Life and career:...
, who changed its call letters to KITN-TV (which stood for Independent Twenty-Nine, known colloquially as Kitten as in, "The KITN That Roars!"). The station became a mainstream independent station, airing syndicated programing such as The Beverly Hillbillies
The Beverly Hillbillies
The Beverly Hillbillies is an American situation comedy originally broadcast for nine seasons on CBS from 1962 to 1971, starring Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Donna Douglas, and Max Baer, Jr....
, the 1960s Batman
Batman (TV series)
Batman is an American television series, based on the DC comic book character of the same name. It stars Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin — two crime-fighting heroes who defend Gotham City. It aired on the American Broadcasting Company network for three seasons from January 12, 1966 to...
television show, and the original Star Trek
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
series. It also acquired broadcast rights to the NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
's Minnesota North Stars
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
, and also aired University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
college football games. BHHC sold it a year later to Nationwide Communications
Nationwide Communications
Nationwide Communications Inc. was a media subsidiary of the Nationwide Insurance Company, which operated from 1946 until 1997. Based in Columbus, Ohio, Nationwide Communications owned and operated a variety of radio and television stations across the United States until it sold off all its radio...
, the broadcasting subsidiary of Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
-based Nationwide Insurance.
Channel 29 picked up the Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
affiliation from KMSP-TV
KMSP-TV
KMSP-TV, channel 9, is the Fox-owned-and-operated television station serving the Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota designated market area, owned in a duopoly with MyNetworkTV affiliate WFTC...
in 1988 and became known as Fox 29. The station again changed its call sign
North American call sign
Call signs in North America are frequently still used by North American broadcast stations in addition to amateur radio and other international radio stations that continue to identify by call signs around the world...
to WFTC in 1994 (for "Fox Twin Cities"), with the additional change using the W first-letter identifier over the K, allowed for by its transmitter
Transmitter
In electronics and telecommunications a transmitter or radio transmitter is an electronic device which, with the aid of an antenna, produces radio waves. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which is applied to the antenna. When excited by this alternating...
location on the eastern side of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. Until 1998, it was the de facto Fox affiliate for almost all of Minnesota; the state's other two markets, Duluth
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
and Rochester
Rochester, Minnesota
Rochester is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Olmsted County. Located on both banks of the Zumbro River, The city has a population of 106,769 according to the 2010 United States Census, making it Minnesota's third-largest city and the largest outside of the...
, didn't have Fox affiliates of their own. In 1998, however, KXLT-TV
KXLT-TV
KXLT-TV is the Fox-affiliated television station for Southeastern Minnesota and Northeastern Iowa. Licensed to Rochester, Minnesota, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 46 from a transmitter in Frankford Township, Minnesota. The station can also be seen on Mediacom and...
became Rochester's Fox station, and a year later KQDS-TV
KQDS-TV
KQDS-TV is the Fox-affiliated television station for the Twin Ports and Iron Range areas of Northeastern Minnesota that is licensed to Duluth. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 17 from a transmitter west of downtown in Hilltop Park. Owned by Red River Broadcasting, the...
became the Fox affiliate for Duluth.
As part of its liquidation of its broadcasting interests, Nationwide Communications sold WFTC to Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
in 1994. (It was the last remaining television station under Nationwide's ownership, the company having sold its other three stations—which were all affiliated with 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...
—to Young Broadcasting the year before.) In 2001, Clear Channel spun off the station to Fox Television Stations in exchange for KMOL-TV (now WOAI-TV
WOAI-TV
WOAI-TV, virtual channel 4 , is the NBC affiliate television station serving the San Antonio, Texas metropolitan area. Its transmitter is located in Elmendorf, Texas, with its studios located in downtown San Antonio....
) in San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
and KTVX in Salt Lake City. Both stations were acquired by Fox through its purchase of Chris-Craft Industries
Chris-Craft Industries
Chris-Craft Industries, Inc., formerly National Automotive Fibers, Inc., was a publicly-held American corporation traded on the New York and Pacific Stock Exchanges. It later took on the name of one of its acquisitions, Chris-Craft Boats...
' broadcast properties, which included then-UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
affiliate KMSP-TV. As soon as its newest duopoly
Duopoly (broadcasting)
In United States broadcast television and radio, duopoly is a term used to describe a single company which owns two or more stations in the same city or community....
was in place, Fox then switched the affiliations of the stations on September 8, 2002: Fox programming returned to KMSP, and UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
shows moved from KMSP to WFTC. Channel 9 had a stronger signal and higher ratings than channel 29.
Switch to MyNetworkTV
On January 24, 2006, the UPN and WBThe WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
networks announced that they would merge into a new network called the CW
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
. As part of the deal, the new network signed a 10-year affiliation deal with most of Tribune's WB stations and CBS Corporation
CBS Corporation
CBS Corporation is an American media conglomerate focused on commercial broadcasting, publishing, billboards and television production, with most of its operations in the United States. The President and CEO of the company is Leslie Moonves. Sumner Redstone, owner of National Amusements, is CBS's...
's UPN stations.
Fox was perturbed that none of its stations were included in the deal. The next day (January 25), Fox scrubbed all UPN references from its UPN affiliates' logos and promotions, and also announced that its stations would no longer promote any UPN programming. Accordingly, WFTC changed its branding from "UPN 29" to "WFTC 29," and revamped its logo to just feature the boxed "29". On February 22--less than a month after the formation of the CW--Fox announced the formation of MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
, with WFTC and the other Fox-owned UPN stations as the nuclei. But it wasn't until May 2, 2006 that the CW announced outgoing WB affiliate KMWB-TV (now WUCW
WUCW
WUCW is an affiliate of The CW serving the Minneapolis-St. Paul area of Minnesota. The station is currently owned and operated by the Sinclair Broadcast Group....
) as its Twin Cities station.
On June 2, 2006, with the impending switch to MyNetworkTV, WFTC's on-air branding was changed to My 29, using the new slogan on its newscasts and other non-UPN programming elements. On June 30, 2006, WFTC aired its final 10 p.m. newscast, and moved that program to sister station KMSP-TV.
Despite the announced launch date of MyNetworkTV (September 5), UPN continued to broadcast on stations across the country until September 15, 2006. While some UPN affiliates who switched to MyNetworkTV aired the final two weeks of UPN programming outside its regular primetime period, the Fox-owned stations, including WFTC, dropped UPN entirely on August 31, 2006.
On September 9, 2006, WFTC began carrying the 4Kids TV
4Kids TV
4Kids TV was a Saturday morning television programming block on the Fox Broadcasting Company. The block was part of the Fox Network schedule...
lineup for the first time since 2002, when the station was a Fox affiliate airing what was then Fox Kids
Fox Kids
Fox Kids was the Fox Broadcasting Company's American children's programming division and brand name from September 8, 1990 until September 7, 2002. It was owned by Fox Television Entertainment airing programming on Monday–Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings.Depending on the show, the...
. In addition, WFTC may carry Fox network programming should it be preempted by KMSP in the event of a local special or an emergency such as a breaking news
Breaking news
Breaking news, also known as a special report or news bulletin, is a current event that broadcasters feel warrants the interruption of scheduled programming and/or current news in order to report its details. Many times, breaking news is used after the news network has already reported on this story...
story. A sample situation was used on August 1, 2007, during the I-35W Bridge Collapse.
Syndicated
- The SimpsonsThe SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
- Divorce CourtDivorce CourtDivorce Court is a judge show about cases which only involve divorcing couples. Out of the shows currently airing in the court-themed genre, Divorce Court is the oldest...
- Family GuyFamily GuyFamily Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
- Everybody Loves RaymondEverybody Loves RaymondEverybody Loves Raymond is an American television sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 13, 1996, to May 16, 2005. Many of the situations from the show are based on the real-life experiences of lead actor Ray Romano, creator/producer Phil Rosenthal and the show's writing staff...
- America's Court with Judge RossAmerica's Court with Judge RossAmerica's Court with Judge Ross is a nationally-syndicated American television show that debuted in several top U.S. markets on September 20, 2010. This show uses a former real-life judge presiding over fictionalized small claims court cases. Here, Kevin A. Ross is the presiding judge...
- The Wendy Williams ShowThe Wendy Williams ShowThe Wendy Williams Show is a syndicated talk show hosted by Wendy Williams that premiered on July 14, 2008, as six-week sneak peek, in Detroit, Dallas, Los Angeles, and New York City. The test run was picked up for a full season that began its run on July 13, 2009 in over 70% of the country in...
- Swift Justice with Jackie Glass
- Two and a Half MenTwo and a Half MenTwo and a Half Men is an American television sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 22, 2003. Starring Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, and Angus T. Jones, the show was originally about a hedonistic jingle writer, Charlie Harper; his uptight brother, Alan; and Alan's growing son, Jake...
- King of the HillKing of the HillKing of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas...
- COPSCOPS (TV series)Cops is an American documentary/reality television series that follows police officers, constables, and sheriff's deputies during patrols and other police activities...
- House M.D.
- Law & OrderLaw & OrderLaw & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
- BonesBones (TV series)Bones is an American crime drama television series that premiered on the Fox Network on September 13, 2005. The show is based on forensic anthropology and forensic archaeology, with each episode focusing on an FBI case file concerning the mystery behind human remains brought by FBI Special Agent...
- The CloserThe CloserThe Closer is an American crime drama, starring Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, a Georgia police detective who often closes her cases using sometimes-questionable methods...
- 30 Rock30 Rock30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
- The Big Bang TheoryThe Big Bang TheoryThe Big Bang Theory is an American sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, both of whom serve as executive producers on the show, along with Steven Molaro. All three also serve as head writers...
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- FuturamaFuturamaFuturama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J...
- Weekend MarketplaceWeekend MarketplaceWeekend Marketplace is a two hour Saturday morning block of paid programming airing on Fox that began airing on January 3, 2009, replacing the 4Kids TV Saturday morning cartoon block that aired using time leased by 4Kids from Fox from 2002 until the last Saturday of 2008...
- The Weekend Buzz with Jason Matheson
- My Name is EarlMy Name Is EarlMy Name Is Earl is an American television comedy series created by Greg Garcia that was originally broadcast on the NBC television network from September 20, 2005, to May 14, 2009, in the United States...
- Law & Order: Criminal IntentLaw & Order: Criminal IntentLaw & Order: Criminal Intent is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it was also primarily produced. Created and produced by Dick Wolf and René Balcer, the series premiered on September 30, 2001, as the second spin-off of Wolf's successful crime drama...
- The UnitThe UnitThe Unit is an American action-drama television series that focuses on a top-secret military unit modeled after the real-life U.S. Army special operations unit commonly known as Delta Force...
- American Dad
- Grey's AnatomyGrey's AnatomyGrey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
Trivia
- WFTC is one of a few stations to have been affiliated with both News Corporation-owned networks, Fox and My Network TV along with WCGV Milwaukee.
- WFTC won 4 Emmys in October, 2008 for general composite ads and for the My29 "Pinball" Campaign.
- WFTC won 1 Emmy in October, 2007.
- A news truck from WFTC 29 (during its Fox affiliate days) was seen on the 19961996 in filmMajor releases this year included Scream, Independence Day, Fargo, Trainspotting, The English Patient, Twister, Mars Attacks!, Jerry Maguire and a version of Evita starring Madonna.-Events:...
movie Jingle All the WayJingle All the WayJingle All the Way is a 1996 American family comedy film directed by Brian Levant and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sinbad, Phil Hartman, Rita Wilson, Jake Lloyd, James Belushi and Robert Conrad...
; along with a "WFTC Fox 29" broadcast from the Twin Cities Holiday Parade - WFTC is one of three Fox owned-and-operated MyNetworkTV stations that airs Weekend MarketplaceWeekend MarketplaceWeekend Marketplace is a two hour Saturday morning block of paid programming airing on Fox that began airing on January 3, 2009, replacing the 4Kids TV Saturday morning cartoon block that aired using time leased by 4Kids from Fox from 2002 until the last Saturday of 2008...
instead of a Fox O&O, along with WPWR in ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and KDFIKDFIKDFI-TV, virtual channel 27, is a MyNetworkTV-affiliated station serving the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The station is licensed to Dallas and owned by Fox Television Stations, a division of the News Corporation, and is a sister station to Fox network outlet KDFW . Its transmitter is located in Cedar...
In Dallas, TexasDallas, TexasDallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
.
News operations
Under Clear Channel ownership, WFTC launched a 60-minute newscast at 9:00 p.m. in 2001, where it faced competition from KMSP's established hour-long news program. After Fox assumed control of the station, WFTC moved the newscast to 10:00 p.m., and shortened it to 30 minutes. Though this move protected new sister station KMSP, WFTC now faced stiff competition from late newscasts on KAREKARE
KARE, digital channel 11, is an NBC-affiliated television station licensed to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and serving the Minneapolis-St. Paul area of Minnesota and portions of western Wisconsin. It also operates KARE WX NOW, formerly known as NBC Weather Plus on its second digital subchannel...
, KSTP-TV
KSTP-TV
KSTP-TV, channel 5, is the ABC affiliate for the Twin Cities. Its transmitter is located at the Shoreview Telefarm. It is the flagship station of Hubbard Broadcasting, which also owns several other broadcasting properties across the United States....
, and WCCO-TV
WCCO-TV
WCCO-TV, is the CBS owned and operated television station that serves the Minneapolis-St. Paul area of Minnesota. Its transmitter is at the Telefarm complex in Shoreview, Minnesota.- History :...
. Channel 29's effort lasted five years, ending on June 30, 2006, and has been replaced with syndicated programming. The 10:00 news program was then moved to KMSP as part of an expanded late news programming block.
Former on-air staff
- Tom Halden - weekend anchor (at WFTC until 2005, then at KMSP)
- Bill Keller - weekend anchor (2005–2006, then at KMSP)
- Brandon Roux - chief meteorologist (2004–2006)
Translator stations
In addition to KFTC channel 26 in Bemidji, WFTC is rebroadcast on a network of translators to other regions of the state:
|